May 14th 2022 saw the first Guild-organised Second Saturday Session which allowed expertise across the Guild to be shared and enjoyed by many ringers. Two separate sessions were run, but both appeared popular, so they are being repeated as follows.
Session 1 – Basic Bell Maintenance on Saturday 10th September.
This is aimed at those who are interested in the mechanics of the bells and would like to learn a bit more, especially about how to keep the bells and fittings in good working order. It will be a mainly practical session held up in the belfry and would suit new recruits as well as existing ringers. At the moment this date is looking fully subscribed.
Session 2 – Beyond Plain Bob on Saturday 9th July.
For those ringers who have been confidently ringing Plain Bob (Doubles or Minor) and want to find out how to learn and ring other methods, such as St Simon’s Doubles, St Clements and Single Oxford Bob Minor. It will be a practical session, preceded by a theory session by Zoom. At the moment there is space on this course.
We would also like to put on a few other courses that combine theory and practice.
Session 3 – Understanding Call Changes on Saturday 13th August.
This will be for those who can keep their bell in the right place in rounds but want to move onto ringing Call Changes or who have started to do so but keep “getting it wrong”. Places will be limited and the location will be chosen to suit those who put their names forward. If necessary, a re-run will be organised.
Session 4 – Intermediate Bell Maintenance
A follow-up, hands-on session for those who have attended session 1. It will cover looking after ropes and stays; learning how to change a rope and stay, how to adjust the length of a tail-end, and how to splice a broken rope. The date and location will be shared with those who attended “Basic Bell Maintenance” but additional places may be available for anyone who just needs to learn these skills.
Session 5 – Ringing up and down in peal
With advice and practice for either one of these activities, this would suit ringers who are members of bands that regularly lower and raise their bells but do not have enough ringers who can do so in peal. Date and location will be sorted out based on demand.
Therefore, we are asking that if anyone is interested in any of these sessions, that they contact Simon Dixon (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Cathy Dixon (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to let us know and we’ll be in touch with more details. Please note that there will be a small fee of £2 per student to go towards a tower donation.
In addition, we are putting on some open practise sessions. No need to register interest in advance. Just turn up, with a £1 fee towards tower donations, in the confidence that there will be a suitably experienced band to ring with you.
Saturday 11th June 10am-12noon at Thrapston – Surprise Major Practice
Saturday 13th August 7-9pm – Intermediate 8-bell (i.e., not Plain Bob or Grandsire or Surprise Major but methods such as Little Bob, Kent Treble Bob, Single Oxford Bob Triples). Location to be decided.