Broxbourne Rally - 7th Nov

Were they all Scouts or Guides at one time, I wonder, or have Broxbourne acquired a team motto - 'Be Prepared'? Prepared they certainly were - on arrival the 'Welcome' sheet told us all we needed to know and soon the room was a hive of activity.
Music and Wyboston photos enticed us back to reception where we could spend our refund on the raffle or E.A.R. sales and meet new arrivals.

Baked potatoes were provided for lunch and later a selection of sandwiches and cakes were laid out for tea. Ninety-one people filled the hall with eleven sets of bells and the rally started promptly with a welcome from Steve Winter.
Massed ringing of the 'Fantasy on Hyfrydol' arranged by Sandra Winter for bells and optional chimes was ably conducted by John Thompson, spare ringers were pleased to use the extra set of bells provided.

BELLFOLK started with 'Blessed Assurance' interwoven with 'Jesu, Joy', they played with admirably even runs and good dynamics. Then came Nocturne in C minor by Michael Helman - a slower piece that included chimes.
WARE then rang 'La Mourisque' by Tylman Susato adding a tambour for a 16th Century mood. Plaisir d’amour was followed by 'Where Did You Get That Hat?' provoking amusement by passing a bowler hat down the team without missing a note.
CEILIDH, played Chapentier's 'Prelude To a Te Deum' with crisp timing, then 'Sheep May Safely Graze' with careful attention to the dynamics. They finished with a rousing version of 'Men of Harlech'.
BRITANNIA commenced with Mozart's 'Ave Verum', an evocative piece followed by the 'Air From Rosarmund' with pleasant resonance.
STOUR VALLEY gave their first airing of the 'Grand March From Aida', a stirring place followed by a controlled presentation of Handel's 'Silent worship' and the 'Song o' the Volga, Boatmen!'
EPPING UPLAND completed the first half with the English Folksong 'Green Bushes' then 'Blow Away the Morning Dew' and 'O No John' - a well chosen programme for a small team.
John Bailey was a very relaxed compere throughout who could always fill a pause in the action with advice or an anecdote. Apparently compere means godfather but he must be the Baptismal type rather than anything involving violin cases.
After tea, Linda McCord, our Chairman, conducted the Massed ringing of Leontovich's 'Carol of the Bells' - a resounding piece with an atmospheric ending, another Aardvark arrangement.
ALL SAINTS MALDON gave us an early taste of Christmas with a well paced selection of carols.
NORTH OCKENDEN chose the frisky 'Handbell Dance' with plenty of hops and runs, then the well timed 'Ash Grove' and ‘Puff the magic dragon’.
SOUND APPEAL played 'A Time For Us' sensitively in 'off the table' style followed by the delightful 'Glow-worm’. They also tackled the 'Dick Barton' tune at a canter with a malleted bass that knocked up a few divots along the way causing great hilarity in the audience.
STOUR VALLEY morphed into ST. MARY'S LAWFORD adding a flute in a theme from Dvorakis 'New World Symphony' - an effective change.
IVEL produced good timing and balance in Michael Helman's 'Soliloquy' off the table.
BROXBOURNE followed using 5 octaves for the 'Ashokan Farewell' then 11 ringers using only mallets played Kevin McChesney's 'Percussive Praise' - a fast, tuneful contrast. They finished with 'O Perfect Love', a gentle piece with chimes and bells to vary the effects.

Chimes were once considered a cheap substitute for bells but are now increasingly used to give contrasting tones in arrangements. They are also invaluable for disabled audience participation.
Linda encouraged teams to run a rally themselves and assured them of guidance and support. A performance of the massed ringing pieces brought the rally to a close after an enjoyable afternoon. The raffle raised £85 for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People in memory of Jose Mitchell, and there was a substantial profit for the Region.

A jolly good rally - when is the next one?

Ring in Christmas Praise - 4th Dec - Christ the Cornerstone Chrurch - Milton Keynes

Bellworthy

Broxbourne

Ivel Ringers

Pictures taken by John Fogg

Rally at Horringer - 12th March

This was a highly successful rally with a shoe horn needed to fit all the teams in including six on the stage. Teams travelled from all areas of East Anglia to attend. The largest ones being Sound in Brass from Chelmsford, Broxbourne from Hertfordshire, and the smallest a team of two from Bedfordshire. We also had a team for whom it was their first rally and for some their first public performance.
Teams had the opportunity to ring chosen solo items for ten minutes and also join in with some massed ringing. This proved to be very popular with a good choice of pieces. The final chord was rather special and it lasted a considerable time before fading away and voices breaking the magic spell our chairman Linda McChord was the compere for the day, and Michael Goodman and John Thompson were the conductors for massed ringing.
The tea was special as usual. It was delicious! Thanks to all those who helped.

EAR Goes Afloat Again - 2nd July

Pictures taken by John Fogg

Leighton’s Bell Worthy Ringers joined the national T@3 Campaign to raise money for the hospice movement by holding a cream tea event in aid of Willen Hospice. Held in the Eggington garden of one of the Bell Worthy ringers, Mrs Gillian Nash, guests who came from all round the Leighton Buzzard area were entertained by musical items from the team and for the children there was the special appearance of a clown. Nearly £200 was raised to support the work of the Hospice.
Further Information
Erica Fogg, 16 Cotefield Drive, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 3DS Tel: 01525 375787

Members of the handbell ringers playing for Willen Hospice

Picture taken by John Fogg

Bell Worthy Ringers played in the Milton Keynes Shopping Centre and raised £100 for Children in Need.

Pictures taken by John Fogg

Valentine