Branch Newsletter - Issue 104 Christmas 2011

Reading Branch come second in the 10 bell striking competition. Please see the Guild Website for a full round up of the event.

Earlier news in 2011: St Mary's Reading wins Guild 6 Bell Striking Competition 2011 at Streatley.

St Mary's, Reading beat off 8 eight other teams to bring home the Guild 6 Bell trophy once more. Please see the Guild Website for a full round up of the event.

BRANCH 6 BELL STRIKING COMPETITION - 2011

St Mary wins branch striking competition

The Reading Branch striking competition took place on Saturday 10 September at Purley. Like last year, it included a competition for novices, as proposed by Len Palfrey and approved at the Reading Branch 2010 AGM. Three novice bands competed alongside five branch teams, but for a different trophy: the very fine John Butler Trophy, instead of the branch Topper trophy.

The judges were Hilarie Rogers and John White from the South Oxon branch.

There were eight teams altogether, and they rang in the following order:

Team 1 - Vernon/Smith (Shiplake) novices;

Team 2 - Shiplake

Team 3 - Shiplake novices

Team 4 - Tilehurst

Team 5 - Caversham novices

Team 6 - St Mary, Reading

Team 7 - Goring

Team 8 - Caversham

Purley, the host tower, did not have enough ringers available that weekend to put forward a team, but they did provide everyone with an excellent tea. It was very encouraging to have four youngsters taking part in the competition: Lucy and Matthew Smith from Shiplake, and Ella Wiles and Jack Page from Caversham. Afterwards, the judges made helpful comments about each team, and then gave out the results. Hilarie Rogers said that every team had a good patch, and all the novices had coped well with strange bells in a tower with a very small ringing circle.

Team 1: Fairly major problems with leading, particularly the front bells. Work needed on bell control. Good rhythm, trouble with back strokes.

Team 2: Nice rhythm. Leading a little bit rushed - most erratic leading from treble. Some clips. Faults from hesitation.

Team 3: Stuck to the task, but fell apart in call changes. Came round at end. Team struggled with the bells, but kept going.

Team 4: Good consistent rhythm. Tenor occasionally slow at hand stroke. Pushed along a bit faster than they were comfortable with. Good bit of ringing.

Team 5: A few rushed leads at beginning. Tenor kept very nice rhythm. Some lack of bell control.

Team 6: Some slow backstroke leads at beginning, then settled down. Very good piece of ringing. Perhaps tenor pushing just a little bit at handstroke.

Team 7: Very good rhythm – not everyone settled down, but very good piece of ringing. Some small wobbles. Occasional dropped backstroke leads. Improved as they went along.

Team 8: Commended for ringing Plain Bob Minor (the other teams rang doubles, and the novices rang Call Changes). Nice piece of ringing. Steadier than preceding two bands – understandable in minor. A few minor glitches.

The results were as follows:

Steve Rossiter, representing St Mary, received the Topper trophy, and Jack Page from Caversham received the John Butler trophy for the novices. June Wells, the Reading Branch Chairman, called on everyone present to stand in silence, in honour of Jim Diserens, who died on 7 September from a heart attack, while visiting his son in Germany. She said that his sudden death was a great shock to all, and a great loss to Reading and the ODG.

ODG 8 Bell Striking Competition: Once again a Reading Branch team succeeds in winning the ODG 8 Bell striking competition. This year it was held at St Mary's, Childrey and the successful team was Stephen Rossiter, June Wells, John Wells, Jo Druce, Giles Winter, Ian Judd and Bob Partridge

photo courtesy of the ODG website (photographer unknown)