I’m going to start with a thank you. This week has been Volunteers week. Each and every ringer is a volunteer, offering their time, effort and skill to support their tower, their branch and their Guild. Without each of you, there would be a lot less ringing taking place across the diocese. So thank you for turning up and ringing. 

Guild AGM

Talking of turning up, the Guild AGM is fast approaching, it’s on Saturday. The main part of the day will be at Barton Seagrave, with towers open in the afternoon. Details can be found on the website, here:  https://pdg.org.uk/homepage/agm Harrington have been confirmed, so the towers are as listed. 

Please get your names for tea and any dietary requirements to Caroline Mitchell by 9^th June.

See you there!

We still have some posts without nomination, PRO & Report Editor still looking for a volunteer or two… 

VJ Day

Having just got the list of towers that rang for VE day, next on the horizon is VJ Day. There are more details on the CCCBRs website. 

Banners of bellringing

As a cross stitcher, I have sometimes used bellringing methods as patterns for cross stitch. Instead of a note, each bell becomes a different colour. This link gives you an example: https://www.facebook.com/PDGCBR/videos/1745784608932919

But I’ve never done anything on the scale of this project. Edward Bruce is planning on hanging two banners 33 ft long in the crossing of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, in Edinburgh. The video explains more. I particularly like the way the light catches on the material of the woven banners. https://youtu.be/CdtsPaB8KAM

Other means of communication

If you are on Bluesky or Instagram you can follow the Guild feed on both of those platforms. We admit we’re still getting the hang of it! 

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/pdgcbr/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/pdgcbr.bsky.social

Be good to have you along. 

Dates for the Diary

Guild AGM Saturday 14^th June. 1:45 Wilby & Harrington, 2:45 Cranford St John, 3:30 Barton Seagrave for ringing, service, tea & meeting (5:45) and evening ringing. 

And Branch events. 

Thrapston Branch Practice Thursday 19^th June 2:30 Wadenhoe

Wellingborough Surprise Practice Saturday 21^st June 10:30 Woodford

Daventry Branch Practice Saturday 21^st June 3:30 Church Stowe, 6:30 Pattishall

Culworth Branch Practice Saturday 21^st June 4:00 Lois Weedon, 6:30 Pattishall

Towcester Branch Practice Saturday 28^th June 10:30 Greens Norton

Northampton Branch Practice Saturday 28^th June 2:30 Duston

Thrapston Branch Practice Wednesday 2^nd July 7:00  Titchmarsh

Guilsborough Branch Practice Saturday 5^th July 3:00 Great Oxendon, 6:00 East Farndon

Peterborough Surprise Minor Social Sunday 6^th July 2:30 Nassington

See you on Saturday

Helen 

Helen Allton

Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PDGCBR

Website: www.pdg.org.uk

e-mail: secretary@pdg.org.uk

Hello all,

Although everyone is welcome to St Mary’s 8 Bell Practice on Sunday, we will have a special method of Double Norwich for those of you who wish to try it.

Kind regards

Elaine & Jane

The 8 Bell Practice at St Mary’s, Peterborough, 8th June will now start at 3. 30pm to accommodate any Cathedral ringers who may wish to attend following their QP.

Just a reminder that there is a £2 fee to all participants to cover a donation to the church/tower.

Looking forward to seeing many if you there.

Kind regards

Elaine & Jane

Calling all fun-loving people to support St. Mary’s Peterborough charity fundraiser evening. A 7pm start, on Saturday 28th June, of hilarious table-top pig-racing with raffle and interval refreshments (please bring your own drinks and glasses unless you wish to wash-up at the end of the evening!). See attached poster. Tickets from Diana are just £6, email:- diana_cherryfields@yahoo.co.uk please, so we know how many to cater for, thank you.

Sadly St. Marys has no car parking of its own but there is a reasonable fairly large one behind (roundabout exit before church from ringroad side) the church which takes card and, on a good day, cash!

I hope to see you all there supporting a good cause and to have fun amongst super company,

Thank you.

Diana

Please note that the venue has changed for this event and now at FOTHERINGHAY and not Cotterstock.

Apologies for the late notice. We have made contact with everyone who told us in advance that they are attending but if you hadn’t let us know hopefully you’ll see this message before you make your way to Cotterstock! There will be a sign on the door explaining it has moved.

Jane

Sunday 1 June 2025, 2.30-4pm

Cotterstock

A reminder for you to join us for a surprise minor social this Sunday.

Methods are Cambridge and Primrose. It’s a great opportunity to practice surprise ringing and for those who can treble bob hunt.

We are asking for a donation of £2 for each ringer so we can give some money to the church/ tower for each social ring or workshop. It would be ideal if you can bring some cash with you but we should have a card reader.

Please let us know if you are able to attend so we can provide enough refreshments!

Elaine and Jane

I hesitate to say this, but hasn’t the weather been nice? Slightly worried that this might be it for summer, but I’m crossing my fingers there’s more to come. Although I can hear the gardeners wanting a drop of rain. OK, but only when I don’t want to be outside; overnight only, alright? 

Guild AGM

The Guild AGM in in June, based at Barton Seagrave. Details can be found on the website, here:  https://pdg.org.uk/latest-news/agm-2025April

We need nominations for Guild officers, if you know of someone who would be good at taking on a post, get onto them and send the proposals & seconds to me in writing or by e-mail. Job descriptions can be found on the website. Posts that are falling vacant are Report Editor & Master, with no PRO having been in post for the last year. The Guild is only as good as its volunteers, we need you! 

VE Day

Well done to all the towers that rang or chimed or otherwise make a noise for the 80^th anniversary of VE day. So far, I think there’s over 100 towers who have rung and put their ringing on BellBoard. There will be a full list in the next newsletter. 

Scouts visit to St Benedict’s West Hunsbury

Somehow, I got inveigled into giving a talk to a Scout group at West Hunsbury this week, on ringing. Thanks to Debbie Sampson’s powers of persuasion, there were a good number of helpers to get the scouts ringing call changes on handbells, tunes on bellplates, walking plain hunt and watching some ringing in the ringing room. It made for an interesting evening and hopefully they learnt something – even if it’s just that not all bells are rung by machines. I was reminded (again) how hard it is working with children – and this lot were quite well behaved. I have renewed my admiration for those who do. 

Dates for the Diary

Guild AGM Saturday 14^th June. 1:45 Wilby & Harrington (tbc), 2:45 Cranford St John, 3:30 Barton Seagrave for ringing, service, tea & meeting (5:45) and evening ringing. 

And Branch events. 

Rutland 8 Bell Practice Tuesday 20^th May 7:30Oakham

Peterborough Surprise Minor Social Sunday 1^stJune 2:30 Cotterstock

Thrapston Branch Practice Thursday 5^th June 7:30 Islip

Rutland Doubles Practice Saturday 7^th June 10:15North Luffenham

Guilsborough Branch Practice Saturday 7^th June 3:00 Spratton, 6:00 Cottesbrooke

Peterborough Practice Sunday 8^th June 2:00Peterborough St Mary

Thrapston Branch Practice Thursday 19^th June 2:30Wadenhoe

Wellingborough Surprise Practice Saturday 21^stJune 10:30 Woodford

Daventry Branch Practice Saturday 21^st June 3:30Church Stowe, 6:30 Pattishall

Culworth Branch Practice Saturday 21^st June 4:00Lois Weedon, 6:30 Pattishall

That’s all for now.

Helen 

Helen Allton

Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PDGCBR

Website: www.pdg.org.uk

e-mail: secretary@pdg.org.uk

Hello,

Just a reminder that there is open ringing for all branch members at St John’s Peterborough between 3.30 – 5.30pm on Sunday the 18th May.

If you have not rung at St John’s before it is an opportunity to experience heavier bells with a beautiful resounding tone. Don’t worry about the weight, it’s all in your ringing style!

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Regards

Elaine & Jane

Dear all, Diana has organised this popular event again this year, on Sunday 28 December, details below.

12:15-1pm  St Neots  Bells: 10   Weight: 29-2-13 in Db   Toilet

Address: Church St, Saint Neots PE19 2BU
Grid Reference: TL184601
What 3 Words: ///credited.baguette.rave

Dove: https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/12275  

1:15-2pm: Eynesbury   Bells: 6 (Anticlockwise) Weight: 13-0-27 in F#.      Toilet
Address: St Mary’s St, Eynesbury, Saint Neots PE19 2NA

Grid Reference: TL184598
What 3 Words: ///tumblers.pitching.liquids

Dove: https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/12418

2:15-3pm:   Eaton Socon, St Mary, Bells: 8, Weight 13–1–11 in F

There will be a rope fee, £1 each ringer per tower please, to cover the tower donations, payable to me on the day please.

Please note – all are welcome to come to the cream tea whether you ring or not, it is a very sociable afternoon.

3:15-4pm   Roxton Garden Centre 

Address: Bedford Road, Roxton. Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 3DY
what3words address  ///Speeds.Streak.Troubled
Directions: Just off A1’s Black Cat roundabout between A1 South and Bedford turning, and the entrance is on the left about 100 metres or so along that road.

Cream Teas are £5.85, providing a lovely home-made scone, jam, clotted cream and tea or coffee (I tested this!)  Scone can be fruit, plain or cheese – please specify and tea/coffee choice.

There is no full afternoon tea offered at weekends but the following Sandwiches can be pre-ordered, on brown or white bread with chips or salad:

Egg Mayonnaise £8.49
Grated Cheese & Piccalilli £8.99
Plain Ham £8.99
Tuna Mayonnaise & Mixed leaves £8.99

Chicken Tikka with Indian Sweet Chilli Sauce & Mixed Leaves £8.99

Food and drink orders to be placed with Diana by Thursday 18th September, thank you.

I look forward to seeing you all there on the day, thank you.

Diana

diana_cherryfields@yahoo.co.uk

This is just a reminder the the 8 bell practice is at Castor on Friday 9th May 7.30 – 9pm.

We will be ringing anything from Plain Bob to Surprise Major subject to the ringers available.

looking forward to seeing you there.

best wishes

Elaine & Jane