PR Success!

What a week it has been for ringing in Derbyshire. With the National 12 bell striking competition at Melbourne on Saturday and the Olympic torch on Friday, there has been plenty of coverage in the newspaper and on the radio and TV. Around 800 ringers came to the 12 bell, how many people will come to see the torch?

Check out the 12bell website if you want to listen to the ringing, organ recital, service or results.
Oh yes, and the home team came second - our best ever result. Pipped to the post by Birmingham - judged to be 7% better.

Here is a round up of the coverage:
Friday 22nd June:
Radio Derby (1h22m into the program) interview Bob Smith and Christian Peckham on the eve of the competition.

Saturday
The Independant cover the Hawkear angle, which is a computer aid to help the judges - Nail-biting countdown to Sunday's big contest...for UK's bell-ringers
Andy Potter from Radio Derby interviews Tim Peverett (2h12m into the program).
Central TV coverage of the day, recorded before noon, including the article.
BBC TV cover the competition as well in their evening news (can anyone find this).

Sunday
Central TV article covering the winners of the contest.

Monday
Derby Evening Telegraph covers the story on page 3... The paper copy includes a team photo..

Wednesday
Recorded news item on Peak FM about the torch coming to Derbyshire, which was on the 2pm, 3pm and 4pm news.

Thursday
Live interview in Derby Cathedral belfry with Radio Derby (1h46 into the program). Really great that Vicky the interviewer was a lapsed ringing and had a go live on air.

Friday
Hopfully some coverage as Bolsover, Chesterfield, Bakewell, Derby Cathedral and Derby St Peters will be ringing during the day. With BBC East Midlands broadcasting directly under the tower, we're going to ring as the torch passes the tower. This will be followed by a peal of Olympic Delight Royal starting at 7pm. St Peters will be ringing a quarter peal at 7.30pm.

Anything I've missed?

2012 6 bell striking competition results

Here are the results of the Arthur Ashby Cup and Horsley Cup. This year, both competitions were judged by Graham Hayward. Congratulations to Stanton in Peak on winning their first Arthur Ashby competition and Darley Dale on winning the Horsley Cup for the 9th time.

Jo Walker receiving the Arthur Ashby Cup from Graham Hayward

Arthur Ashby results:

Rang 4th: Stanton in Peak 8m3s 225 points
Rang 1st: Old Brampton 7m54s 224 points
Rang 3rd: Belper 8m30s 221 points
Rang 2nd: Bakewell 8m6s 201 points
Rang 5th: Sawley ? time 200 points

Richard Taylor and Graham Hayward

Horsley Cup results:

Rang 3rd: Darley Dale 9m15s (3h14 peal speed) ringing Oxford TB Minor 242 points
Rang 4th: Derby Cathedral 8m20s (2h55 peal speed) ringing Cambridge S Minor 240 points
Rang 1st: Old Whittington 9m5s (3h10 peal speed) ringing Oxford TB Minor 233 points
Rang 4th: Belper 9m6s (3h11 peal speed) ringing Plain B Doubles 222.5 points

Annual website update - complete!

Phew - the major update to the website, after the AGM, is complete!

• Annual report on website
• Tower Map up to date - including details on parking, pubs and toilets...
• Updated Objectives and Rules & Honorary Life Members list following the changes at the AGM
• Section for corrections added

Just need to check the events guide and we are good to go!

Did you know...?

93% of Association officers have a DerbyDA email account.

52% of Association towers have a DerbyDA email account. If you can fill in any of the gaps, please let me know...

Also, I've added a new section - Archives. This will (one day) have copies of all Annual Reports from 1946 to the current day. Hopefully these will be of historical use to future generations.

I have reports for most years and I am missing some of the early years (1946 - 1953, 1957 and 1961). If you do have a spare copy, please may I have it? Unfortunately, the scanning process requires me to guillotine the reports in half, so they can't be returned in one piece.

2012 AGM round-up...

A quick round-up of events at the AGM for those who were not able to attend...

Ringing took place at Ockbrook, Breaston and Derby St Luke before the service at Allestree. Unfortunately ringing at Allestree was not possible due to a 'temporary' walkway over the bells becoming permanent the week before!

After a fine tea of jacket potatoes and 'naughty but nice' puddings, around 70 people sat down for the meeting. Well done to all the new members who were elected at the meeting - certificates were handed out for a first pealer, four first quarters and just under 30 new members certificates presented. It was good to see a high proportion of these were juniors. Mike Willis, a member since 1960, was recommended to be elected a Honorary Life Member for all his hard work at both District and Association level.

The longest agenda item consisted of changes to the Association Objectives and Rules to transfer the control of the Bell Repair Fund to a new, smaller, dedicated committee. John Thorpe clearly outlined this rule change and it was agreed by all. See the website soon for the updated Objectives and Rules.

The officers were all re-elected, however the current Membership Secretary and Annual Report Secretary (respectively Don and Hazel Jones) announced their decision not to stand next year. Anyone interested in either role is free to contact Don and Hazel, who will explain the ins and outs of the role.

The list of upcoming events includes 2 special events this year. Everyone is encouraged to participate in ringing over the Diamond Jubilee weekend. The Lord Lieutenant (the Queens representative in Derbyshire) had written to the Association to encourage the bells are rung. Please email us details of any special ringing, which we will forward onto the Queen in due course.

The other unusual event this year is the Olympics. Ringing is planned to coincide with the flame on it's journey through Derbyshire on 29th June. The Derbyshire locations near churches are: Bolsover, Chesterfield, Matlock, Darley Dale, Bakewell, Ashbourne, and Derby. A peal starting at 6.45pm is planned at Derby Cathedral, alongside a party in the Market Place until midnight. Ringers at Derby Cathedral are also planning to ring every day Team GB win a gold medal - how many days will we ring?

After the meeting concluded, the ringing continued at Duffield.

Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire requests that bells are rung!

The Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, who is the Queen's personal representative in Derbyshire, has sent a personal message to all the ringers in the county. Please encourage you tower to ring throughout the year, especially during the weekend of 1st - 5th June 2012. The Association will be collating details of all ringing to be set to the Queen as a record of Derbyshire events.

HM Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mr William Tucker, says;

"I am delighted that the Derbyshire Association of Church Bell Ringers have agreed to ring church bells throughout the County in unison in celebration of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. I know that people all over Derbyshire love to hear Church Bells ringing in their villages and towns---especially if it is recognition of a special event. Nothing can be more special than celebrating 60 years of The Queen's wonderful reign and this combined "act of jubilation" will be well received by all. It will send out a very clear message to all that Derbyshire is celebrating this great occasion in style!"

Well done to everyone who took part in the Chesterfield District 6 bell contest heats on Saturday.

Results for the Horsley Cup heats (method ringing)
1 - Old Whittington
2 - Old Brampton
3 - Staveley
Old Whittington will represent the Chesterfield District in the final at Horsley in May.

Results for the Arthur Ashby Cup heats (call changes)
1- Old Brampton
2- Staveley
3- Eckington
Old Brampton will represent the Chesterfield District in the final at Denby in May.

Results for the Newman Cup
1- Old Brampton (call change band)
2- Old Whittington
3- Old Brampton (method band)
4- Staveley (call change band)
5- Staveley (method band)
6- Strike Out (Young Ringers)
7- Eckington

Anne Westman
Chesterfield District Secretary.

New Strike Notes

Cathy Potter has taken up the Strike Notes reigns and has just published Strike Notes number 86. Check it out for all the latest news in the Central and Southern Districts...