Salisbury Face to Diocesan Face Guild of Newsletter Ringers WINTER 2008 NUMBER 119 SEASON’S GREETINGS AND ALL GOOD WISHES FOR 2009 -----ooOoo----- ENJOY YOUR RINGING! -----ooOoo----- Left: Holy Rood, Shillingstone (Photo: Ed) See page 7 IN THIS ISSUE: GUILD PEAL WEEK NEXT TH ST FROM THE PRESIDENT – 1 25 DEC – 1 JAN 2009 DEADLINE CELEBRATION AT URCHFONT Let’s try and improve on last ROADSHOW ASSESSMENT – 2 28 FEB 2009 year’s total. LONG BREDY BELLS BLESSED – 3 2009 Interested? Then have a word EDUCATION GOES ‘LIVE’ – 4 PROPOSED GUILD COURSES – 5 with your branch officers, ringing BELFRY REFORMS / MOST IMPROVED RINGER – 6 master or tower captain. A BUSY WEEKEND / CHILD PROTECTION - 7 CONGRATULATIONS / THIS AND THAT – 8/9 NOTES FROM EUROPE – 9 THE GUILD’S PICTURES NEEDED! - 10 BRANCH NEWS – 10/13 ‘MOST IMPROVED RINGER’ OBITUARIES – 14/15 NOMINATIONS SOUGHT – PAGE 6 RESULTS – QUARTER PEAL WEEK – 16/19 (There’s no age discrimination!!!) CALENDAR - 20 From the President hen I decided to undertake the survey of the Guild about a year ago there were Wtwo main areas that I wished to look at; training and recruitment. The first, training, has, I hope with the passing of time, taken care of itself. With the appointment of Robert as Guild Education Officer and the formation of an Education Committee which has met and put together a schedule of courses for the first half of 2009 using known requirements reported by Committee members and requirements highlighted by the survey results, this should fulfil the training needs of the membership. These courses will of course run alongside whatever training is already provided at local tower level and by the Branches, and as 2009 progresses the Education Committee will be able to see what is supported and what is not, and adjust its programme for later in the year to meet the needs of the members. The second area, recruitment, is a much more difficult matter to overcome. The results of the survey make it perfectly clear that recruiting new ringers is not easy and unfortunately finding younger people who are willing to take up the art is generally very difficult. Some towers see the existing legislation concerning Child Protection as an hindrance and no doubt more will be deterred by the new legislation that will soon be with us, but be in no doubt it is here to stay and it is for all of us to work with it, not against it, if we are to stand any chance of bringing younger people back into our towers. I am convinced in my mind that if ringing is to continue long term as we know it, then we have to introduce more young people to the art. So where do we go from here? Well some towers are very good at recruiting, some even with the younger age groups - please share your successes with us, tell us what you do to attract recruits. Those towers who struggle also tell us how you try to recruit, and then hopefully we may be able to pool some ideas and start the process working. If you have any issues at all with recruitment we would like to hear from you, either jot down a few notes and post them to me or contact me at [email protected] and I will see if I can start a discussion which hopefully will eventually lead to some useful pointers when it comes to recruitment. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and good and enjoyable ringing during 2009. With best wishes to you all, David W. Hacker. „Face to Face‟ is the acknowledged Newsletter of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers. First published in 1975, the publication is now produced four times per year and circulated free to all affiliated towers throughout the Guild, as well as to various other bodies. Editor: Ivan L. Andrews, 11, White Close, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3HL. Tel: 01308-425067. e-mail: [email protected] Guild Hon Gen Sec: Anthony Lovell-Wood, 7 Snows Hill, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wilts SP3 6RY. Tel: Home 01747-871121, Office 01747-871110. Fax: 01747-871241. e-mail: [email protected] Webmaster: Ian Mozley. e-mail: [email protected] 1 CELEBRATION AT URCHFONT n Sunday 2nd November (the first week-end of quarter-peal week) the church was packed for a special service Oto celebrate the Diamond Wedding of Pat and George Heath, both were born in the village and have been faithful servants of this church for a total of over a hundred years between them. After the service they held a reception at Urchfont Manor with their three children Jane, Ian and Kevin and families, plus many relations and friends. Pat remembers many years ago going on a coach outing with the North Bradley Ringers during which Grandsire Triples was rung!! They all had a good laugh about that, she is still the only village lady to have rung a quarter peal at Urchfont. Pat was Brown Owl for 34 years in the Village. George still rings occasionally, having learnt to ring 62 years ago and was Tower Captain for 25 of these. He was instrumental in getting the old set of handbells replaced with tuneful ones and is still involved with the handbell ringers who play to entertain various groups around the area. George was taught to ring by the Tower Captain, John Harding, and remembers that before the Second World War, Mr Harding used to go around the village at Christmas collecting for the Ringers and then share it out amongst the tower members, depending on how many times they had attended during the previous year. Ringing was even more of a challenge then as there were no rope guides in the tower. Before the service a quarter peal of Grandsire Triples was rung by a Devizes Branch Band (Pat was very pleased as it is her favourite method and she enjoyed listening to it immensely). After the service the local ringers rang them out of church. Very many Congratulations to George and Pat – we wish them many more happy years together. Christine Purnell. 1260 Grandsire Triples: 1 Patsy Thorn, 2 Jenny Hancock, 3 Janice Scull, 4 Phil Lucas, 5 Peter Thorn, 6 Julian Ferrar, 7 Derrick Bailey (C), 8 Bob Purnell. Christine Purnell would like to be associated with this special quarter peal. The Ringing Roadshow – 2008. (One ringer’s assessment of the event) or the first time the Ringing Roadshow was held over a two-day period on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th September and sited F at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. Previous Roadshows were surpassed by this year‟s event – the site being much larger and so less crowded, well situated geographically and all except the nine mini-rings were under cover – even parking – which was just as well as rain and wind accompanied the event, with the exception of Saturday afternoon when the sun broke through so allowing large crowds, which until then had prevented most, from trying their hands at the range of mini-rings. Far more exhibitors were present providing a multitude of displays, stalls, hand-on attractions, raffles and quizzes. Sally making and rope splicing demonstrations were in evidence and a multitude of computer systems – and advice on ringing centres attracted much attention. Various famous Associations displayed their silver and peal records, whilst other Guilds were busy promoting their work in fund raising, training and recruitment. All the Founders and Bell Hangers were much in evidence; some displaying full set of bells and frames, tower clock mechanisms, others the wide range of handbells, alternative types of muffles, bell clapper ties, interesting wooden clapper shafts, and so much more. Information and displays regarding the setting up and the running of ringing centres proved foremost and the various book stalls did sterling work. There was also the Advice Centre and the Personal Development Zone where handling and method ringing problems were discussed. For the younger ones attending there was a Fun Trail and an ICT Trail for computer buffs. One very interesting attraction was the playing of the Belgian carillon by the world‟s top carilloneur Boudjwin Zwart. This portable instrument had been sent across from Holland at the expense of the Dutch authorities. Hand bell teams were busy most of the time and, in between, the public had the opportunity to try their hand at tune ringing – with some surprising results. Also tune hand bell ringing concerts drew maximum crowds. Various, well run restaurant bars were kept busy providing all things needful from full lunches to occasional snacks and a never ending supply of drinks. The Bar never seemed to be without demand for the stronger drink. Such an event as this one provides the perfect opportunity to meet up with folk from other areas - friends too far away to visit regularly or those we read about in The Ringing World. The Writer was particularly thrilled to talk with the Italian-style ringers who had come to England especially for the Show. There was also the time to meet with old time friends at one stall and accept their hospitality of a small dram. With so much to see and do, time passed all too quickly, but the 6.15am wake-up call and the 11.00pm arrival home again was well worthwhile. It was unfortunate that not all parts of the Guild could find sufficient numbers to fill a coach so preventing some from attending – and so grateful thanks are extended to those who offered spare seats in their cars – some even travelled by train and booked bed and breakfast for the night before returning.