The Essex Association of Change Ringers President: The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Chelmsford

News Archive 2006 (2010) (2009) (2008) (2007) (2005)

Quarter Peal Forms - 31 December 2006
A reminder to return your tower's Quarter Peal Form for 2006 to the Peals Secretary as soon as possible please (by post to Colin Chapman or email to pealsec@eacr.org.uk). New forms for 2007 are available for download here in PDF and RTF formats (the latter is editable with a word processor if you want to maintain an electronic list and email it back at the end of 2007). Paper copies will also be available via District Secretaries.
Colin Chapman
 
The 2007 Essex Ringing Course - 29 December 2006
Course Application details are now available via the Association's Training page.
Vicki Chapman
 
Mable Boniface - 15 December 2006
We regret to report the death of Mable Boniface, Black Notley, on Thursday 14 December.
Peter Smith
 
Sam Courtauld - 29 November 2006
We regret to report the death of Sam Courtauld of Greenstead Green.
A Service of Thanksgiving was held at St Andrew's, Halstead, on Thursday 07 December.
Mary Bone
 
December 2006 Newsletter - 19 November 2006
The December 2006 newsletter is currently with the printers and will be circulated in time for the District carol services on 09 December. A PDF version is available to download from the Association Newsletters page.
Bryan Morrissey
 
Great Waltham Bells - 18 November 2006
Great Waltham bells will be out of action from 01 December 2006 until further notice, whilst work takes place to raise the ringing chamber. Watch this space for news of resumption of ringing, expected in 4-5 months.
Jo Elliott
 
Katrina and Neil Bond - baby congratulations! - 14 November 2006
Congratulations to Katrina & Neil Bond, Saffron Walden, on the birth of Charlotte Ellen on Tuesday 14 November 2006.
Mary Bone
 
New DVD: "The Craft Of Bellringing" launched 04 December - 12 November 2006

During the course of 2006, George Perrin, a filmmaker and bellringer at St. Mary's, Addington, near Croydon, has made a documentary about bellringing, which will be available on DVD from 04 December. The leaflet (including details of how to order copies of the DVD) is available to download here (page 1, page 2) in PDF format.

The website referred to on the leaflet - www.bellringingfilm.co.uk - is now live.
Mary Bone
 
Dr Lewis Castleden - 03 November 2006
We regret to report the death of Dr. Lewis Castleden of Great Dunmow on Saturday 28 October. The funeral will be at St. Mary's, Great Dunmow on Wednesday 08November at 11.00 am.
Marian Wood
 
Charles Turner - 26 October 2006
We regret to report the death of Charles Turner of Feering/Coggeshall. The funeral will be held at Coggeshall at 11am on Monday 06 November. Please contact Brian Meads for ringing arrangements.
Mary Bone
 
Theydon Garnon fundraising event - 23 October 2006
A hog roast and fireworks display is being held at Gaynes Park Barns on Friday 03 November, in aid of the Theydon Garnon bell restoration fund. A PDF event poster can be downloaded here.
 
2007 Subscriptions - 16 October 2006
Association subscriptions will increase as follows, with effect from 01 January 2007:
Ringing Members: £8.00
Friends & Junior Members: £4.00
Life Paid Members: £160.00
Non Resident Members: £8.00
   
Further information was included in the December Association newsletter.
 
2006 Association Training Day update - 13 October 2006
An update on the 2006 Training Day can be found by downloading a PDF flier here. The Training Day is being held in the North East District on Saturday 25 November. Please contact Adrian Malton if you wish to be a student or helper.
 
BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour - 06 October 2006
BBC Radio 4 "Woman's Hour" broadcast an item on 06 October 2006 that featured audio clips from the peal of Woman's Hour Celebration Surprise Major, rung at Terling on 23 September. Among those interviewed were Vicki Chapman, Sue Page and Katharine Salter. A recording of the item can be downloaded by clicking here (mp3 file format - 128kbps) or here (mp3 file format - 64kbps). A photograph of the band can be viewed by clicking here.
 
2006 Essex Trophy - 10 September 2006
This year's test piece, for the competition held in Haslemere on 09 September, was a plain course of Cambridge Surprise Royal. The results were as follows:
    SCORE  
1st Surrey Association 86%  
2nd Essex Association 79%  
3rd Hertford County Association 75%  
4th Guildford Diocesan Association 65%  
5th Sussex County Association 55%  
6th Middlesex County Association 50%  
The judges were Paul Mounsey and David Dearnley.
Next year's competition will be hosted by the Surrey Association on 08 September 2007.
 
Rounds & About - August 2006 issue - 31 August 2006
The August 2006 edition of rounds and about is now available and is being circulated to towers. You may download a soft copy by visiting the Newsletters page.
Bryan Morrissey
 
Association Annual Dinner - 25 August 2006
As in previous years, the 2006 Annual Association Dinner will be held at the County Hotel Chelmsford on 07 October. Guest speakers will include the Master, Revd Canon Roger Mason and Colin Newman. Full details of the menu and how to order tickets from the Association Honourary Secretary are available here. (PDF file download).
Mary Bone
 
Mrs Pam Eves - 22 August 2006
We regret to report the death of Mrs Pam Eves of Chelmsford, wife of Peter Eves (Life Vice-President). Pam was the first Friend of the Association. The funeral was held at Chelmsford Crematorium on Tuesday 22 August.
Mary Bone
 
2006 Striking Competition Finals
The 6 bell striking competition finals were held on Saturday 1 July at Inworth. Nine teams competed and the results were:
    FAULTS  
1st Great Totham 23  
2nd KIrby le Soken 26  
3rd Coggeshall 47  
4th Dagenham 57  
5th Prittlewell 67  
6th Downham 80  
7th Sawbridgeworth 81  
8th Hornchurch 83  
9th Danbury 96  
       
In the evening each District entered a team for the 8 bell competition at Goldhanger, ringing a touch of Grandsire Triples selected by the Master. The South East District retained the trophy and the placings were as follows:
    FAULTS  
1st South East 54  
2nd North 56  
3rd North East 64  
=4th South 69  
=4th South West 69  
6th North West 77  
       
Thank you to the South-East officers for the arrangements, to Yvonne & Maureen for the refreshments at Inworth, to the Goldhanger ringers and WI for a lovely tea and for the football results service, and to our judges Adrian Malton and Colin Chapman. My apologies to all the teams for forgetting to bring the certificates - these will be available in October.
The Essex Trophy competition will be hosted by the Guildford Diocesan Guild at Haslemere on Saturday 9 September.
Mary Bone
 
Thorpe le Soken Practice Night - 11 July 2006
With immediate effect, Thorpe le Soken practices will only be held on the third Monday of each month.
 
2006 Ridgman Trophy - 27 June 2006
This year our Association hosted the Ridgman Trophy at Writtle on 17 June 2006. Originally, we were expecting nine teams to enter, but sadly one had to withdraw the night before. Apparently one member of the Leicester DG band had broken an arm or leg and could not get a replacement or another person to ring! The day began with glorious sunshine and a specially arranged fly-past over the tower at 12.55 just before the competition started (rumour has it that it was something to do with the Queen's 80th Birthday and Trooping of the Colour).
The test piece was 287 Grandsire Caters that I had specifically chosen (something the hosts get in their favour). The competition was judged by Phillip Barnes from Sevenoaks and Donald Niblett from Canterbury and the results were as follows:
 
    RANG FAULTS
1st Essex Association 3rd 63
2nd Bedfordshire DA 6th 72
3rd Suffolk Diocesan Guild 8th 76
4th Cambridge University GR 2nd 79
5th Hertford County Association 5th 80
6th Lincoln Diocesan Guild 7th 104
=7th Ely DA 1st 111
=7th Peterborough DA 4th 111
 
There was some controversy with the results, as the Bedfordshire DA were penalised by 10 faults for breaking the rules by ringing in excess of 8 minutes for the practice and rounds prior to starting the test piece. They could have been disqualified.
Congratulations to our band: 1 Christina Fleckney, 2 Gill Sparling, 3 Carol Brown, 4 Yvonne Towler, 5 Paul Cammiade, 6 David Sparling, 7 Steve Nash (C), 8 Steve Waters, 9 Jim Towler and 10 Brian Meads.
Many thanks to Phil Stephens and the Writtle ringers for their excellent hospitality, beer and use of the bells.
 
BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour - 19 April 2006
BBC Radio 4 "Woman's Hour" broadcast an item on 19 April 2006 that featured material and interviews recorded during the recent Essex Ringing Course. The item can be downloaded by clicking here (mp3 file format) or here (wav format - larger download).
 
Association Newsletter - April 2006
The April 2006 Association Newsletter is available to download by clicking here. As usual, this file is available in Adobe Acrobat format.
 
Great Baddow practice
With immediate effect, Great Baddow practices will only be held on the first Friday of each month.
 
Ashdon tower contact change of address
The Ashdon tower contact, Miss B Bartram, has moved. Her new address is South Lodge, Lofts Hall, Wendens Loft, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4UN. This information was unfortunately received too late to be included in the 2005 Annual Report.
 
"The Future" - a discussion paper
A discussion paper, prepared by Adrian Malton and Adrian Semken, was submitted at the February 2006 Executive Committee Meeting. It is meant to stimulate discussion and debate among the Members of the Association. It asks two fundamental questions and these are:
  1) Does ringing in Essex need any organisation, (i.e. the Association)? and
  2) Does anything need to be changed?
The paper is available to view in Adobe PDF format here. If you would like to comment on the content of the paper, please send your email message to the Webmaster, who will forward it to the Association Officers.
 
The Tovell Bequest
The Essex Association of Change Ringers has received a generous bequest from the Estate of the late Mrs Phyllis Tovell in memory of her son David, former Association Treasurer. This sum has been placed in a separate fund. The Executive Committee intends to use this fund to support a number of bell restoration projects within the next few years.
The Terms of Reference for use of this fund can be obtained by clicking here. Completed grant application forms, together with supporting information such as copies of contractors’ estimates, PCC resolutions, faculty application status, etc., should be returned to the Association Secretary as soon as possible.
 
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