The next Young Ringers' practice is on Sunday 8th October,
2.00 – 4.00 pm, in Childrey.
I’m really sorry to once again have to decide that I should cancel the
practice at Childrey this Sunday. Too few of our young ringers are
available to make a worthwhile practice.
The Reading and Sonning Branches are now holding monthly practices for
young ringers. This Sunday afternoon there is a young ringer practice
at St Giles, Reading. The contact person is Jennifer Moynihan.
There seem to be more and more competing ringing events, including some
for young ringers. So I have reluctantly decided to suspend organising
Young Ringer Practices on behalf of the Old North Berks Branch (ONB).
Thank you for your support and particular thanks to Daphne who has been
baking, bringing cakes, scones, etc. and serving refreshments to the
young ringers ever since I started young ringer practices for the ONB.
Our first Young Ringer event was held in April 2012, when we rang at
Marcham and White’s workshop in Appleton. In the years since then, many
of our young ringers have graduated to the ODG squad for the Ringing
World National Youth Contest. It has also been good to see our young
ringers going on to major roles in a variety of University Ringing
Societies.
I am sorry that our monthly practices are coming to an end, but perhaps
it is time for someone else to take over enjoying the fun of working with
the young ringers from all over the Oxford Diocesan Guild, particularly
those from the northern part of the Guild.
Susan Read, Training Officer
Young Ringers' Practice - CANCELLED
Many of our usual young ringers have other things on this Sunday and are
unable to come to Cholsey. So I am sorry, I am cancelling that practice.
I hope you will be able to come to our next practice, 2.00 – 4.00 pm on
Sunday October 8th, at Childrey.
Young Ringers' Practice - CANCELLED
Unfortunately, too few young people are available on Sunday 13 August,
so sadly this practice has been cancelled. I hope to see you at the
next practice which is scheduled to take place on Sunday September 17
at Cholsey, from 2.00 pm till 3.30 pm.
Young Ringers' Practice - Brightwell
A Young Ringers' practice was held on Sunday 23rd
July, 2.00 – 4.00 pm, at St Thomas, Goring on Thames.
See the poster (below) for more details.
Please see the schedule (below and in poster above) for the outing on
Saturday July 15th (which includes Philip’s email and phone details).
After the outing a Barbecue & Croquet evening was held, hosted by Stuart
and Naomi Gibson, including a raffle prize draw (all proceeds to branch funds)!
09:30-10:30
FULBROOK St James the Great
6 (4-0-13)
10:45-11:45
CHURCHILL All Saints’
8 (10-3-9)
12:00-13:30
LUNCH - The Fox, Chipping Norton
13:30 - 14:30
CHIPPING NORTON St Mary the Virgin
8 (14-1-4)
15:00 -15:45
CHADLINGTON St Nicholas
6 (8-3-13)
15:45 - 16:15
TEA - Chadlington Church
16:30- 17:30
SHIPTON UNDER WYCHWOOD St Mary
8 (14-3-0)
Guild Festival, Oxford
Saturday 8th July saw the Guild Festival, a fantastic
opportunity to ring the Oxford towers, together with the chance to meet
old and make new friends. All of the details are available from
the
Guild website but a poster is available below:
Please Note: the poster may not be altered in any way at all because the
Guild has paid a licence for the photograph which is under copyright to
Christ Church.
ONB 6-bell Striking Competition
The branch striking competition was hosted this year by Long Wittenham
on the morning of Saturday 10th June. Six teams entered the competition,
each ringing one minute of rounds and 240 changes of call changes or method.
The judges were Alan and Tine Marchbank aided by Honey the dog.
Blewbury (62 faults).
Abingdon (63 faults).
Scratch band (87 faults).
Wallingford (94 faults).
North Moreton and Friends (102 faults).
Cholsey (112 faults).
It was great to have six teams entering this year. Congratulations go to
Blewbury, who pipped Abingdon at the post and will represent the Branch
in the Guild's 6 bell competition in October.
Cholsey took part for the first time in over 25 years and made a good
effort. Hopefully they will come back even stronger next year!
Young Ringers' Practice - Brightwell
A Young Ringers' practice was held on Sunday 4th
June, 2.00 – 4.00 pm, at St Agatha, Brightwell.
See the poster (below) for more details.
Vicki Chapman, the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers Public
Relations Officer has circulated the following:
You will have seen and/or heard lots of TV and radio publicity about
bellringing in local and national news calling for new ringers to learn
to ring in time for the King’s coronation. This started last October
but the press have now really picked up on it. This has meant a lot of
enquiries, all coming through at the same time. We are very grateful
to the ART management and Admin team who took on the challenge of
fielding all the enquiries through the
ringfortheking.org website.
We know there have also been many direct enquiries.
Obviously time is running short now in order for new recruits to have
sufficient training in time for the coronation in 10 weeks’ time.
However, anyone wanting to learn should be given the opportunity to
take part, even if it’s assisted on the day. The important part is
ensuring recruits are handled quickly and efficiently and given a great
experience so they will want to continue beyond May.
It would be great to know that new recruits are getting the
opportunity and would appreciate your support in their teaching and
participation. Thank you for your support and good luck.
Old North Berks Branch Mini Outing (26th April)
Please find below details of the mini outing on Wednesday, 26th April.
10:00-11:00
Islip – St Nicholas
8 bells (8-1-7)
10:45-11:45
Bletchingdon – St Giles
6 bells (8-0-1)
12:00-13:30
LUNCH – Sturdys Castle, Banbury Road, Nr Kidlington
Commonwealth Day - Monday, March 13th, 2023 - marked the tenth
anniversary of the signing of the Commonwealth Charter by our late Queen
Elizabeth II - a most important documents in the long history of this
unique family of nations, of which the United Kingdom is one of the
leading lights.
The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers supported the invitation
to bellringers across the UK and in and those affiliated bellringing
societies of other commonwealth countries including Australia, New
Zealand and Canada, to ring at 8pm (local time) on that day, to include
a minimum of 10 whole pulls of Queens to mark each year since the Charter
was signed.
More information is available in the Letter to Tower Captains and
Guide to Taking Part below.
An event was also setup on
BellBoard
(opens in new page).
Young Ringers' Practice - Islip
We were pleased that a record number of fifteen young ringers attended
the practice at Islip. There were six from the Old North Berks Branch
and up to three each from the Banbury, Bicester, Oxford City and Vale of
White Horse branches. Ringing ranged from rounds to Cambridge Major with
lots of fun ringing exercises for the many rounds ringers present.
Young Ringer Practice at Islip on Sunday 12th March 2023.
Fleur Stevenson Jazz Quartet
The North Moreton augmentation project is progressing rapidly, and it is
hoped that the two new bells will be cast and then installed by Whites in
time for ringing for the Coronation.
We have a little fundraising left to do, and the poster (link below) is
for a fabulous evening of entertainment in Blewbury church on
4th March.
Fleur is a very talented local vocalist and she is accompanied by top
flight musicians. You may not be sure about Jazz but this is a great
opportunity to hear wonderful music making in the lovely church acoustic.
Fleur previously performed in Blewbury to help raise funds for the bell
window and is excited to be coming back again.
Please try to come if you can, you are guaranteed a great evening and
the ticket price of £20 includes a glass of wine and a free raffle.
Please spread the word to your friends, we hope to have a full audience
for this great evening.
ONB Committee Meeting (Sunday 26th February)
A Committee Meeting was held online (by Zoom) on Sunday 26th
February 2023 at 7.30 pm.
