St.Martin's Church Bellringers

(VIRTUAL TOUR)

Alf Gallagher continues to ring Plain Bob Doubles and Minor and is now starting to ring Grandsire Doubles.

Averil Brooker is now ringing Grandsire Doubles as well as touches of Plain Bob Doubles and Minor successfully.

John Beadman is now ringing both Plain Bob Doubles and Minor. Mick Walker had made good progress with Plain Hunting as well as ringing the tenor behind to Plain Bob Doubles until he injured his wrist in the Autumn. We await his return to the tower this year.

The rest of the band consists of Greg Jones, Sue Ward (who is currently unable to ring due to a broken arm), Christopher Sharpe (who tries to balance so many other interests and studies with his bell-ringing), Tony Farmer (who is ?Mr. Dependable?), Neil Clark (who we have sorely missed due to recent illness) and Alison Clark (who rings when she is on vacation from her English and Law studies at Keele University).

Miss Gladys Goulton has not been able to ring this year due to ill-health. Keith Hudston, a ringer from Kirkby Mallory, rings with us now on Sunday mornings.

Our band of learners, which currently practice between 7pm and 7.30pm on a Monday night, is composed of Natasha Jordan, Joe Durow, Kieran Smith, Roberta Fletcher-Brown and Ruth Astle. They are all doing excellently and are able to handle a bell successfully on their own; they are now learning to ring rounds with the rest of the band.

Normal bellringing practice night is currently from 7.30pm until 9pm, during which we try and ring a variety of methods. Yet again, we have managed to ring for nearly every service this year, even though it isn't always possible to ring all six bells.

We continue to ring for weddings and toll the tenor for funerals. Last month, a quarter-peal was rung half-muffled for the passing away of Miss Gladys? sister, Muriel. This year we?ve managed to ring at Peckleton for all of their afternoon services, something that we hope to continue to do so this year.

We try to ring for nearly every service, even though it isn't always possible to ring all six bells. We continue to ring for weddings and toll the tenor for funerals.

If anyone would like to learn how to ring, then please don't hesitate to give me a call on Desford 824696. You don't have to be musical, mathematical or even have a sense of rhythm!! We would welcome anyone, whether they're young or old,

as (in campanology) age does not matter!!

Greg Jones

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