Category: North Bucks News

I’m really pleased to be able to confirm the final value raised by the recent Ringing Day, organised by North Bucks.
This was a tremendous result and the Bell Fund Trustees are grateful to all the Church Authorities who allowed their bells to be used and we say a huge “thanks-you”  to everyone who played their part in making the day a success.
The weather was excellent and the visitors did not seem deterred by the MK Marathon which was on at the same time. 24 towers were opened and £1151.20 was collected from visiting ringers for investment.

Thanks to you all and very best wishes

Alan Marchbank
Chairman
Oxford Diocesan Bell Fund”

On March 13^th, 1992, in the presence of the Queen, a panoply of church leaders dedicated the Church of Christ the Cornerstone in Central Milton Keynes, the first ecumenical city centre church in Britain.  At the same time, at St Mary’s, Shenley, a band of ringers started to ring a quarter-peal in a new variation they named Cornerstone Doubles [Plain Bob with a Wallflower Single and a Grandsire Extreme] in honour of the new church. Unfortunately, a rope broke, and the quarter was unsuccessful – however, the band wrote to the Ringing World, and claimed the naming rights for the variation, which was therefore included in the on-line list of Doubles variations: http://www.cambridgeringing.info/Methods/Doubles/METHVAR.htm

This year, looking for another variation entirely, I came across it, and Doug Hird, the Branch archivist, was able to fill me in on the details.  I decided that it would be wonderful if, 27 years later, the branch could achieve the first quarter in the variation, especially as I needed some variety in my attempts to ring, as mayor, a quarter in every tower in Milton Keynes Council’s area.

A band made up of ringers from Woughton-on-the-Green, Bradwell and Bletchley, ringing at Lavendon, were ably steered by Simon Head through the pitfalls of unfamiliar calls (I think we knew the base method well enough), and achieved the first quarter in the variation, appropriately enough on the 27^th anniversary of the first attempt, and of the dedication of Cornerstone.  The details are here: https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1275951

Doug is not sure of the make-up of that first band, who named the variation – they might want to stand up and take a bow.

Martin Petchey

North Bucks Branch

Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers

Business Meeting at Great Linford

30th June 2018

Welcome

The meeting was opened at 17:45 by Graham Bartholomew, he welcomed everyone especially Alan Shephard from Dunstable who would be judging the contest.

The members present were asked to complete the attendance register.

In attendance were 60 members representing 15 towers were present.

Apologies for Absence.

Had been received from:

Garry & Hilary Reading, Tine Marchbank, John Marchbank, Brian Baldwin, Janet Bond, Janet Maybin, Sally Gallimore, Doug Vale

We wish Brian Baldwin a speedy recovery to full health and ringing.

Election of new members

No new members were proposed

Election of Officers

1. Ringing Master Barry Eglesfield. Proposed Alan Marchbank seconded John Marchbank. There being no other nominations, Barry was elected.

The Chairman reminded the meeting that Gary Reading intends to stand down in August so we are looking for his replacement and there is still a vacancy for Guild Representative.

Barry thanked the meeting for their support for him.

Diary of Events.

A pack of information including a diary of Events is available to take away, please display in your tower. Updates will be sent out too and it will appear in In Touch and on the web site.

We thank Nick Reed for getting the mid week group going. Next meeting is in July at Lavendon.

The Branch outing is organised and Notices are available to take away and on the website. Please encourage support from your tower. Thanks to Sarah who booked all the Towers.

AOB

1. To note. Garry has indicated he will stand down in August, which gives time for a handover to his successors. We thank him for the work he has done as Secretary.
2. To note, Steve Thomason (Gt Linford) has offered to maintain the Branch Web Site
3. To note, Keith Wagstaff (Newport) has volunteered to maintain the Branch Membership database
4. To note, Alan Marchbank has been organising events and publicising them to members. Notices are being sent to Towers please make sure your tower contact displays notices.
5. Barry will be seeking ringers for the Inter-Branch Striking contest at the end of July. Please volunteer if you can help.
6. A Vote of Thanks was proposed to the Gt Linford band that had organised today and prepared the tea.

Close

The Chairman closed the meeting at 17:56

Post Meeting Note

Ten teams entered the striking contest, which was won by Shenley and Loughton. The Chairman thanked Alan Shephard for judging and presented a gift to recognise his work. Alan awarded the Colin Snack Trophy to Ted Fawcett, conductor of the winning team.