Another reminder for the 8 Bell practice at St Mary’s tomorrow 2. 30pm!

All are welcome who wish to ring on 8 bells.

And for the more advanced the surprise method is Lessness.

See you tomorrow.

Regards

Elaine

Hello all,

Just a reminder that this month’s 8 Bell Practice is on Sunday at 2. 30pm at St Mary’s, Peterborough.

If you normally ring in a 6 bell tower, this is your opportunity to ring on 8. Anything from rounds and call changes, plain hunt and beyond on 8 bells.

For the more advanced ringers, this month’s special method is Lessness.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Elaine and Jane.

Sunday 3 August, 2.30-4pm

Easton on the Hill

Please join us for a surprise minor social ring on Sunday 3 August at Easton on the Hill. Suggested methods are London, Bourne and Cambridge.

if you are learning to treble to surprise methods you would also be welcome.

It’d be great if you can let us know if you can attend.

Elaine and Jane

My goodness, we’ve had some very much needed rain in the last week. Hopefully it hasn’t found its way into places it shouldn’t. It making its way into my water butt is most welcome, the tomatoes have been rather thirsty of late. 

Young Ringers competition

This week’s Ringing World has devoted half the edition to the RWNYC, including several photos of the Daventry band. Have a look at a copy, if you get the chance. They look both very smart and smiley. 

Social Event Saturday

Saturday sees an event at Whilton tower, they are having a day of Bells, BBQ & Beer on 26th July 12.30pm – 4pm. Ringers are welcome to come and ring,  as well as partake of the other B’s on offer. There will be a cake stall, which doesn’t begin with B but is a big bonus in my opinion. Bands can book a slot, or just come for the open ringing. Tutors will be on hand to give people a try at ringing and it’s hoped that the village will get involved in the event. There’s a poster available to advertise the event on the Guild website.

https://pdg.org.uk/latest-news/whilton-bells-bbq-beer

See you there! 

Guild Training

The next Guild Second Saturday Session is an open Stedman practice, to be held at Pattishall on 9^th August 6:30 pm. This will concentrate on this most majestic of methods (yes, I’m a fan). You can expect doubles and triples to be rung, and both touches and plain courses.  

Branch training

Culworth branch are holding a training seminar for Saturday 26th July from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. It will be held in Lois Weedon village hall. The subject is ‘Starting to learn and ring methods’ and the speaker is Robert Wood who presented a very successful session last year on Plain Hunt and Plain Bob. I hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend – this invitation is extended to other branches of the Guild. There is no charge, but voluntary contributions toward refreshments will be accepted. Please contact Andrew North (secretary@culworth.pdg.org.uk) for further information.  

CCCBR news

The youth ringing elements of the Ringing 2030 project are offering 3 student places for 6 to 8 weeks over the summer. This would be to support and create content for the new University Ringing and Young Ringers Hub websites and the school lesson plans project. This is open to young ringers aged between 18 and 30 and there are three summer honorariums, each set at £2000, available across three work packages. Each are envisaged to take 6-8 weeks each, assuming working half time (18 hours per week). Information and guidance will be provided to support the successful candidates. 

Expressions of interest can be sent to andrea.haynes@cccbr.org.uk.  Please include your name, your availability to start, a brief summary of your experience or interest and which project you are interested in. More details on the website: https://cccbr.org.uk/2025/07/09/young-ringer-for-ringing-2030-summer-honorariums-2025

Booking for the CCCBR’s annual meeting in September, taking place in Sheffield, has opened. Details can be found here: https://cccbr.org.uk/2025/07/10/central-council-weekend-5-7th-september/ You don’t need to be a CCCBR rep to attend any part of the weekend. 

Summer Festival

Advance notice that the Summer Festival is on the 13^th September, contest is being held at Castor, in the Peterborough branch. Branches wanting to enter should get their entry to the Master, Jim Bence, by the weekend before. Please remember to include any time restrictions for the team. Rules for the contest can be found on the website: https://pdg.org.uk/forms/8_Bell_competition.pdf

Dates for the Diary

Guild Stedman Practice  Saturday 9^th August 6:30 Pattishall

Guild 10 Bell Practice Saturday 13^th September. 10:30 – 12:00 Kettering

Guild Summer Festival Saturday 13^th September. Ringing at Yarwell & Wansford, Contest and evening ringing at Castor.

And Branch events. 

Guilsborough Branch Practice Saturday 2^nd August 3:00 West Haddon, 6:00 Long Buckby

Thrapston Branch Practice Thursday 7^th August 7:30 Twywell

Peterborough 8 bell practice Sunday 10^th August 2:00 Peterborough St Mary

Daventry Branch Practice Saturday 16^th August 3:30 Hellidon, 6:30 Woodford Halse

Culworth Branch Practice Saturday 16^th August 4:00 Sulgrave, 6:30 Woodford Halse

Thrapston Branch Practice Thursday 21^st August 2:30 Stanion

Seeing its August, several branches are having a summer break, hence the shorter than usual list of events. See you, come rain or shine, at a ringing event soon!

Thanks

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

I need 1 more ringer for a wedding at Oundle on Friday 25th July. Wedding starts at 12.30 so arrive at 12 noon to get the bells up and ring afterwrds which should be about 1.15, for about 20 minutes. £25 per ringer.

Reagrds

Sue

Hello,

This is just a reminder that there is an eight bell practice at Castor tomorrow 11th July, starting at 7. 30pm.

Ringing on 8 bells is anything from plain hunt to Surprise methods dependant on the attendance.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you there.

Kind regards

Elaine & Jane

Well that made quite a change. We went into Sunday service ringing with overcast skies and came out to find water falling from the sky – how very odd! Goodness, the garden needs it. And it spiced the Grand Prix up nicely, so a win all round. It’s certainly taken the edge of the heat, which I can’t complain about. 

Young Ringers competition

Pleased to be able to report that our youth team came 6th of 11 in the method ringing at the Ringing World Youth Striking Contest. They rang at Egbaston St Barnabas, Mosely St Mary, St Martin in the Bullring, St Paul’s Jewellery Quarter & Solihull. Well done to Grace, Matthew, Freya, Kaiden, Flynn, Sahib, Zac and everyone who supported them in their efforts. 

Results on the Bell board front page https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/. 

National 12 bell striking contest

While we’re on striking contests, the National 12 bell striking contest was held the previous weekend at Bristol. And Bristol ran out the winners. There is a broadcast of the day available here. All 7 hours of it. https://www.youtube.com/live/TO9ptIFX67c

Bristol rang 4^th, starting at 1:00 pm. But as any of the bands will be producing some of the best ringing you’ll hear, it is worth a listen. There’s also plenty of interesting chit chat between the test pieces. 

Social Event – date for the diary. 

Whilton tower are having a day of Bells, BBQ & Beer on 26th July 12.30pm – 4pm. Ringers are welcome to come and ring,  as well as partake of the other B’s on offer. Bands can book a slot, or just come for the open ringing. Tutors will be on hand to give people a try at ringing and it’s hoped that the village will get involved in the event. There’s a poster available to advertise the event on the Guild website.

https://pdg.org.uk/latest-news/whilton-bells-bbq-beer

Bells on display at Greetham

Greetham bells have been away on holiday to Taylors at Loughborough but are ready to come home. The bells will return in July.

Before being rehung in the tower they will be on display in the church on:

Saturday 12th July 12noon – 5pm
Sunday 13th July 12 noon – 5pm
Monday 14th July 6pm – 7pm

All welcome. 

Branch training

Culworth branch are holding a training seminar for Saturday 26th July from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. It will be held in Lois Weedon village hall. The subject is ‘Starting to learn and ring methods’ and the speaker is Robert Wood who presented a very successful session last year on Plain Hunt and Plain Bob. I hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend – this invitation is extended to other branches of the Guild. There is no charge, but voluntary contributions toward refreshments will be accepted. Please contact Andrew North (secretary@culworth.pdg.org.uk) for further information.  

CCCBR news

As you’ll be aware, the CCCBR has been planning to increase fees for affiliated societies, based on their membership. This has increased from 20 per members and is due to be increased to £1 per member at this year’s meeting. This poses a problem for some societies, particularly those that doe not have a subscription model, such as university and themed societies. There has been discussion ongoing about how to manage the subscription for these societies. There is an open meeting to be held on the 14^th & 17^th of July by Zoom. Details here: https://cccbr.org.uk/2025/07/02/membership-categories-open-meetings/

Summer Festival

Advance notice that the Summer Festival is on the 13^th September, contest is being held at Castor, in the Peterborough branch. Branches wanting to enter should get their entry to the Master, Jim Bence, by the weekend before. Please remember to include any time restrictions for the team. 

Dates for the Diary

Guild 10 Bell Practice Saturday 12^th July. 10:30 – 12:30 Higham Ferrers. 

Guild 10 Bell Practice Saturday 12^th July. 10:30 – 12:00 Kettering

Guild Summer Festival Saturday 13^th September. Ringing at Yarwell & Wansford, Contest and evening ringing at Castor.

And Branch events. 

Peterborough 8 bell practice Friday 11^th July, 7:30Castor

Kettering Branch Practice Saturday 12^th July, Weldon 2:00, Corby 3:15. 

Thrapston Branch Practice Thursday 17^th July 2:30Woodford

Wellingborough Surprise Practice Saturday 19^thJuly 10:30 Ecton

Wellingborough Branch Practice Saturday 19^th July 2:30 Grendon

Daventry Branch Practice Saturday 19^th July 3:00Norton, 7:30 King’s Sutton

Culworth Branch Practice Saturday 19^th July 4:00Middleton Cheney, 7:30 King’s Sutton

Guilsborough Branch Practice Saturday 2^nd August 3:00 West Haddon, 6:00 Long Buckby

Thanks

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

As you will have seen from the Guild Secretary’s last Update of 16th June the post of Recruitment and Training Officer remains open for Nominations. Anybody wishing to stand for this post would need to be proposed and seconded in writing (email is fine) to the Secretary prior to the day of the Summer Festival on 13th September.

Following requests for more information I have put together a Note giving the background to the creation of this new post and a bit more about what might be involved.    This is also available on the Guild website.

I have attached my Note together with the original Role description.

On behalf of the GMC we hope that you will seriously consider taking on this opportunity to shape the future of ringing across the Guild.

Alistair DonaldsonPresident
Peterborough Diocesan Guild

Sunday 6 July 2025, 2.30-4pm

Nassington

This is a reminder that we are hosting a minor social at Nassington on Sunday.

Come along and join us for some minor ringing from rounds and plain hunt 6 to minor methods including plain bob, little bob, St Clements, single Oxford and double Oxford. If you would like to ring something else please let us know so we can make sure we are prepared!

Please also let us know if you are planning to come along so that we can make sure we have enough refreshments. Thank you.

We are asking for a £2 donation for each ringer so that we can make a donation to the hosting tower and cover the costs of refreshments. There will be a card reader available at Nassington. Thank you.

Elaine and Jane

I need three more ringers for a funeral at Oundle on 1st July from 12.30 untl just before 1pm. Volunteers to ring the back bells especially welcome. The usual wedding fee of £25 will be paid.

Rgeards

Sue