News

• October 1st 2020   The latest edition of Swindon Branch's quarterly newsletter Belfry View is now on this site. It has a message from their Ringing Master, a round up of how each tower is coping with lockdown and some very useful advice on how to begin ringing again in a socially distanced manner.
• September 2nd 2020   The first ever G&B Summer Ringing School was held during the week of August 24 - 30. Nearly 200 people signed up and there were 500 participants in the thirty nine sessions that took place over the week. A huge range of subjects were covered by a total of twenty session leaders. This is probably the biggest online ringing training event ever attempted and was a massive success.
  Thanks are due to the organisers: Steve and Sue Coleman, the administrators and welcomers: Terina Riches, Chris and Gill Greef and the Colemans again, and to all the teachers and participants. Feedback has been almost universally positive with many requests for a re-run!
• August 16th 2020   Two new Belfry Advisers have been appointed by the Management Committee. They are Matthew Johnson and Jonathan Storey.
• August 1st 2020   The latest edition of Stroud Branch Newsletter is now on this site. There is an interview with Ian Bucknell the current chairman and the obituary of Stan Burrage, past chairman who has sadly lost his long battle with cancer. There are also articles on handbell ringing, ellacombe chimes and a ringing sudoku.
• July 15th 2020   A letter has been published from the officers of the Association regarding restarting ringing, following the Central Council guidance recently published. The letter makes clear that choosing whether or not to return to ringing is very much a personal choice and that no-one has the right to force anyone to ring. It's also made clear that should a ringer choose to return it can only be with the full agreement of the church authorities and with all safety procedures in place.
• June 5th 2020   The list of members who are deceased has been updated to include the members on the Roll of Honour for those lost in World War Two in the 1953 Annual Report. These members have no other record of death. The year of death is derived from the Central Council Rolls of Honour; which was not shown in the Annual Report. There are unfortunately a number of discrepancies in relation to the names and these will need rectifying in due course. The addition of these names now brings the total of deceased members in the list to 835.
• April 25th 2020   The current crisis with Covid-19 Coronavirus forced the cancellation of the AGM and Striking Competitions. Accordingly the previous year's winners of both the six bell competion for the Croome Trophy and the eight bell competition for the Penn Trophy will retain their trophies until the 2021 competition.
  All of the Association officers with the exception of the Chairman were standing again for their posts unopposed and are therefore declared re-elected. Hugh Evans stood down as Chairman and is replaced by Roger Haynes of the Chippenham branch who is elected unopposed.
  Hugh as the outgoing chairman had this message to the Association "As I retire after twenty years as your chairman, may I take this opportunity to thank you all for the support you have given me.
  I have travelled many miles to many meetings and have enjoyed meeting you all. You have always made me feel welcome at every event, be it an evening practice or the more traditional ringing, service, tea and meeting.
  A highlight was to be able to present a cheque at a dedication service, knowing that another ring of bells was restored and ringing again. Perhaps in future the emphasis must be on recruitment and retention of ringers I ask you to give your support to Roger, our new chairman, whom I know is most enthusiastic as regards training of young people."
  Roger had this message as the incoming chairman "In this strange time of government imposed 'lockdown' where church ringing is not happening as it would be seen as a gathering of people, it is with trepidation that I pick up the office of Chair from Hugh, thank you.
  For those of you who do not know me, I have been ringing most of my life. It all started at Northfield in Birmingham - they were an 8 when I learnt to ring there, before moving away with my job. It was not long before I picked back up the reins and was asked to become the tower captain at Colerne, in the Chippenham branch.
  Here I have held office as the Chairman and more recently the Management Committee Rep. for the last few years. I also help Ian and Carole Bucknell organise the youth team for the RWNYC.
  I'm much looking forward to meeting you all at your Branch meetings."
  Angela Newing stood down as Central Council Representative and is replaced by Richard While of Cheltenham branch. The other Central Council Representatives: Mark Davies, Derek Harbottle and Bill Nash are re-elected unopposed leaving one vacancy unfilled.
• March 19th 2020   As a result of COVID-19, and recent Government advice, the officers of the Stroud Branch have decided, with regret, to cancel our 7/8 bell practice at Horsley (1st April) and our Minor Practice at Haresfield (18th April). We will monitor the situation as it develops and will provide a further update next month regarding our events for May 2020.
• March 18th 2020   The next practice for the G & B Youth Team scheduled for Saturday 28 March at Coalpit Heath is CANCELLED in view of the current situation. Please ensure anyone involved is informed. The Youth Team outing on Monday April 13 is also CANCELLED.
• March 18th 2020   In accordance with Government advice ALL events in the Bristol Rural branch of the Association are CANCELLED until further notice. This includes any meetings of the Farcited ringing group and the branch outing in May.
• March 16th 2020   For the protection of ringers and in light of today's Government advice ALL events in the Swindon and Cirencester branches of the Association are CANCELLED until further notice. Also cancelled are any 10 bell practices at Berkeley in the Wotton Branch.