Category: Guild News

Open Tower Day 3rd October 2026

Come and ring at 20 towers in beautiful Herefordshire to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Hereford Diocesan Guild.

Beginning at Whitbourne at 9.00, Bromyard at 9.25 and moving towards Hereford to take in the newly-restored William Huntbach five at Mordiford, the route then heads east to finish on the augmented ten at Ledbury. All towers open for one hour.

Tickets

        • Earlybird tickets £20
        • Tickets on the day £25
        • Or individual towers £2

You can book your Earlybird tickets by following this link https://buy.stripe.com/6oU00kbgY9ETdYA9dLawo02

For more information, a full list of towers and times and the QR code for booking tickets, download the Open Day 2026 poster.

This event is for those that can already ring. The suggested minimum level of experience is Rounds and Call Changes. Please be aware that bells will be unfamiliar and newer ringers may find this challenging. If in doubt, please bring along an experienced ringers to supervise you whilst you ring

If you have any questions about the day please contact us at peo@hdgb.org or send us a message.

BRF Sponsored Walk & Ringing Day – Thursday 24 September 2026

HDGB members are warmly encouraged to join our sister charity, the Bell Restoration Fund, for its Sponsored Walk & Ringing Day. This is a friendly, sociable event open to all — walkers, ringers, and supporters alike.

What’s happening

Participants will visit and ring at four Herefordshire towers in one day, walking a total of 12.67 miles. You can walk the full route, walk a single leg, ring at one or more towers, or simply come along to encourage the walkers. Sponsorship is optional.

Timetable

Practical notes

  • Bring lunch
  • Wear sensible footwear
  • Dogs on leads
  • If leaving a car at Bodenham, arrange a lift back (finish is at Marden)

Sponsorship

If you’d like to sponsor a walker, please contact sue@peasgreen.co.uk. Gift Aid available for UK taxpayers.

More details

Download the poster.

About the BRF

Since 1976, the Bell Restoration Fund has awarded over £218,000 in grants to bell projects across the diocese. Every mile walked helps support this work.

 

Those Rascally Ringers

You are warmly invited to an illustrated talk by renowned historian Chris Pickford on Saturday 5th September, celebrating 300 years since Cound bells were recast in 1726.

The talk has been organised in aid of Cound’s very rare 15th Century Doom Painting, which is in desperate need of renovation. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0m7b9wd

There is an opportunity to ring beforehand BUT booking is essential, so please contact coundguildlhall@gmail.com to book your place.  More at https://coundguildhall.weebly.com/

Guild Competition Day

The Guild Competition Day at Bromyard is coming up soon, on Saturday 18th July — and we very much hope you’ll come along and be part of it

This is a friendly, relaxed and sociable occasion — a great opportunity to catch up with friends , enjoy ringing on some excellent bells , and take part in a day celebrating everything we enjoy about ringing.

There will also be activities and food available throughout the day, so even if you prefer not to ring, it’s a lovely event to come along and support.

A quick guide to the competitions

Novice Rounds Challenge – A great starting point for newer ringers.

Bands should include at least two novice ringers(with less than 3 years’ experience)

      • Focus on rounds and good striking in a very supportive setting
      • You are not formally judged, but will receive a certificate of achievement
      • A perfect way to build confidence and take part for the first time

District Call Change Competition  –Ideal for developing bands and mixed-experience teams.

Open to Guild members

      • Bands should include at least two ringers with under 4 years’ experience
      • Test piece consists of call changes
      • A great way to gain experience ringing as a team in a relaxed setting

 Method Competition – Grandsire Triples – For those comfortable with method ringing.

Test piece: a short touch of Grandsire Triples

    • Open to Guild members
    • We’re looking for a mix of ringers, including:
      • Those happy ringing inside
      • Steady treble and tenor ringers
    • A great opportunity to contribute your skills as part of a district band

Guild Festival and AGM – Saturday 9th May

Everyone is welcome to join us at our Festival and AGM which will be based at Hereford St Peter from 10am. We are grateful to the Diocese who have granted us permission to ring at St Nicholas pending the sale of the church.

General ringing:

140th Anniversary Group Photo

Please assemble at Hereford St Peter by 1.30pm for the 140th Anniversary Group Photo.

2:00 pm Cafe style church service in St Peter’s

3:00pm AGM in St Peter’s Hall

Attractions at St Peter’s include:

      • the Peals on Wheels mobile belfry
      • history display
      • refreshments
      • Have a go on our hand bells
      • book stall
      • Guild merchandise, including 140th Anniversary badges, mugs, pens and 140th Anniversary Dinner Tickets
      • Craft stall
      • morning tower tours to view the unringable 5 in an oak frame c1500.

For more details (including parking info), email contact@hdgb.org

Springtime in Leintwardine

The district practice at Leintwardine on Saturday 21 March was a real treat.

Warm spring sunshine, daffodils in bloom, bellringing, and CAKE! What more could you want?

Ten of us attended the practice on the 8 bells of St. Mary’s, Leintwardine, led by Assistant Ringing Master, Jenny Ferguson.

We had a good mix of abilities and were able to practice a variety of methods that were requested.

We rang:

• Call changes on 8
• Plain Bob Doubles (both plain course and touch)
• Grandsire Triples (both plain course and touch)
• Plain Bob Minor
• Reverse Canterbury Pleasure Bob Doubles
• Stedman Doubles (both plain course and touch)

It’s worth remembering that district practices can provide you with the opportunity to ring methods that you may not be able to ring in your own tower. Indeed, one ringer commented “I don’t get to ring Grandsire Triples very often. We just don’t have enough ringers“.

A new feature we are introducing into district practices is tea and cake afterwards. OK, there was no tea on this occasion, but there was plenty of delicious CAKE kindly provided by Jenny Ferguson, and Mark and Nessa Gilham.

This photo does not do justice to the size of those strawberries! Even the Priest-in-Charge of St Mary’s called by and was provided with strawberry cake for later.

We do hope you’ll join us for the next district practice which will be at St. George’s, Pontesbury on Saturday 18 April, 10am ’til noon … followed by tea and cake.

Neil Pirie
Church Stretton District Secretary

140th Anniversary

Dear all,

With our actual anniversary date fast approaching – Monday 2nd March, please see our 140th Anniversary Pamphlet outlining our plans for this celebratory year.

Some of you have already embraced the opportunity – thank you to all who have contributed to the ‘140 firsts’ celebrations so far, you can see the range of firsts at https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/event.php?id=22372.

Tickets for the dinner are selling well, why not get a group together from your tower or district?<

As always, if you have any questions or comments please do get in touch,
Kind regards

Fran Watkins

Secretary, Hereford Diocesan Guild of Bellringers

140th Anniversary Celebration Dinner

We’re very excited to announce that tickets are now available for the 140th Anniversary Celebration Dinner which will be held on Friday 12th June 2026 in The Ballroom, The Green Dragon Hotel, Hereford, from 7:00pm

The event will start at 7:00pm, but the Orange Bar and Cocktail Lounge will be open for those who wish to arrive early to mingle, relax, and soak up the atmosphere.

We are delighted that we will be joined by our President, Bishop Richard, Vice-President, Mrs Valerie Roberts, and the Editor of the Ringing World, Mr Will Bosworth.

Tickets cost £50.00 per person and can be purchased by visiting our Membermojo store.

Or you can enquire by  email contact@hdgb.org or phone 07702 799082

Limited Availability of Tickets – strictly first come, first served.  

Tickets must be purchased before 31st May 2026

      • Three courses
      • Dress code: Smart Casual
      • Cocktail Bar, Real Ales

The menu for the evening is here. Menu choices must be confirmed by 30th May 2026.

The Hotel is kindly offering discounted room rates for those who would prefer to stay overnight, please enquire for details.

We do hope as many of you as possible will join together with us in fellowship and celebration.