Latest News Items

Snowdon Dinner 2008
To be held this year on Saturday 18th October at Woolley Hall, Woolley, Wakefield WF4 2JR commencing at 7pm for 7.30pm.
A limited number of tickets are available, priced £28.00 from John A Courtney - 01924 380811, 26 Hatfield View, Wakefield WF1 3SN, please make cheques payable to John A Courtney.

Link: Contact John A Courtney

Spring Newsletter
The new spring newsletter is now available for download.

Link: Spring Newsletter 2008

Beighton Church
Beighton Church is closed for building work and not opening until mid-June 2008

New President
Congratulations to Barrie Dove our new President and many thanks to Deborah Thorley our retiring president for all her work over the last six years.

Ripon Cathedral
The bells are in and the first peal has been rung.

Yorkshire Association
Ripon, North Yorkshire
Cathedral of Ss Peter and Wilfrid
Saturday, 19 April 2008 in 3h 20m (23 cwt)

5040 Bristol Surprise Maximus
Composed by: D G Hull (5040 no.21)

1 David A Town
2 Jennifer A Town
3 Rachel S Town
4 David G Hull (C)
5 Wendy Winter
6 Kristopher King
7 Martin S Davies
8 Andrew R Aspland
9 Peter F Town
10 Matthew J L Durham
11 Andrew B Mills
12 David V Craggs

2000th peal on tower bells: 11.
The first peal on the augmented ring of bells.
Remembering Dr David Bowen who sponsored the extension and modifications to the framework to accommodate the 13 bells.

Congratulations
Congratulations to the 3 Yorkshire teams, Leeds, York and Stockton, who have all qualified for the final. Special congratulations to the Leeds band on winning their eliminator 9 years after entering the competition for the first time.

Link: 12 Bell Results

Branch Outing
We are planning an outing on 12th July 2008 to the Yorkshire/Lancashire Border area north of Burnley. Please let Penny Thorley know if you have any particular towers you would like to ring at.

Link: Contact Penny Thorley

Future Programme
At the Committee meeting on Feb 3rd it was decided that due to the fact that in September there is the Ringing World Roadshow and two weeks later we are hosting the Yorkshire Association meeting, we will not have a monthly branch meeting. Consequently our October monthly meeting will have a tea and business meeting and we will not be organising an outing as such this year.
We are aware that some towers in the branch organise their own outings during the year and suggest that invitations are sent out to other members of the Branch to join them. We also suggest that members interested in going to the Ringing World Roadshow (5/6th Sept) try and get together and go down in groups. Vicky Romegoux is happy to take a minibus down if there is sufficient interest.

Can you help to organise and inspire the Selby and District Branch?
Please seriously consider proposing someone, or putting yourself forward, as a Branch Officer or member of the Committee. If you wish to do so before the AGM please contact the Secretary or the Branch Chairman Jim Startin.

The AGM is to be held on Saturday 1st March, see events for more details.

Link: Contact Jim Startin

Death of Bert Foster
I am informed that Bert Foster, age 94 and sometime ringer at Selby Abbey has passed away. The funeral will take place in the Abbey at 11.00 am on Tue 5 Feb.

Branch Social
A well attended occasion with over 40 people sitting down to a lovely meal prepared by the Sheffield Cathedral ringers after a brief business meeting. Earlier on in the afternoon there had been ringing at Ranmoor where the ringing room had been packed out. During and after the meal various quizzes organised by Ben Newsam and Malcolm Turner kept everyone entertained. The evening finished with people choosing to either ring handbells, play activity games with Vicky or make their way to the local pub. Thank you to all involved in the organisation.

News from Ripon Cathedral
At last after many hiccups, delays and interruptions the work to install the new bells in the cathedral is due to start on 18th February. The 3 new bells will be on display in the North Nave over the week-end of 22nd/24th February. Work should be complete by 7th March.

Scarborough Branch Young Ringers’
Congratulations to the Scarborough Branch Young Ringers.

Pickering, North Yorkshire
Saturday, 5 January 2008 in 42 min (13)
1260 Plain Bob Doubles

1 Justin Cooper (12) (Scalby)
2 Martin Brewster (19) (Kirkbymoorside)
3 Anne Deebank
4 Ben Young (14) (Hovingham)
5 Simon Percy (16) (C) (Pickering)
6 Jack Young (12) (Hovingham)

Organised by Simon Percy and rung by a Scarborough Branch Young Ringers’ band plus an honorary 16 year old

Youth Practice
About 14 young branch ringers got together at Dore church on December 1st with Alison Bennett, youth representative on the committee, running the ringing. Chaperones kept a low profile whilst methods including Little Bob Major were rung by the youngsters. Being deemed a success it was decided to have another practice in 3 or 4 months time.

What courses do you want?
The Education Committee will lay-on whatever Courses you want - and will help Branches run their own Courses if they like.

To find out what to run, we are asking members simply to let us know!

Please contact me to say which of the following you would like to see run. When there's enough interest we'll run it!

• A Course on Raising and lowering in peal, including how to lead.
• A combined MTM Course (Maintenance, Teaching & Management of a tower)
• A Course on 'Teaching the Teachers' how to teach.
• A Course on the 'internal' management of towers.
• A Course on Conducting and/or Bob Calling.
• A Course on 'How to Teach a Band from Scratch', with very little help.
• A Course on Ringing Theory.
• A Course on ringing on higher numbers of bells for those appropriately experienced.
• A 'Stedman Day' - Triples to Cinques: theory and practicals (hopefully Spring 2008).
• Any other topic?

The offer is always open, but so the Committee can do its planning, please let me know as soon as you can. Please note that we'd like to run the Stedman practical Course in the Spring, so need to know 'takers' soon.

Many thanks, Gail Cater, Committee Chairman

Link: Contact Gail

Funeral Details
The funeral of Ralph Watkinson will take place at 11.00 on Monday 12th November at Tickhill

Central Council DVD
The Branch now have a copy. It is suitable for a tower open day but it is not about teaching bellhandling. We still have the video on Bellhandling, it is a little worse for wear but still useful. Either can be borrowed by contacting Sue Webb.

Ripon 12 Bells Appeal
The new bells for Ripon Cathedral are being cast on Thursday 15th at Taylors, Loughborough. A coach has been booked from Ripon. There are a few spare seats to be allocated on a first come first served basis. The details are below and if anyone would like to come please let Jo Mitchell know by e-mail asap.

Thursday 15th November
Coach leaves Ripon (Coach park) 9am
Leaves Loughborough 4.30 - 5.0pm
Back in Ripon ca 7.30
Cost £10

Plan for day: Arrive Loughborough in time for pub lunch.
1.30 pm at foundry for casting followed by tour of museum.
Possibly ring on their mini-ring.
Leave 4.30 approx.

Branch Outing to Pershore and Evesham
More than 30 ringers made the journey down to a very pleasant part of Worsestershire for the annual branch outing. Ringing started at Pershore Parish Centre(8) at 10.00am and continued over the road at the Abbey(8) 1 hour later. Ringing at Pershore Abbey is always an experience. The ascent to the suspended ringing cage is not for the faint hearted and actually ringing whilst looking down on ant sized people below turns many a leg to jelly! On to Evesham(12) where a lovely ring of bells in beautiful surroundings, made lunch well worth waiting for. After lunch in local pubs ringing was at Norton(8) and Harvington(6) two towers just north of Evesham. Many thanks go to Pete McCoy for organising a very enjoyable day.

Whitby Outing
The Leeds branch had a very sucessful outing to the Whitby area. Four people enjoyed a weekend camping, and several more people turned up just for the ringing.

Link: Photographs

Snowdon Dinner
To be held this year at Pavilions, Yorkshire Showground, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, HG2 8PW. 7pm for 7.30pm

Tickets £29 (Cheques payable to Leeds and District Branch YACR) from Penny Thorley - email . Tel 01132 752 881, 6 Weetwood Court, Leeds LS16 5NT.

YACR Striking Competition Results
The annual striking competition took place on 15th September, the results are.

Position	Band	Branch	Method	Faults
1st	Leeds, St Peter	Leeds	Minor	16
2nd	Sheffield Cathedral	Sheffield	Minor	18
3rd	Northallerton	C and N Yorks	Doubles	19
4th	Pickering	Central	Doubles	20
5th	Huntington	York	Minor	24
6th	Wakefield Cathedral	Central	Minor	25
7th	New Mill	Western	Doubles	30

Thanks to the judges Bob and Gail Cater and to all the bands who took part.

Striking Competition Results

The Annual Striking Competition took place on 7th July. The results are:

Fun Competition
1st Ripon B 72%
2nd Stokesley A 70%
2nd Northallerton B 70%

Sunday Service
1st Northallerton A 95%
2nd Northallerton C 89%
3rd Stokesley B 74%
4th Ripon A 70%
5th Boroughbridge 62%

Well done to everyone who took part, lets try to get more bands together for next year!

Spring Newsletter

Link: Spring Newsletter 2007

Brompton Quiz – Report from Jennie Town
Thank you to all those who came along on 20th June to support the Quiz in aid of Brompton bells. We hope that you all enjoyed the evening which raised the staggering amount of £440. The winners were "Wilf's Mates" from St Wilfrid's, York and I am sure it was complete coincidence that the Quiz Master was their tower captain, David Hull; Ripon Rowdies were in hot pursuit in second place. The main raffle prize was won by Martin Farrow, one of the Brompton learners.

Now come along and have fun at the Ceilidh (or Barn Dance) on July 18 in the Town Hall at Northallerton. Even if you have never tried it before, or just want to sample the real ale and watch the dancers burning off calories, then do come to support us. Entrance is only £5, but bring your own supper if you haven't eaten beforehand, as the only food will be nibbles from the bar. You are guaranteed an entertaining evening.