At the time of compiling Gossip, January seems too distant and Christmas hasn’t arrived. With the distribution of Grapevine before Christmas Day, the ringers again wish all readers a Joyful Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.
The Advent Peal rung on Saturday morning December 1st was successfully completed in 3 hours exactly. For most ringers, one peal in a day is quite sufficient but one of our ringers went off to complete another peal in the afternoon at Moulton Church – now that’s keenness and he was conducting both peals!
Organising a band to ring a peal is usually quite straightforward but not this time. Two ringers had to pull out of the band and it proved somewhat difficult finding replacements capable of ringing the arranged method.
Each year we like to ring a "date touch". Let’s explain. Normally a quarter peal, which we ring most Sunday evenings, consists of between 1260 and 1280 changes of any method and on our bells takes about ¾ of an hour to complete. A "date touch" comprises the number of changes equivalent to the particular year. This year the touch consisted of 2001 changes and took us 1 hour 12 minutes to ring. This was rung on Advent Sunday. The method rung was Double Norwich Court Bob Major, the rhythm of the ringing was good and the ringers gained much satisfaction.
Congratulations to our knowledgeable quiz team. As mentioned in last month’s Gossip, they took part in the Diocesan Guild Quiz held at Wadenhoe and out of 14 participating teams, they were placed in 1st position. They were given a run for their money by an outside team from the neighbouring county of Bedfordshire, one of whose team members joins us most Friday practice evenings and has also appeared on the Weakest Link T.V. programme. We now await the result of the Branch Quiz.
Each Sunday evening we attempt a quarter peal and so, in theory, we should notch up over 50 quarters in a year. However, the success rate is not always 100% and coupled with holidays and times when it proves difficult to have enough ringers, we feel reasonably satisfied to ring 50. At the time of writing it looks as if we are on target to reach that figure by December 31st.
On Saturday January 19th the Wellingborough Branch will be holding its AGM. at St. Mary’s. Ringing usually starts at about 3p.m. until the Guild Service at 4 30p.m., followed by tea and the business meeting. Ringing then continues until 9p.m.
Our own AGM. has been scheduled for Friday February 1st. As well as all the usual items on the agenda, discussion will no doubt also centre on the ringing arrangements for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in June – no doubt at least a 3hour peal.
2003 takes us to the 50th anniversary of the re-hanging and augmentation of the bells. Thought will have to be given to what special arrangements and activities will take place during that year – will our proposed move upstairs materialise?
Finally the ringers send their warmest congratulations to Leslie Sanders on his 101st birthday at the beginning of January. It doesn’t seem 12 months since we were ringing for his 100th celebration.
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