It has unfortunately been decided to stop ringing, both for the Sunday service and Wednesday Evening practice, as part of precautions considered under the present worldwide Corona Virus outbreak.
Arrangements are in hand to extend the tenor bell to allow tolling from the ground floor. Normal ringing will be resumed as soon as it is thought sensible to do so.
The UK government has advised against all unnecessary social contact with immediate effect. The Prime Minister advised in a press conference of 16th March that now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel.
The Central Council has released a statement in response to the UK government. They advise that If you haven’t already decided to cancel ringing activities, it seems that now is the time to do so.
 The Ringing World agrees with this statement. It is hard to interpret the government’s guidance in any way other than that all planned ringing activities in the UK should now cease.
I have been made aware that ringing has been suspended at the following towers due to COVID-19 concerns:
Alton, St. Laurence, All Saints and Holybourne – all ringing suspended.
Alverstoke – all ringing cancelled until further notice.
Basingstoke, St. Michael’s – all ringing cancelled until further notice.
Blackmoor – all ringing suspended.
Bournemouth, St. John’s, St. Peters and Scared Heart – all ringing suspended.
Bramshott – all service and practice ringing until at least the end of March where the situation will be reviewed.
Brockenhurst – no ringing until further notice.
Buriton – all ringing suspended.
Catherington – ringing cancelled, but may be some limited Sunday ringing if services continue.
Christchurch Priory – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Eling – all ringing suspended.
Froxfield – all ringing suspended.
Havant – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Hawkley – all ringing suspended and the tied practices on 6-8-10th April postponed.
Hursley – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Newport – all ringing cancelled until further notice.
Portsmouth Cathedral – all ringing suspended.
Purbrook – all ringing cancelled until further notice.
Romsey – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Selborne – all ringing cancelled until further notice.
Shanklin – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Shedfield – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Southampton (St. Mary’s, St. Michael’s and Bitterne Park) – all ringing suspended.
Steep – all ringing suspended.
Titchfield – all ringing suspended.
Upham – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Upton Grey – all ringing cancelled until further notice.
Warnford – all ringing suspended.
West Meon – all ringing suspended.
Wickham – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Winchester Cathedral – all ringing suspended until further notice.
Wonston – no practices until further notice.
Portsmouth District – all District events are cancelled including the April QDM.
Winchester District – all District events and the striking competition in May are cancelled until further notice.
Please let me know via wpbells@gmail.com of any other cancellations and I will add them to this list.
Thanks
Andrew Glover
W&P Guild Webmaster
Telephone: 07503 152223
Address: 85 Old Rectory Road, Farlington, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 1AT
Telephone: 07730 300765
Email: Use form
Email: Use Form
The Portsmouth ADM will be held at Curdridge on Saturday 1st February
CHURCH LANE Curdridge, Southampton
Please email Robin Milford with names of who would like tea.
The Tower Posters have been published with the menu choices below. Menu choices required ASAP please.
With regret we have to inform of the passing of Alan Sturgess long time ringer and previously Captain of SS Peter & Paul Fareham who will be sadly missed.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday 27th February, 1.45pm at St Peter and Paul, Fareham. There will be general ringing from approx. 1pm.
For those wishing to make a contribution, please donate to “Fareham Bell Ringers” for the upkeep of the bells that Alan had rung for many years.
Â
Â
There will be no ringing at Catherington on Bank Holiday Monday – 27th August as many of us will be away.
Marie Boniface
No Sunday service ringing at either Botley or Curdridge this coming Sunday, 19th August, as too many people are away. Similarly no practice at Curdridge on Monday 20th; no practice on Monday 27th either as that is a Bank Holiday.
Robin Milford
There will be no Thursday practices in August at Botley. Sunday ringing continues as normal.
Portsmouth District members Lizzie Hough and Edd Colliss were married on Saturday 14th July at Swanmore.
Congratulations to you both!!
Photos courtesy of Roy LeMarechal, Bev Emm and Steph Bracher
Just a reminder that there is a Portsmouth District Practice at Havant on Tuesday 17th July from 7.30-9.00pm.
Portsmouth District holds a District Practice at St. Mary Portsea on the 2nd Tuesday of every month.
Here is a poster to display in your tower to remind everyone.
Please do support this if you can.
Â
The next Portsmouth District QDM is on Saturday 28th July at Netley from 3.00 – 7.30pm.
It includes a barbeque and informal striking competition.
Programme
3:00 – 4:00 General Ringing
4:00 – 4:30 Service
4:30 – 5:30 Quarterly Meeting
5:30 – 7:30 BBQ and Informal Striking competition followed by general ringing
Poster attached here to display in your tower.
Names for tea to Francis please.
As part of a fund-raising event for the Guild’s WW1 Centenary Commemoration project you’re invited to join us on The Isle of Wight to ring at a few towers on Saturday
5th May.
Some of us will be in cars, others on push bikes and maybe a few doing a bit of Shanks’s pony… all good!
https://wpbells.org/ww1
A £10 donation to join the fun, please, to cover tower fees and the balance to WW1 Project – kids go free. All kids to be appropriately supervised, please.
We’ll be starting out at the 12 in Newport at 10 a.m.
We’re aiming at two routes – watch out for more details in due course.
On one, we’re aiming to ring at the three churches where the 5 Island ringers, who perished in WW1, used to ring….Newport, Godshill and Whitwell.
On the other, there might well be a Teddy Bears Picnic!
Transport and main refreshments are ” Own arrangements” please. We hope to have some cakes!
We would love to hear from you and hope to see you on the day!
Event being sponsored by our local Toymaster stores at Ryde and Shanklin Sports Shop.
Viv Nobbs and John Stock
Last Saturday 21st April at St John the Baptist Shedfield 30+ Ringers from the district gathered to ring the 8 bells (12cwt).
This was followed by an Evensong Service with suitable ringer’s hymns, prayers and readings while sat in the choir stalls.
Betty Daish and her team then provided a superb tea, set up in the well furnished study centre which was very popular with all.
Finally the QDM meeting, chair by Brian Baverstock which he progressed speedily through the standard agenda. One item that was proposed and accepted, was that for this and all future district meetings the service collection would be passed to a charity of the host tower’s choice. In this instance the £55.10 raised was delivered to the Rowan’s Hospice.
Further Ringing followed to end an excellent Saturday afternoon’s entertainment.
District Training Day
Raising and Lowering
Saturday 3rd March 9:30am to 12:30pm
Portsmouth Cathedral HighStreet, OldPortsmouth, PO12HH
All welcome!
If you are learning to raise or lower come and have a go
Please let your tower captain know to book you a place .
Click for pdf poster
St Johns the Baptist,
Purbrook, PO7 5LQ
Wednesday 21st March
7:30pm to 9:00pm
Click here for pdf poster
District Practice
All Saints Church
330 Catherington Lane,
Waterlooville, PO80TD
Monday 26th February 19:30–21:00
Annual District Meeting 3rd February
16:00 – 17:00 General Ringing
17:00 – 17:45 Service
17:45 – 22:00 Annual District Meeting
followed by Chilli con carne / vegetarian
option and a quiz.
Portsmouth Cathedral,
High Street, Old Portsmouth,
PO1 2H
Please click to email Sarah to book your Meal
The second Portsmouth District 6-bell practice was a success with sixteen ringers turning up. Methods rung included Cambridge, Ipswich, Norwich and London Surprise as well as St Clements and its close relative Buxton Bob.
The practice was followed by an enjoyable curry at Kuti’s restaurant in Wickham.
The next practice has been arranged for Saturday 10th February, start time 6PM and will again be followed by a curry.
Methods for February are as follows:-
Surprise – Cambridge, Norwich, London and Sandiacre
Plain – St Clements, Double Oxford, Childwall and Thelwall
If you are interested in coming along either as a learner or an experienced ringer willing to help, please contact Lisa Ashforth
Barbara Salmons died this morning. She was previously a ringer at Portsmouth, and latterly Westbourne.
If anyone would like to be informed of funeral arrangements, please let me know.
Regards
David Mattingley
WPBELLS 