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| Ringing Today |
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| The Olney band of ringers at Stoke Goldington on the 20th. April 2009 before the Monday night practice. From left to right: Mat Sheaf, Coral Bex, Liz Sheaf, Ruth Plackett, David Phillipson (Ringing Master), Ella Sheaf, Graham Dilley, Helen Dilley, Charles Knight (Tower Captain). |
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| After a period of lengthy silence the bells are now ringing out again for every Sunday morning service (ringing from 9.20 a.m. until the 10.00 a.m. service) every Monday night for practice (ringing from 7.30 p.m. until 9.00 p.m.) and regular weddings during the summer of 2007. Regular practices started up again in October 2006 and under the guidance and training of Charles Knight and David Phillipson there are now an additional ten new ringers at varying stages of their development. One of the new ringers is the current vicar, the Rev. Philip Davies and his enthusiasm and drive has certainly been of benefit in this resurgence of bell ringing in Olney. |
| Although most of the new ringers have been ringing for just a little over six months there have been some significant milestones already: |
- 30th April 2007 the local band rang rounds on the eight bells with only one experienced ringer included.
- 15th June 2007 a brand of ringers from Olney took part in the North Bucks Branch six bell striking competition for the first time in living memory.
- Five of the new band have now been elected to membership of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Churchbellringers, bringing to seven the number of members in the tower.
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New learners and visiting ringers are welcome in the tower at any time.
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| Monday 29th October was the 1st anniversary of many of our band touching a rope for the first time and we celebrated with some chocolate cake. The evening saw the following achievements: |
- An entirely local band, including Charles and myself, rang plain hunt on six.
- An entirely local band, excluding Charles and myself, rang rounds on 6.
- 4 of the 'novices' (I am not allowed to call them learners any longer !) rang in Plain Hunt on eight.
- Ella Sheaf is ringing and setting the 4th unaided and next week wants to ring in rounds. Ella needs every ounce of her weight to ring the bell but actually finds the 4th easier to ring than the three lighter ones; it must say something about the state of the installation. A special well done to Ella from all the band.
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| Congratulations to the whole band: Philip Davies, Mat Sheaf, Liz Sheaf, Ella Sheaf, Helen Dilley, Graham Dilley, Ruth Plackett, Coral Bex and Charles Knight for starting the whole process off. I must also thank Alan and Tine Marchbank plus family and also Doug Hird for their continuing support to the Olney band. |
| I do not know what we will be ringing in twelve months time but I am hoping it will be something on 10 Bells. |
David Phillipson
November 2007 |
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