BEDFORDSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS

Update

April 2026  
 

Recent happenings

New members - Four new members have been elected in the last couple of months:
Three Westoning ringers, Gavin and Anna Churchill, and Nikki Fox,  were elected at the Ampthill meeting on 7th February; and Sue Redford, a Linslade ringer, was elected at  the Aspley Guise meeting  on 7th March. Welcome to the Association. Welcome to you all.

New Bishop of St Albans announced -  for many years the Association has been fortunate to have the Bishops of St Albans and Bedford as Patrons. The previous Bishop of St Albans, Bishop Alan, retired last May and his successor, the Right Reverend Dr Andrew Paul Rumsey was announced on Thursday 19 March. Bishop Andrew is currently the Suffragan Bishop of Ramsbury in the Diocese of Salisbury. He won't be installed and begin his ministry in the Diocese until later this year, but we will be inviting him to  become our Patron alongside the current Bishop of Bedford, the Right Reverend Richard Atkinson. 

For Tower Contacts - an urgent request for your current tower information for the 2025 Annual Report and Website.
We sent an email to Tower Contacts at the beginning of February asking for confirmation of the contacts information, Sunday and Practice night details currently shown on the website and in the previous Annual Report so that we could make sure things were correct in the soon to be produced 2025 Annual Report. A big thank you to those Tower Contacts who have responded but we're still waiting for 36 towers to do so. Maybe you didn't receive the email or its fallen off your radar, but if you haven't responded yet could you email annualreport@bacbr.org.uk as soon as possible and let us know that things are all correct or otherwise tell us about any changes to your Sunday service ringing times, practice night ringing arrangements or your contact details. Either look at the 2024 report or the website to see the information we currently have for your tower. www.bacbr.org.uk/towers/ 

Ring a First in February 2025 - a write up for our February Firsts event is in the Ringing World, Friday 27th March edition. Don't forget that when you ring your first Quarter Peal you can get a free copy of the Ringing World edition its published in, email admin@ringingworld.co.uk

March ringing meetings - we had a good turn out for the General Ringing meeting at Aspley Guise on 7th March. Touches of Plain Bob Doubles and Minor, Grandsire Doubles, Cambridge Minor and courses of Stedman Doubles, Double Oxford and Norwich and Plain Hunt Minor were rung. Unfortunately the Surprise Major practice scheduled for Henlow on 21st was cancelled as there weren't enough signed up to make it a viable session, however  the Surprise Minor session a week later at Silsoe was successful with 14 ringers from 10 different towers attending. Cambridge, London, Beverley and Bourne were rung and one ringer rang a very good first treble bob. The monthly Second Saturday Training at Biggleswade and the Young Ringers practice et Campton the next day were very worthwhile sessions for those who attended.

Forthcoming Events

 Ringing Opportunities
Please remember we ask for a suggested £2 donation/person at Association Ringing Programme events. This is so we can make a donation to the tower being visited. Thanks.
Please note - there's no ringing meeting on the first Saturday this month because its the Easter weekend. General Ringing is on the third Saturday at Bromham.

Saturday  11 April, 10.00 - 12.30
Second Saturday Training at the R J Sharp Ringing Centre at St Andrew's Biggleswade
10:00 - 11:00  Session 1: Bell handling
11:00 - 11:15  Coffee (and cake!)
11:15 - 12:30  Session 2: Foundation skills - rounds, call changes, Plain Hunt
These sessions are aimed at less experienced Bedfordshire ringers who would like to improve basic skills and confidence.
Session 1: for those who are learning to handle a bell with assistance or wish to improve their handling skills
Session 2: For those who can handle a bell unassisted and wish to improve their bell control and progress to ringing rounds/call changes with others.
We're always looking for experienced ringers to support these sessions. If you'd like more inforamtion either contact Chris for details or come along and see for yourself. Whether you feel you could help with either bell handling (10-11am), foundation skills (11.15-12.30) or both, you'd be most welcome.
Sign up is essential  for both students and helpers please
Email Chris Williams -  christine.williams.bells@gmail.com
Please state whether you are coming to Session 1 or Session 2.
Subject: Second Saturday April
 

Sunday 12 April, 14:30 - 16:30 
Bedfordshire Young Ringers at Campton 
Bedfordshire Young Ringers is for all young ringers aged 18 or under, whatever your ringing experience. (Experienced tutors will be there to help!) Come along to ring with ringers your own age, eat cake and have fun!
For safeguarding reasons, we ask that all young ringers under the age of 18 are accompanied by an adult. Adults do not need to stay for the whole session (though you are very welcome to do so - tea, coffee and a comfortable place to sit will be available). We will need some paperwork to be completed for each young ringer the first time they attend.
 For more details, or to confirm that you are coming please, email:  youngringers@bacbr.org.uk
or via the Bedfordshire Young Ringers WhatsApp Group if you're on that (Please ask to be added to this when you attend a Young Ringers' session).
 

Saturday 18 April, 10.30 - 12.30pm 
General Ringing and Short Business Meeting at Bromham (8) 
This general ringing meeting is for everyone, all levels will be catered for. There will be a short business meeting to elect new members, provide news and updates as necessary. Please let us know that you are coming so we know this will be a viable session.
Sign up via the MemberMojo Store
https://membermojo.co.uk/bacbr/store 
or Email Angela - trainingofficer@bacbr.org.uk
Subject: General Ringing Bromham
 

Saturday 25  April, 10.30 - 12.00
Focus practice on Plain Hunt and Bob Doubles at Houghton Regis (6)
This is for everyone who can handle a bell safely, ring unassisted in rounds and aimed at those wishing to practice Plain Hunt on 5 or 6 bells, ringing or conducting Bob Doubles or ringing the tenor behind.
We will focus on Plain Hunt, plain courses and touches of Plain Bob Doubles and welcome more experienced ringers to help, stand behind and conduct. Other Plain 5/6 bell methods might be rung if there are sufficient ringers to enable this.
Please sign up so we know this is a viable session.
Via the MemberMojo Store
https://membermojo.co.uk/bacbr/store 
or Email Angela - trainingofficer@bacbr.org.uk email Angela trainingofficer@bacbr.org.uk
Subject: Focus Plain Hunt - Bob Doubles Houghton Regis.

Proposed May events - get these dates in your diaries!
Please check website calendar for latest situation.

Saturday 2 May, 14.30 - 16.30  - General Ringing and a short business meeting at Flitton (6)
Saturday 9 May, 10:00 - 12:30  Second Saturday Training, RJ Sharp Ringing Centre, St Andrew's, Biggleswade, two sessions.
Sunday 10 May, 14.30 - 16:30  Young Ringers practice at Campton (8)
Saturday 16 May  -  Association AGM at Biggleswade (10). 4.00pm Service, 5.00pm Tea, 6.00pm Meeting; Evening Ringing until 8.15pm. We're still considering the possibility of afternoon ringing but its unlikely to be at Biggleswade. The paper work will be on the website as soon as its available and names for tea would be appreciated. More details to come in next Months Update.
Saturday 30 May, 10.30 - 12.00 - Focus Practice on Plain Doubles and Plain Minor at Colmworth (6). For those who would like to:

• ring a range of Plain Doubles and Plain Minor methods.
• practice ringing the treble to doubles or minor
• ring the tenor behind in doubles.
• conduct touches.

The range of methods rung will be determined by who comes! 

2026 Programme
Please note  - Focus Practices aren't specific training events but they can cater for different ringing abilities within the focus theme (other than handling).
 

The Draft Jan - June programme is here BACBRRingingCalendar2026-V1-2-Dec-25.pdf
The Calendar Guide is here BACBR-Calendar-Guide-2026-V1-2-Dec-25.pdf

Short Business Meeting notes are on the website
Notes taken at our short business meetings at General Ringing Meetings are now being loaded onto the website, click here Bedfordshire Association of Church Bell Ringers 

Other notices and news

March Firsts and Commemorative Ringing

Congratulations to:
Dean De-Matteis who rang his first Quarter Peal of London Surprise Major  at Campton on Thursday 19 March. BellBoard
Penny Bellis who conducted her first Quarter Peal, Plain Bob Doubles at Toft, Cambs, with the Ladies Guild. BellBoard

Special Ringing:
Monday 16th March at Bedford St Peter De Merton  - General ringing  including rounds and Plain Bob Doubles. Rung in loving memory of Margaret Cowley, ringer and Tower Secretary at St Peter's, prior to her funeral. BellBoard
Saturday 21 March at St Mary Eaton Socon - 720 Grandsire Doubles. Rung in memory of the Rev'd Timothy Robb, much loved and missed vicar of this parish who sadly died earlier this year, on what would have been his birthday. BellBoard

For more information please see the website here www.bacbr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Southill-Park-tour-5-June-2026.pdf

Save the Date! Blunham Bells, Beer and Bangers 2026 
Come and join us for our fifth year of Bells, Beer and Bangers on Saturday 25 July, 2 – 6 pm;
Open ringing 2.00 – 3.30 pm.
Sup local ales, tuck into locally produced bangers and burgers. Cakes and other refreshments also available. 
Thank you to all who have been supporting our bell restoration project.  We have now raised around £45,000 of our £75,000 target. 
For more information contact Davina on blunham@bacbr.org.uk

2026 Subscriptions payment and preferences renewal  with Member Mojo

Sorry to mention this again this month but there are still just over 50 members who haven't  renewed yet. If you haven't completed your return and paid your 2026 subscription yet please do so as soon as possible using the link in the original  3rd December 2025 renewal email,  this has all the instructions you need to update your details and preferences (to receive comms and request a printed annual report) - and pay your annual subscription. 

 If you can't find this email you'll need to sign in with your email address using the Association's direct secure account home page link -  http://membermojo.co.uk/bacbr 
Further information to help you is on the Association website here Bedfordshire Association of Church Bell Ringers 

Tower Contacts could help us by reminding their member ringers to do this, maybe members still to respond are those who have previously expressed a preference not to receive these Updates! 

Got a new email address? - if you've changed your email address from the original one you gave us (and you haven't already updated this in your Member Mojo account), you'll still need to use the original one to get into Member Mojo, then you can update your details with your new address. Let us know if you can't receive emails to your old address anymore and we can set it to your new one for you. The system is driven by your email address not passwords, so please keep this up to date through out the year as necessary.
It would also be helpful if you could let us know your new email address with an email to membership@bacbr.org.uk so we can update the Mailchimp system used for the monthly Update mail out.
 Please don't hesitate to email membership@bacbr.org.uk if you have any questions you can't find an answer for and we will help you.

News from the CCCBR 
Central Council of Church Bell Ringers

Some Useful Central Council Resources 

Recruitment and Retention - Recruitment and Retention – CCCBR
Notice Board toolkit -  Noticeboard Toolkit – CCCBR
You Tube Index - https://cccbr.org.uk/youtube-index
Images - Photos – CCCBR

.The Central Council Code for Ringing  - a reminder for everyone about this code for ringers - Code-for-Ringing-Edition-1-v1-285.pdf 

Do keep an eye on the Central Council website for wider ringing news, resources and helpful information!   https://cccbr.org.uk 
 

Linda Garton
President, BACBR 
president@bacbr.org.uk

Angela Blackburn
Ringing Master / Training Officer
trainingofficer@bacbr.org.uk

www.bacbr.org.uk

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