Category: Guild News

On Monday 22 February, the UK Government published a roadmap for exiting lockdown over the coming months, detailing how and when restrictions will be eased if everything goes to plan. It is a welcome and cautious framework for a return to normality. The roadmap provides us with an opportunity for ringing to return over the coming months.

While there is still detail to be studied, and every chance of change, all indications are that ringing in England at least will come out of lockdown as follows:

Stage 1 – 29 March
Rule of six outdoors will benefit handbell ringing (up to 15 for young people)

Stage 2 – no earlier than 12 April
Young ringers groups possible following the ‘out of school settings’ guidance (expect social distancing restrictions)

Stage 3 – no earlier than 17 May
Rule of six indoors enables ringing subject to social distancing rules to be confirmed (could still be 2m)

Stage 4 – no earlier than 21 June
All legal restrictions removed
(it remains to be seen whether facemasks will still be suggested or mandated – that is not absolutely clear yet)

During any of these stages, ringers may still be cautious as not all ringers will be vaccinated, particularly young people. There is still risk of transmission and infection for us to be aware of; vaccination is not a passport. An article will be published in next week’s Ringing World with updated analysis of transmission in ringing chambers and the benefits of ventilation. This will just be for guidance though to be interpreted in accordance with local circumstances – the law will be the primary driver for what ringing is possible.

This week’s announcement applies to England only, and so we continue to keep in touch with our contacts in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales to stay abreast of the situation there over the coming weeks. Scotland for instance has rule of six outdoors from 5 April and churches reopening for limited numbers from that date also. Then from 26 April at the earliest Scotland intends to go back to a “tiers” system of local restrictions.

This is the clearest we can be at the moment based on the information available, and after discussion with the Church of England Recovery Group this afternoon. It is a roadmap, with more detail to be considered as we move forward. We appreciate ringers are all now starting to plan ringing events from late June onwards, and being asked whether bells will be available for weddings, etc. The main word of caution is that the Government is at pains to stress that these dates are the earliest possible, so commitments made for shortly after those deadlines should be made with that in mind.

It does now feel like the end of an incredibly difficult year for ringing is in sight. Thank you for your ongoing trust and support.

Simon Linford
President, CCCBR

I hope you find all the information on this website useful.

If you find anything that needs updating or is just plain wrong, don’t shoot me – an email to me is all it takes and I’ll update it!

If you have any ideas for something new you’d like to see, again email me and I’ll see what I can do. This is very much version 1.0!

Enjoy!

Nick Chapman, April 2021.
webmaster@hdgb.org

Dear All,

First I must apologise for not being in touch before.

I hope districts and towers have all been keeping in touch with everyone.

What a different year this has been, lock down, Churches closed, limits on where and how many can meet!

Hereford Ringing course was cancelled and will not take place in its usual format in 2021 either. We as a Management committee took the decision to cancel our AGM in 2020 also the Tom Cooper striking competition. Hopefully we can go ahead for 2021.

At a recent committee meeting, held on ZOOM, we decided to not collect subs this year and membership will carry over. Also we will not be publishing a 2020 report but will combine 2020 with 2021.

We welcome Nick Chapman from Allensmore to the committee as webmaster. Watch this space!!

Having gone from some form of ringing 6 days of the week to none at all has not been easy and takes some adjusting too, not just myself but my family as well having me home in the evening!! As I again take control of the T.V. Remote my wife was heard to mutter “I wish you would go ringing.”

Ringing room and Zoom have been life savers for some of us. However my internet is not good enough. (My 8 yr old granddaughter says its my lack of tech knowledge).

Some of us have had the opportunity to ring for service recently, even if not on the full compliment of bells, at least we get to try some new things and carry on letting people know the church is there. Many people have commented how they have missed the sound of our bells in villages and
towns throughout the guild, but we must be mindful when bells have been silent for a period, that people may have moved into the area and haven’t heard the local bells before. A little bit of public relations may be required!
Some good news!!

Stoke St Milburgh have had their new bells installed by Matthew Higby & Co, I’ve only heard a recording but they do sound good. Ledbury’s project to augment to 10 is well advanced and hopefully work will be completed in
time for some Christmas ringing.

Stay safe and Healthy if you need any advice or help with ringing matters we are at the end of the phone or e mail.

Nick