The Guild 6 Bell Striking Competition 2025

This year the Guild - tower/cluster based striking competition was hosted by West Lindsey Branch - with the Method section - for the John Freeman Cup held at Scotter a pleasant 1984 Taylor's ring of 6.


St Peter's SCOTTER
6 - (9-2-15)cwt

The call change section was held close by at Messingham - again a complete Taylor's ring of 6 with three bells cast in 1984 - for The Ted Colley Plate


Holy Trinity MESSINGHAM
6 - (9-1-26)cwt

In contrast to the previous two striking competitions - the weather was far from pleasant - with heavy rain throughout the afternoon making driving conditions hazardous on the way home.

Come the closing date for booking tea - Debbie was panicking having only 5 bookings - 24hrs later she had 82!! - itself bringing more concerns as to whether the hall would be big enough? - it was - yet quite cosy in there!! And on the day will we have enough food - we did with plenty to spare!!

The Competition

13 bands entered - 6 in the Method section and 7 in the Call Change section. The Rule change two years ago saw 2 Young Ringers bands compete in the Call Change section.

Method Section For The John Freeman Cup
Judges
Les Townsend
Sue Buckingham
Test Piece 240 Changes

Result

  1. Bourne (S)
  2. Messingham/Scotter (WL)
  3. Axholme (WL)
  4. Alford (E)
  5. Sleaford (C)
  6. Boston (E)
These Southern bands travel well! Yet again BOURNE come to the top of the pile - and again closely pursued by the local band.


The Victorious BOURNE band



Scotter/Messingham - 2nd

At least Messingham got a trophy - the one they won last year! Bourne - not for the first time !!- were trophyless - Market Deeping the winners at the 125th Festival Day- neither entered a band OR returned the trophy!!

Call Change Section For The Ted Colley Plate
Judges
Sandra Underwood
Alison Elwess
Test piece 240 Changes

7 bands including two Young Ringers Bands entered this section. Many of you will decry peal ringing BUT the advantage is that with your phone switched off things get sorted by the time you switch it on again. Indeed this was the case with Phil Mason being ill - Alison Elwess was saved from the rigours of cold water - sailing with her children - and agreed to come as a replacement judge - a role she fulfilled with aplomb!!
Result

  1. Messingham/Scotter (WL)
  2. Stow (WL)
  3. Market Rasen (N)
  4. Young Ringers
  5. Barrowby (S)
  6. Young Ringers
  7. Nettleham (C) - Not Placed
Sadly the developing Nettleham band failed to ring the required number of changes BUT when apportioned to 240 changes would have been placed in the top THREE


Messingham/Scotter receive Ted Colley Plate



Stow receive their 2nd place trophy

Same placings as last year - with Stow the eternal bridesmaids!

Next year takes us to CENTRAL BRANCH for the 6 Bell competition and ELLOE for the 8 bell competition.

Thanks are many and I am sure I will miss some

Keith Butter
(Master and Acting Secretary)

There is a limited amount of time that I can continue in both roles unless something changes before the AGM in April 2026 there will be TWO vacancies.