Fancy a month of Bell Ringing?

The Community of the King of Love in Whaley Bridge are having a month of bell ringing! I think they are putting The Willoughby Campanile into the conference room. They plan to build a tower in the next 18 months to have a real ring of bells, with a tenor about 20cwt. At the moment their largest bell weighs around 10 hundred weight in B Flat and last April it was rehung in new fittings, it will soon have a new clapper with a wooden flight. They also have 12 bells hung dead; the oldest of these was cast in 1400 and are looking at having these retuned. "Why not come and bring your friends, and ring on the bells, or use the hall for a base to go and ring at other towers. Stay as long as you like, either in the Week or Weekends." More details here.

Wedding Ringing

It was suggested that the web site should include information for couples celebrating their happy day and wanted the bells ringing, but didn't know how to arrange them. Now people can read about what happens and contact someone if they are having trouble. I'm glad that Ian Sterritt will provide this service for Derbyshire.

2008 Events

This years Association events are now posted on the web site. Using a Google calendar, it puts the next event at the top. If you use Google calendars, then you can import the events into your calendar. Also, using the little arrow on the top right, you can select the districts you're interested in. Let me know if you love or hate it? If there are events you are hosting in the area, please let me know so I can add them too.

AGM Saturday 12th April

DDA AGM - Saturday 12th April 2008 Afternoon ringing:

	1pm - 1.45pm	2pm - 2.45pm	3pm - 3.50pm	4pm - 5.10pm
Route 1	West Hallam	Ockbrook	St Peters, Derby / St Lukes, Derby	Derby Cathedral
Route 2	Breaston
Route 3		Ticknall

Followed by Service, Tea and Meeting in the Cathedral. Evening ringing continues at the Cathedral. Numbers for tea to the General Secretary by Wednesday 9th April. All Welcome

The ringers of Darley Dale...

Last December, the magazine country living produced an article about Darley Dale. With the consent of the magazine, I have now put a copy on the web site. At the time Pat Halls said "In the January 2008 edition of the magazine Country Living, there is a feature on the ringers and bells of Darley Dale. It shows ringing in a very positive light and makes interesting reading. I am very grateful to Richard Taylor and to all the Darley Dale ringers for their co-operation in helping to produce this article."

New bell consultant reports

Over the last year, the bell consultants have completed many visits to towers. Six reports are now listed on the web site. Breadsall - General inspection Riddings - advice about these tubular bells Sandiacre - advice on remodelling the currently unringable bells Shirland - currently unringable with a fractured frame Whaley Bridge - advice for a proposed new ring of bells Youlgreave - new sound control

Photos

You may have noticed on the home page that there is a slide show of Assoication towers instead of the picture of Derby Cathedral that has been there since year dot. If you click on this photo, you will be taken to the album where you can see higher resolution photos, do exciting things with maps, comment on the photo, etc. Do I have a photo of your tower? No, well take one & email me it!