Western
Secretary: Jan Wyatt email janwyatt_at_live.co.uk
Western District report for 2021
Very little to report. We held our ADM in 2021 on Zoom but had no in person meetings. In 2022 we had an ADM Meeting which was not well attended. We hope to get back to normal soon. Very sadly we have lost two Ladies in recent months, Pam Bellamy who you may remember from Ladies Guild Holidays and our Vice President Margaret Chapman.
Jan Wyatt
Western District report for 2019
22 members attended our first meeting of 2019. In January we had a day out in the north of Wiltshire visiting Great Somerford, Grittleton and Kington St Michael. We enjoyed the day so much that we decided to stay in Wiltshire for our ADM in March but this time in the south of the county visiting Boynton, Great Wishford and Stapleford, we had lunch in the wonderfully named Ginger Piggery Farm Shop which we all recommend.
October was our day at the seaside starting at Wick St Lawrence then having lunch at The Commodore at Sand Bay. We walked lunch off with a steep climb up to Uphill - a ruined church which can only be reached on foot. Difficult bells but we managed very well before sliding back down the hill and finding our way to Weston Super Mare.
We elected 2 new members during the year, Victoria Sutton Thompson and Julie Preece; it has been good to see them both at our meetings.
Lots of us supported ringing for The Lord Mayors Show at St Clement Danes in November, then to get the most of our day out in London we set of to Wembley to watch The Lionesses play football, a very good girls day out.
Sadly Jane Cooke from Cossington passed away on June 2nd 2019. She will be greatly missed by her many friends.
Jan Wyatt
Western District report for 2018
22 members attended our first meeting of 2018. We rang at Clevedon St Andrew, a beautiful 8 where recent work has made them a delight to ring, then took a footpath with the lovely name of Poet's Walk along the cliff to The Salthouse pub where we had lunch. Clevedon had suffered a water shortage in the previous week due to a contamination scare so salad was off the menu, we all had to make do with chips instead, what a shame. Then off to Portishead to ring on the 15cwt 8 followed by the light 6 at Clapton in Gordano. We finished with a rare treat, a grab for everyone present on the brand new garage ring at Wyatt's Yard.
"The Beast from The East" scuppered our ADM which was planned for the end of March, the West Country like most of the UK ground to a halt and snow covered everything.
We were back at Clapton in Gordano in September for the Presentation of The Dorothy L Sayers Award to Alex Durrant. Alex spent her bursary attending The Hereford Course,
I will leave Alex to tell you more about this.(here).
In November, 17 of us met to ring at Chew Stoke, Winford and Barrow Gurney stopping for lunch at a Fish n Chip restaurant on the banks of Chew Valley Lake. New Members elected in 2018 were Jane Cooke, Debbie Parfrey, Helena Parfrey, Philippa Parfrey.
Jan Wyatt, Secretary
Western District report for 2017
We started 2017 with a visit to Wiltshire on 7th January. We rang at Christchurch, Bradford on Avon, then The Wilderness ring which is a mini ring in a garage, this enchanted us all. We had lunch at The Lock Inn where some of the tables were on a narrow boat, and later rang at Westwood.
On March the 25th we had a day in Gloucestershire, ringing at Churchdown, Barnwood, and Hempsted. We got hopelessly lost in Gloucester Docks due to slavishly following the satnav, luckily came to our senses just before driving into the water!
In September we enjoyed a day of ringing in and near Taunton, visiting Norton Fitzwarren, Staplegrove and the lovely new 12 at St Mary's Taunton. The grant from The Ladies Guild towards the work here was one of, if not the first, and got the fund going, the money was well spent, they are beautiful.
During the year we elected 4 new members. We are particularly pleased to have some young ringers attending our meetings.
Jan Wyatt, Secretary
Western District report for 2016
We started 2016 with a visit to Dorset on 9th January, ringing at Yetminster, Thornford and Bradford Abbas. On 12th March we had a day in The Cotswolds, ringing at Bourton on the Water, Broadwell, and Longborough. As you can imagine most of the talk at our meetings was around the planning for The Guild AGM which took place in our area in June, all based around Timsbury. We were delighted to welcome The Guild and hope you had a good day in Somerset.
In September we enjoyed a day of ringing near Bristol, visiting Frenchay, Mangotsfield and Syston. In the evening The Bristol Rural Branch invited us to join them to ring at Winterbourne and on The Lichfield Mobile Belfry which had been set up in the Tythe Barn. Several of us stayed to enjoy a fish and chip supper, a lovely end to a lovely day.
During the year we elected 10 new members and are particularly pleased to have some young ringers attending our meetings.
The project to rehang the bells at Taunton St Mary is complete, The Ladies Guild got a special thank you for the grant we promised in the booklet produced for the dedication. The bells are wonderful, easy to ring and sounding good. The Western District hope to ring there during 2017, keep an eye on our notices on the website and come and join us.
Jan Wyatt,Secretary
Western District report for 2015
We started 2015 with a couple of Quarter Peal attempts scoring mixed doubles at Bradford on Tone although unsuccessful at Hillfarance.
Our first District Meeting of the year was in Somerset. We visited Chaffcombe, Combe St Nicholas and Kingstone on a cold but sunny day, catching a glimpse of daffodils already fully out. We were pleased to welcome Annie Suddaby as a new member.
In March our Annual District Meeting took place in Gloucestershire. We rang at Stonehouse and Horsley, where we also had lunch at The Hog Inn which we highly recommend, followed by more ringing at Eastington.
In September we had a day of ringing in Bath, the plan was to arrive by train or park and ride and walk between the towers. This proved an unpopular choice as very few members turned up but with the help of some local ringers we rang at Christ Church, Widcombe and Lansdown where we admit to using a taxi to get up the hill and a bus to get back down.
Our current plan for days out is a tower mid-morning followed by lunch and two further towers, this allows for travelling home before it gets too late. Apart from the Bath trip it has proved popular so we intend to stick with it.
We are delighted to be welcoming the Guild AGM to Somerset in 2016.
Jan Wyatt,Secretary
Western District report for 2014
We started 2014 with a lovely day out in Dorset arranged for us by Mary Gilbert. We rang at the wonderfully named Whitchurch Canonicorum. It was during the time of flooding so our first route was abandoned when we spotted some caravan roofs just above the water line but it takes more than that to stop the Ladies' Guild so approaching the village from a different direction got us to our destination without the need for wet suits or wellies. We had lunch at The Market House in Bridport then rang at Bridport and Chard.
In March we headed for the Yeovil area and rang at West Coker, Preston Plunknett and Yeovilton which is a Fleet Air Arm Memorial Church.
Marie Carson arranged a day out in South Wales for us in October when we went to Merthyr Tydfil, Cefn Coed and Aberdare.
During the year we elected 5 new members. We were all delighted when our very own Kait Jarvis became The Ladies' Guild Young Ringer of The Year and we rang a quarter peal with Kait as part of the celebration.
Jan Wyatt