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Five students attended a course on rope splicing, a useful skill that looks deceptively easy, but as they all found out requires care and practice to get it right. Most of them made several false starts, but with guidance they all managed to complete reasonable test pieces, which several of them took home as a reminder of the course. Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures, so you can't see them at work.
If you are interested in attending any training course, see the training page , where you can sign up for courses on different subjects.
For the first time in many years, the Branch entered a team in the Guild 10-bell competition. A total of eight teams entered – itself a record. The Branch team was placed 7th out of 8, which was a creditable achievement given that most of the team are not regular 10-bell ringers.
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Three teams entered the 8-bell competition at Twyford on 15th October, judged by Tim Pett and Bobbie May.
The judges made some general comments that applied to all teams. Leading was good, and in all teams Treble and Tenor rang well. Most faults were in the middle of the row. All teams seemed to have problems with the 4th. The judges scored each row: 1/4 for a minor blemish, 1/2 for a major blemish and 1 for a clash.
| Position | Team | Faults per 100 rows | Method | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wokingham & Sonning | 22 | Grandsire Triples | A bit uneven. Front 4 bells tried to ring faster than back 4 bells. A bit choppy going into changes. A method trip towards the end caused a lot of faults, but it sorted out and came round. |
| 2 | Easthampsted | 31 | Rounds | There was lots of 'syncopation', which generated many small faults, but there were few clashes. Initially the front 4 bells were ringing slower than the back 4, but after a while they were the other way round. |
| 3 | Twyford | 39 | Rounds | The bells seemed to group 123, 456, 78. The ringing was too fast, and 78 were probably trying to slow it down. There were no complete clashes. |
Click on team images for larger pictures.
The competition was followed by a good general practice.
 Wokingham & Sonning (2 missing) |
 Easthampstead |
 Twyford |
Six teams entered the 6-bell striking competition at Walthm St Lawrence on 16th April, judged by Ken Darvill and Peter Mackie.
The judges were impressed that all teams improved as they went on, and commented that all teams The bells sounded very nice outside.
| Position | Team | Faults | Method | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonning | 38 | Plain Bob Doubles | Very pleasant. A bit 'trippy' |
| 2 | Wokingham All Saints B |
43 | Cambridge Minor | Suffered some quick leads and slow blows in 5ths place. |
| 3 | Arborfield | 69 | Rounds | Improved as it went on. |
| 4 | Wokingham All Saints A |
96 | Rounds | Improved as it went on. Treble did well. |
| 5 | Easthampstead | 102 | Rounds | Improved as it went on. Treble did well. |
| 6 | Sandhurst | 145 | Plain Hunt Doubles | Bad start. If the had been happier they would have had fewer faults. |
Click on team images for larger pictures.
 Arborfield |
 Easthampstead |
 Sandhurst |
 Sonning |
 Wokingham (All Saints) A |
 Wokingham (All Saints) B |
Three students made very good progress in this important practical skill on the course held at Finchampstead under the tutorship of John manley.
Many bands celebrated St George's Day (23rd April) in response to a nationwide initiative appeal for special ringing , endorsed by the ODG . Two quarter peals were rung, at Hurst and Eversley (out of our area, but a mainly ODG band). Two quarter peal attempts were lost, at Sonning and Wokingham. There was general ringing at Arborfield, Easthampstead, Finchampstead, Sandhurst, Twyford and White Waltham.
All four students had no prior experience of rope splicing, but under the watchful eye of course tutor John Harrison, they all ended the evening having produced a neat splice, which they took away with them as a reminder of having done the course.
Click on the images for larger pictures.
 Four students + an onlooker |
 Mhairi Miller |
 Simon Graves |
 Joyce Crockford & Simon Mabbott |
If you are interested in attending any training course, see the training page , where you can sign up for courses on different subjects.
Five teams entered the 6-bell striking competition at Shottesbrooke on 17th April, judged by Jim and Helen Diserens.
Judges general comments – Very varied ringing. Congratulations to the bands that got together a team and entered. Bands that ring Doubles should put their strongest ringer on the Tenor if possible (though it might not always be possible). The Tenor can make or mar the piece. The bells sounded very nice outside.
| Position | Team | Faults | Method | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wokingham All Saints |
18 | Cambridge Minor | A joy to listen to. Obviously an experienced band. The odd irregularity. Maybe marked more strictly than the less experienced teams. |
| 2 | Easthampstead | 24 | Grandsire Doubles | A good rhythm with the occasional irregularity. Nice ringing |
| 3 | Sandhurst | 44 | Grandsire Doubles | Erratic leads caused most faults. Cartwheeling or open leads are acceptable, providing it is consistent. A reasonable rhythm. |
| 4 | Sonning | 58 | Plain Bob Doubles | Settled a bit, but then got scratchy. The knock-on effect [see below] led to many faults |
| 5 | Twyford | 67 | Rounds | A valiant go. Some was quite good at the times when it settled.. It was a nice slow pace, and he was quite impressed. There was a knock-on effect if one bell held up or pulled in, a mark of an inexperienced band. It is vital to keep the rhythm. The Tenor rang very well. |
Our congratulations to Twyford for entering a team with one member who has only been ringing 7 months, and two who had not rung outside their home tower before this week.
Click on team images for larger pictures.
 Easthampstead |
 Sandhurst |
 Sonning |
 Twyford |
 Wokingham (All Saints) |
Branch competitions are open to teams from any Branch tower (or combined teams, see competition rules ). Dates of competitions are in the Branch diary .
Will your tower enter a team in the next competition?
The course was led by John Davidge and Len Palfrey, of the ODG Towers & Belfries Committee. Initial instruction and demonstrations were at All Saints Wokingham. After an excellent lunch at the Duke of Wellington in Twyford, the students were 'let loose' on the bells at St Mary's Twyford, armed with check sheets of things to look for, to see how much of what they had learnt they could put into practice. The pictures below show both tutors and students hard at work.
Click on a thumbnail to see the full size picture.
 Tutors and students |
 Checking a clapper |
 Checking a rope |
 All hard at work |
 The tutor explains |
 Checking a headstock |
 The tutor explains |
 Using checklists |
If you are interested in attending any training course, see the training page , where you can sign up for courses on different subjects.
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| Page updated on 13-December-2011 |
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© Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (Sonning Deanery Branch) 2010 |
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