District secretary's reports 2010 - 2007

2010

We started the year with the Annual District Meeting in January at Wisbech St. Peter. Thanks to all who helped with the teas.  Thirty members attended and one new member were signed up.

During the year our monthly meetings took us around the district with ringing at different towers.  The summer outing, organised by Brian Hullah, took us around Rutland.

Wiggenhall St. Mary Magdalen was the host tower for the district striking competition, a disappointing turn out, this turned out to be the busiest day for weddings in the district.

The last event for the year was the carol service at Wisbech St. Peter, despite the frost and snow, sixteen members turned up to ring and enjoyed tea and mince pies after the service.  Thanks to everyone for their hospitality, loan of bells to ring and patience in teaching those who need help.

Pauline O’Neill

2009

We started the year again with the Annual District Meeting in January at Downham Market.  Thanks to Eric & his “ladies” for the tea.  38 members attended and nine new members were signed up.

During the year our monthly meetings took us around the district with ringing at different towers.

The summer outing, organised by Doreen Bainbridge, took us around the Ely District and included a visit to the Ely fayre.  We recorded a ring at each tower for Ely 900 and managed to include everyone, even the learners, in this.

Fincham was the host tower for the district striking competition, well done to everyone, remember it is the taking part that matters, unless you happen to be the winners !

Average attendance at the monthly meetings was eighteen, slightly up on last year, but still room for more ringers to socialise and improve their skills.

The last event for the year was the carol service at Wisbech St. Mary, our deepest snow for years prevented all but local ringers from attending.   Eight hardy souls rang until 4:00pm, the service was lead by Matthew and Brian played the organ.  We then went across the road to Church House where we enjoyed home made soup, rolls, cakes and nibbles, thanks to David & Annie.

Thanks to everyone for their hospitality, loan of bells to ring and patience in teaching those who need help.

Pauline O’Neill

2008

We started the year with the Annual District Meeting in January at Downham Market.   32 members attended and there was ringing prior to the meeting.

During the year our monthly meetings took us around the district with ringing at many different towers.  Average attendance at the monthly meetings was a disappointing fourteen. In 2009 we have planned the meetings to spread more evenly around the area to try and encourage more ringers to socialise and improve their skills.

The summer outing, organised by Terry Greenacre, took us to Alford in Lincolnshire calling at several village towers on the way back, this included a surprise ring for a wedding!

Shouldham was the host tower for the district striking competition, well done to those taking part, but disappointing that only four towers entered teams.

Thanks to everyone for their hospitality, loan of bells to ring and patience in teaching those who need help.

Pauline O'Neill

2007

George Herbert’s poem ‘Prayer’ speaks of “church bells heard beyond the stars”.  Well, as far as we know, that’s something we have yet to achieve, but Wisbech District’s bells were ringing out from most of our twenty-eight towers during the year, for practices and monthly meetings.  We travelled from Terrington St. Clement in the North, South to Denver for the Striking Competition, West to Newton and East to Fincham enjoying some good ringing and some excellent ringers’ teas!

We ventured across the River Great Ouse in April for a meeting at St. Margaret’s, King’s Lynn and again in June for a day’s ringing at five Norfolk towers including Cromer and Northrepps.  Attendance at meetings averaged nineteen, an increase from last year, helped often by visitors from other districts and Associations whose help we much appreciate. It would be good to see some new names signing in our Meeting book - we know there are members out there who don’t often appear at District events and we’d be pleased to meet them.

Monthly practices started in the autumn at Terrington St. Clement, providing useful eight bell experience for our mostly six bell ringers.  Shouldham’s six bells have undergone long-awaited restoration and returned to the tower in late January 2008.  We look forward also to welcoming the Association to Terrington St. Clement on 5 May for the 2008 Annual General Meeting.  Thanks as ever to our caterers, fund-raisers, tower captains and clergy for their support during the year.

Jennifer Watts