The Lincoln Diocesan Guild
of
Church Bell Ringers

Four quarter peals and “Ring for your supper” in Southern Branch

Saturday 22nd September was quarter peal day, followed by “Ring for your supper” in the evening, for the Southern Branch of the Lincoln Diocesan Guild. Four out of four quarters were scored: “Cambridge 6” Surprise Minor at Sempringham, the “Beverley 6” Surprise Minor at Irnham, followed by coffee and chocolate fingers (thank you Ian & Mandy Dawson for the band’s hospitality), Plain Bob Doubles at Morton, and Lincolnshire Surprise Major at Market Deeping.

For those readers who don’t know what this kind of event entails, it simply involves a 3-course meal (for a great value of £6 per person) each one at a different tower:

• Starter: Choice of 3 soups at Langtoft, with delicious bread and butter
• Main: Sausage Casserole and Mashed Potato at Thurlby
• Pudding: 7 choices of dessert at Greatford

Organisation of catering was delivered by Lois Webb at Langtoft along with Nigel Travis selling the tickets, Terry and Anne Maddison made the main course with Mandy Dawson and Chris van Geersdaele volunteering as waitresses. Thirdly, choices of 7 desserts on offer at Greatford were donated by ringers, included strawberry cheesecake, blackcurrant fool, raspberry Pavlova and apple pie and were served by Lois Webb and Joan Payne. Wine and bouquets of flowers were presented to Lois, Terry and Anne for all their efforts in making this event into a great success.

The turnout was as expected, with 39 Branch members, and two members from other branches. Ringing kept going strong, with ringers not being too distracted by the food tasting. Keen learners made an excellent job of ringing to the best of their ability, from rounds and called changes to Single Oxford with “Southern Branch rules” to Spliced Surprise Minor. Special mention must go to Maddy Bogosian (9 yrs) from Rippingale.  She has been learning for 6 months and can already ring plain hunt on six without fault and is keen to try anything – might we have a new ‘pro’ ringer for our branch? Thank you to Ian Dawson and Jim Benner for looking after the ringing. I also had the opportunity to act of ringing master at one tower, which was great.

The Hare and Hounds pub across the road at Greatford was then visited, where a discussion of what events could be planned for the branch next year took place. The most popular one was a 6-month trip to Australia by bus from Bourne. Needless to say at the end of discussing this trip, Nigel Travis had pointed out that we actually need another 6 months to get back home!

I would like to thank - on behalf of the Southern Branch - Terry and Anne Maddison, Lois Webb and Nigel Travis for all their hard work. At the end we raised approximately £120 which was donated to the Guild Bell Repair Fund. Maybe this is an event that can be repeated, or similar, next year!

Quarters were rung for this event and to thank the organisers for the event, and the links shown above are to the reports on Campanophile.

Ben Ricketts, West Deeping

 

Branch members ringing and then members eating their dessert

Joan Payne, Terry & Anne Maddison, Chris van Geersdaele, Lois Webb, Anne Maddison, Nigel Travis