March 2005 Witney and Woodstock Branch Newsletter Newsletter of The Witney and Woodstock Branch of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers Introducing your new Editor Inside this shot! Seriously, I am quite included some snippets issue: looking forward to this from myself. I would like to challenge. It’s not keep each edition lively • Update on something I have done and interesting. Bampton’s before so please excuse Above all I want to restoration my grammar. generate more interest in appeal. I know you hear this every the Branch and that issue, but I need some means more members • Woodstock articles. Please post or e- reading it. Ringers Meal mail anything of interest PLEASE CIRCULATE Can I start by saying what no matter how big or THIS! • Competition a pleasure it is to be small. I intend to introduce If you haven’t seen a copy elected as Branch a few new ideas. I’ve of this in your own tower, Newsletter Editor. I am changed the layout and I pester your tower captain. well aware that I saw off may change it again, some stiff opposition so I please let me have your intend to give it my best : views. I have also Richard White. Forthcoming Events – Don’t miss out! Training Update Branch Practices – 7.30pm Tues 10 th May – Sat 18 th June th Chairman’s Chatter Wed 30 March – 6 bell practice – Branch Striking 8 bell practice – Combe Competition – Clanfield Alvescot Stonesfield Hand bell th th Sat 14 May – ALL Tues 12 April – nd Ringers 6 bell practice – DAY Branch Outing Wed 22 June – Tackley – Reading Area 8 bell practice – South Leigh From your Ringing th Tues 26 th April – Thurs 26 May – Master 8 bell practice – 8 bell practice – Thurs 11 th Aug – Witney Woodstock 6 bell practice – Wootton nd Mon 2 May – Guild Wed 8 th June – Plus: Open day and 8 bell 6 bell practice – Make the most of Striking Competition The Flowerpot Men Aston these events and – North Bucks progress! W &W Branch Newsletter Page 2 of 6 Bampton Restoration Appeal by Liz ROSE After almost a year since hand'. Most of the bell to record our grateful Bampton's Appeal charities to whom we are thanks. I have, of course, Committee was put applying will not 'spark' written separately to together and 9 months until we have raised two- Anthony Williamson, as after our first fund raising thirds of the sum needed the new Chairman to event, the Appeal Fund (total £40,000) locally, express our thanks more now stands at presumably to confirm fulsomely. approximately £16,200 (as willingness within the at 22/02/05. Two-thirds community that the project Liz Rose of this sum has been should be successful. pledged by individuals and charities and will be paid Witney & Woodstock on completion of the work: Branch, O.D.G.C.B.R., and the remaining one- recently awarded us a £50 St Mary,Bampton third is actually monies donation at their AGM, for donated which are to which Bampton would like Woodstock Ringers Meal by Richard WHITE th On Saturday 29 January pace so had to creep off about 20 Woodstock early before coffee and ringers and friends mints so don’t ask me enjoyed their now annual what time everyone left. ringer’s meal. This year It is rumoured that the we enjoyed the ringers may well take gastronomical delights of advantage of the Hotels The Kings Arms in Wednesday night half Woodstock. price champagne The setting was very promotion, watch this pleasant and the food space. appeared to go down very well with those in attendance not to mention the fine wine. Your editor Waiting for dessert at couldn’t quite stand the the Kings Arms” Competition Time NEWSLETTER Don’t you think it’s about I’m sure someone out honour of seeing your NAME time this newsletter had a there can come up with a idea at the top of every name? Other Guild really apt name so get newsletter so what are REQUIRED.. newsletters have names your thinking caps on and you waiting for? with ringing connections start e-mailing me. I’ll put Closing date 30 th June such as ‘Quarter Turn’,’ all the ideas to the Branch 2005 Last Whole Turn' and committee and we’ll come ‘That’s All’. How about up with a winner. There Ed something like ‘Tail End’ won’t be a prize but at or ‘The Odd Struck Times’ least you’ll have the Page 3 of 6 W & W Branch Newsletter Training Update by Lorna SMALE –( Deputy Ringing Master) Congratulations to Mark once a month on a QUARTER PEALS Wastie (Witney) on ringing Saturday morning from an excellent first Quarter 1000-1200 hrs. If anybody Combe, 9/3/05, 1260 Plain Bob Doubles Peal of Grandsire Doubles would like to attend any of 1-Rachael Sherlaw-Johnson, 2- Lindsey Thornton, 3- st (all 10 extents) without these please contact me. Dave Rose, 4 – Anthony Williamson (1 inside), 5- Lorna any mistakes! Well done They are structured Smale ©, 6 – Mel Leggett. Rung half muffled in memory also to Angela Quantrill on around the students (no of Barbara Eileen Clare Gibson (1/9/38-4/3/05), former doing such a splendid job more than four at a time), Churchwarden, following the funeral earlier this day. of ringing the tenor at for example, rounds and Church Hanborough to a call changes, or bob Church Hanborough, 8/3/05, 1260 Grandsire Doubles very enjoyable Quarter doubles, but could equally 1- Mary Clark-Maxwell, 2- Jenny Haviland, 3- Lorna Smale ©, 4- Louise Brown, 5- Bernard Coggins, 6- Angela Peal following the wedding be for a new method that st nd of Cathy Rowland’s you are trying to learn, or Quantrill (1 QP on the tenor/2 for many years after the 1 st !) Following the marriage of Mr Glynn Robert daughter. Congratulations on conducting or calling Humphreys and Miss Alison Lucie Rowland (daughter of also to our new Branch call changes. Cathy, Tower Captain at Church Hanborough). Wishing Chairperson, Anthony Lorna Smale them a long and happy life together. Williamson, on a very Email: creditable first Quarter [email protected] or Stonesfield, 6/2/05, 1260 Grandsire Doubles Peal of Plain Bob Doubles. Tel: 01993 869299 1- Lindsey Thornton, 2- Jenny Haviland, 3- Mark Wastie It was also his first time (1 st in method), 4- Steve Goddard, 5- Lorna Smale ©, 6- ringing half muffled bells! Simon Haviland. For Evensong Training sessions are currently being arranged Chairman’s Chatter – Anthony Williamson First and foremost, please aims of promoting and enthusiasm and can I encourage you all to encouraging ringing dedication of his ringers, support the Branch’s through practices, the bells now call people many activities this year, meetings and social to worship. This is a particularly the Branch events. On behalf of the similar situation to my outing. More of that Branch, I would like to church at Combe where “I am very pleased to later… thank Dave Rose for his after a long absence we take on the role and It was something of a chairmanship for the past are ringing for services firmly believe in the surprise for me to emerge two years. again. Help given by from this year's AGM as Branch’s aims...” Before the AGM there was more experienced Branch the new Branch a very good short service members has been chairperson. The post given by Roger invaluable to all us was not hotly contested - Humphreys, the vicar of beginners. At the AGM we you could have heard a Woodstock. During this heard that there had been pin drop when nominees he mentioned that when were asked to be put low attendance at Branch he arrived at Woodstock, practices. This is very forward. Nevertheless I ten years ago, the bells am very pleased to take disappointing because were silent. on the role and firmly they are run believe in the Branch's Since then, through the W & W Branch Newsletter Page 4 of 6 Chairmans Chatter (continued) for the benefit of Branch resource. place, please contact members. They provide And finally…the Branch either Steve Goddard the perfect opportunity to outing. Please clear your (01993 845707) or Lorna broaden skills and try a diaries for 14 th May, as Smale (01993 869299). ‘This Branch has a different set of bells. In this is one of the main wealth of skilled ringers my own experience, the social activities organised that support these practices have helped my by the Branch. It Anthony Williamson evenings so let’s take progress and there’s promises to be an always someone available excellent day out, around advantage of this to assist. This Branch has the Watlington area, with resource.” a wealth of skilled ringers a good mix of six and that support these eight bell towers, plus a evenings, so let’s take pub lunch. To book your advantage of this DID YOU KNOWKNOW???? Stonesfield Hand Bell Ringers by Rachael Sherlaw -Johnson The first person to Stonesfield Hand bell the studio as I and the ring 1000 peals Ringers had a busy bells went in. Odd things was The Rev F E Christmas, with three go on in our village! Robinson. Vicar of performances, including a Anyway, the play is called nearby Drayton Candlelit Carol Service in "The Girl in the Cafe", a such stygian gloom that serious sounding drama from 1878 to 1908 we could hardly see our by Richard Curtis, starring and former Guild bells, let alone the music.