9 ringers from Alderney, Guernsey and Jersey took part in the annual ‘Reading & CI fortnight’ @ Tulloch in October 2025
With ringing ranging from bob doubles to Zanussi S Maximus there really was ‘something for everyone’:
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/event.php?id=21983
We also had dog walks, jigsaws, poker and board games, superb catering & loads of fun
Matthew Higby of:
the man responsible for installing Tulloch Bells, Wells Bells and the augmentation of St Anne’s had offered to arrange our annual outing.
We arrived in the area on Thursday lunchtime (Sept 25th) and then visited 2 towers ( a 19cwt 12 and a 4cwt 6) before heading to Matthew’s works. There we were given tea & biscuits 🙂 and a very interesting tour which included seeing how bellropes were made, how bells were tuned, different clapper designs etc and a chance to ring on their very musical peal of 12 where the tenor weighed just 1 3/4 cwt. in addition we were delighted to sample Matthew Higby’s ‘Peals on Wheels’ – what a triumph:-) The future of mobile belfries?
Matthew recommended we ate supper in a local Italian restaurant -it was delicious. See photo clockwise from bottom left – Peter, Alexis, John, June W., Jenny, Nick, Heather, June B., Donald & Helen
On Friday we rang at Kilmersden (where Jack & Jill went up the hill…)
https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/magazines/somerset/25100767.jack-jill-nursery-rhyme-originate/) and Mells – our heaviest bells 26cwt 8 & where little Jack Horner sat in a corner….
http://www.house-historian.co.uk/tag/little-jack-horner/
Lunch in a most beautiful walled garden was followed by Nunney, Marston Bigot and Buckland Dinham. We then returned to Matthew’s works for what for some was the highlight of the trip – watching a sally being incorporated into a bell rope – fascinating
Mathew had invited us back to his house for a delicious meal and an opportunity to ring the Pig Sty mini-ring (43lb 8)
Such variety – towers with 6, 8 & 12 bells, varying ceiling heights and very different weights – ranging from less than 1/2 a cwt to 26cwt –
gave everyone an education (or at least a reminder) of the importance of the backstroke ‘flick’ and the need for a long pull not a strong pull.
Missing from photo = Gail. Intending to accompany us but thwarted by Alderney Ferry = Aileen
We had 7 teams compete for the 6 bell trophy on Sat 6th Sept 2025 TC(a), TC(b), EC(a), EC(b), Ay Puffins, Ay Ringed Plovers & Scratch (3 from Jsy, Tim from the Guild , plus 2 x TC). The judges were Estella Haynes and Alex Riley
Puffins rang first, Cambridge minor – scored 79%, placed 3rd. A measured and controlled pace. Striking good when adjacent bells were together less so when not. Consistent leading would have helped
EC(b) rang call changes, strong tenor , very clear calls. 6th place with 60%
Ringed Plovers rang plain hunt on 5, very disciplined leading, a few hesitations but rounds and back rounds were very good. The slowest piece of ringing. 5th place 69%
Scratch team rang spliced – very good piece of ringing. The fastest. Unplaced as scratch
TC(a) rang bob doubles. A few minor inconsistencies but no major faults – 1st place with 85%
TC(b) rang grandsire doubles, disagreed on the speed and better leading would have helped 70% in 4th place
EC(a) Plain bob doubles, excellent piece of ringing but making 2nds was weak. Placed 2nd with 82%
General ringing @ St Annes included Stedman triples, caters & cinques. 8 spliced, DNCBM, Single Oxford bob triples, Kent major, rounds on 12
General ringing at Wells, focused on rounds and plain hunt, also grandsire doubles & cloisters doubles
15 Guernsey ringers took part in the event, 3 from Jersey, Tim Philips represented the Guild, 10 Alderney ringers turned out & together with 2 judges we scored a number of excellent qtr peals over the weekend:
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/event.php?id=21674
No Service, no meeting just 100% ringing (& cake). The date for the zoom AGM has been set as Saturday Sept 20th @ 4pm. A link will be circulated to all towers beforehand
HMMcG
The Alderney Band have just hosted 40 ringers here from UK to help celebrate Helen & Peter’s 45th wedding anniversary (Sapphire) & 70th birthdays (Platinum)
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/event.php?id=21423
Notable events by local band = peal of Belfast S Major for Helen & Peter, peal of Cambridge S Major for June (first peal of surprise & not going to be her last!), Ines first peal on 12 (Stedman Cinques), Alexis rang not 1 but 2 qtrs of Kent TB Major, & Aileen rang a very confident qtr of mixed Ipswich & Norwich after losing a peal when she had already rung beautifully 720 changes each of Bourne, Hull & Norfolk, Arthur’s qtr peal of treble to bob triples was his first on 8. Some great local practices where we were supported by very friendly visitors.
Photo is of birthday BBQ
Now looking fwd to July 2026 for ‘same again’
Chris & Judith Frye left Alderney on the morning of July 8th after a fortnight of tremendous help & support. They worked hard advancing our repertoire, our styles, our understanding & in addition we had a lot of fun 🙂
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/search.php?from=24%2F06%2F2025&to=08%2F07%2F2025&place=Alderney & we had LOADS of extra practices – local band qtr Kent major is within our grasp:-)
Looking forward to the Anniversary Week
23/6/25 & we have just come to the end of 10 days of ringing on Alderney with a group of novices from Singapore, England & Scotland. We were VERY grateful for Jane Le Conte’s assistance & support & together with the Alderney band we have rung bob doubles, St Simon’s doubles, Stedman doubles & bob minor. We have examined the theory on grandsire doubles, watched video recordings of our ringing & examined our Hawkear results. Practised raising & lowering in peal. Mostly we rang at Wells but with some extra sessions, standard practices and Service Ringing at St Anne’s – not a minute has been wasted:-)
A total of 6 quarter peals were scored:
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/search.php?from=16%2F06%2F2025&place=Alderney+
Standout qtr had a footnote of ‘1st as (c) and 1st inside’ for the SAME ringer!!! , others were ‘just’ first (c), first inside for doubles and first inside for minor 🙂
Fabulous time witnessing great progress. Next year we will be embarking on Stepping Stones Level 1 from June 1 – 5th, email me for details
The Alderney band is riding high! Last night at practice we achieved 3 leads of Kent TB Major:
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1858553
What a result for an isolated local band 🙂
Well done all
On Monday evening May 12th His Excellency The Lt Governor joined the bellringers for their weekly practice. He came up the belfry specifically to award those of us who had rung for the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6th 2023 with their Coronation medals.
His Excellency explained that the medals were being awarded in recognition of the enormous effort various folk had made in volunteering on the day & whose combined contribution had done so much to make the event so very special. The casting of the medals had been done in secret, it being very much the case that the medals were in recognition of effort undertaken when there had been no expectation of reward
Medal recipients absent from the photo: Jane Trought, Logan Lord, Martin Jacques & Pam Sargent
Photo, left to right: Nor James, Gail Norwood, June Banister, His Excellency The Lt Governor, Jeremy Penrose-Stupart, Heather Winder, Aileen Wilson, Sally Vos, Donald Hughes, Helen McGregor, Peter Bevis
