Author Archives: peter

Les Cloches des Îles

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As you may have noticed there has been no issue 66, February 2018 of Les Cloches des Îles, our bi-annual news magazine. Few can now remember Issue 1, published over 30 years ago, but it is clearly a venerable institution. However its time has come. The day of the print magazine is over. Paper is dead. Long live the internet.

CIbells was always planned to be the successor to Les Cloches des Îles, which as a bi-annual print magazine could never provide up to date news. As issues are lost over time, the contents of back issues cannot readily be located. A web site “blog” is different. Firstly ANY MEMBER can post directly to the blog by sending it an email to [email protected].  Rather than everyone having a mailing list of every other member, plus any other interested parties, any news or matters of interest can be published to cibells instantly and viewed by all.

Of course everyone has to look to find the information, but I believe and hope that over the next few years we will all learn that cibells.com is the place to look. It is, as usual, up to everyone to make this work. And if anyone out there feels strongly enough that this is the wrong approach, remember that as the new newsletter editor – you could publish it once again. But if the job is mine, cibells is the solution I favour.

I did plan to wait to see which towers would remember to send me copy for Les Cloches des Îles – which I would then post here. Not many is the answer and so I have sent out a reminder. Please be more proactive in July. I really don’t want to have to be a nag.

Peter

Alderney

Harry White

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We were saddened at the beginning of November to hear of the death of Harry White.

Harry had been a member of the Vale Church since the 1940s. He lived in the Parish all his life, apart from the Occupation  years when he was evacuated; in his early years at Pond House and latterly in the Northlands estate. He was a faithful member of the choir and a bellringer, singing and ringing at evensong, He never wanted to become involved with ringing working bells, but was content to ring the tenor, which he did with great skill, rhythm, and good humour. He rang 406 quarter peals at the Vale, his first in 1974 and his last in 2014, and one or two elsewhere. He particularly enjoyed the two or three ringing outings we had to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. As far as we can trace he only rang one full peal.

The evening before his funeral we rang a quarter peal of Grandsire Doubles as a thanksgiving for his life, Grandsire was a method he had particularly enjoyed, and we rang Grandsire again as his coffin was carried out of church and the people left.

John David,

    for Vale ringers

Vale Report – 2017

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It has been another difficult six months for us at Vale. With two of the band being servers they are not always able to ring for the full time prior to the service.  Barry, who started learning last year, has had to give up ringing, hopefully temporarily due to illness. He did, however, ring his first quarter peal, on 24th September

Harry White, who had been a stalwart member of the band passed away in November. A quarter peal of Grandsire Doubles was rung open in his memory. After his funeral 240 Grandsire Doubles was rung.

With the exception of a couple of Sunday mornings we have been able to ring for the 10 30 service.  Calling the faithful to worship and reminding those not so faithful of the Church’s presence in the Vale.

Our quarter peal’s have again been few and far between. Of worthy mention is Nicky’s 900th quarter peal rung on 17th December.

As I write the Vale Church is closed for redecoration and a big thank you to Peter Gallienne and the Forest Church for allowing us to practice there of a Monday night. We should be back to the Vale on 4th March if all goes well and nothing nasty is found when the roof is inspected.

VALE QUARTER PEALS 2017

6th Feb     1260 Grandsire Doubles

2nd Sep     1260 Doubles in 6 methods and 1 principle

24th Sep    1260 Plain Bob Doubles. Jointly cond. First quarter, Barrie Linnecor

2nd Oct     1260 Plain Bob Minor

5th Nov     1260 Doubles in 3 methods & 6 variations. Most methods to a quarter, Olivia

15th Nov    1260 Grandsire Doubles. Rung open in celebration of the life of Harry White

17th Dec    1260 Doubles in 6 methods and 5 variations. 900th quarter peal Nicly

24th Dec    1260 Doubles in 2 methods

Mike Bubb

Tower Captain

Guild Rope Splicing

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Traditionally many towers remain silent during Holy Week.    On Tuesday 27th March, therefore, the Guild Education Committee is offering an evening covering “An Introduction to Rope Splicing”.   This will be in The Undercroft at Winchester Cathedral, from 8.00 pm to 9.30 pm.   This hands-on evening is FREE, though donations are invited towards expenses. See Guild website for more details

(CI District members who wish to learn closer to home can ask Peter Bevis next time they see him)

Guild Training Event

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W & P full-day course on PLAIN BOB DOUBLES and MINOR to be held on Saturday 17th March 2018, based at St. Mary Bourne.  From experience, this is a popular subject and places can fill up very quickly.  Is this something you have tried, but found there isn’t time on a busy practice night to have a really good go?    Did you do it years ago but haven’t had an opportunity to pick it up recently?   Are you stagnating with plain courses and want to progress to touches?   Do you have friends in your tower in the same boat?   This is your chance!     If this sounds like you, why not take the opportunity to book a place and spend a whole day concentrating on one method, at your own particular level, with others doing the same thing who may well be facing the same problems and have the same queries.   If you haven’t been before I can promise you lots of help, both verbal and practical, from experienced tutors and very patient helpers. More info from:

[email protected]

WW1 Centenary & Recruitment Campaign

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A message from the W&P Guild Secretary:

One of our aims here is to further encourage participation in our Guild’s WW1 Centenary Commemoration Project.  

The ringing performances to date have been wonderful and varied –  tenors tolled, touches, quarter peals, peals – on tower bells and handbells, all to honour those ringers and non-ringers who fell during the conflict. Thank you all. Many towers have ensured that their local media has been advised of these special performances and as it is of significant local interest, the communities do appreciate it.

All of our Guild’s towers and ringers can be involved and there is still time to plan something really special.

Please keep looking out for more information as further details will be issued from time to time:

 


Our second aim then is to inspire towers and new ringers to engage as fully as possible with the recently launched Recruitment initiative 
Ringing Remembers …


A new ringer can play a very important part by signing up to become a bell ringer today in memory of the 1,400 ringers who lost their lives in WW1. 

It would be very helpful if towers that are wishing to take on new ringers, and are ready to do so, would register their details with the Guild website by emailing [email protected] 

See other towers known to be recruiting at https://wpbells.org/learn-to-ring/ 

If a ringer would like to be able to teach and needs some guidance and support, please suggest they contact:


                                       or
Pete (Vice-Master) https://wpbells.org/contact-pete-jordan/            
                     

 If you have any queries, please contact Viv https://wpbells.org/contact-viv-nobbs/

Thank you and Happy New Year to all from Mike (Master), Pete (Vice Master), Heather (Hon. Secretary), Ros (Hon Treasurer and Viv (Immediate Past Master and Public Relations Officer).

Vale Church is being redecorated – updated

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UPDATE:

Just to confirm that the Vale Church is now redecorated, practice nights have restarted and Service ringing will be resumed this Sunday, February 18th.

John David
Belfry Secretary

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During January and February the inside of the Vale Church is being redecorated.

Services are being held elsewhere, so there will be no Sunday Service Ringing at the Vale Church until further notice. 

However as far as possible we intend to practise as normal, but if paint or scaffolding in the tower area makes this impossible then we intend to go elsewhere. Therefore if you intend coming to our practice (and we hope you will) please contact us to check on 245365 or [email protected] 

New Year Greetings to all!

 John David

a night on Jersey

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I was delighted to receive an email from Justin inviting me to a handling evening on Jersey. Richard came and led a handbell breakaway group in the vestry while Justin revised the theory of handling using a model bell and a slow motion video of ringing – & following the LtR students handbook – ready for the practical session which I took. Each of the 4 youngsters in attendance improved their understanding of good handling & their performance on the end of the rope. I look forward to ringing with them again in Jersey in April. Thanks for having me – HMMcG