Welcome to the website for the Ladies' Guild of Change Ringers

The objects of the Ladies' Guild of Change Ringers:

“to bring together ringers both nationally and within local districts, to encourage new ringers and to improve the standard of ringing amongst women and girls”

For more information about ringing church bells and learning to ring:

Newsletter July 2023 here

Newsletter April 2023 here

Dates for all Districts

Ladies' Guild Holiday in Somerset, 12th - 19th May 2024

Pearl Jeanes writes:

Here are the Provisional Tour programme for next year and the Booking Form.   Somerset is the home of heavy rings of bells, but do not be put off, I will enlist some help when we need to. 

The holiday cost includes 2 course dinner, bed and breakfast staying at The Wookey Hotel, coach for five days. (on the Saturday we will car share as it is only two miles to Wells) driver’s gratuity and tower fees.  Travel Insurance is not included.  Pre-orders for meals for the week will be required at a later date.

Please download the booking form as a Word document, complete and reply to Margaret (email address on booking form) to book your place - places will be booked on a first come first allocated basis. 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Best wishes, Pearl & Margaret

08/09/2023 - Pearl Jeanes writes: The holiday is fully booked now, in record time!

Quarter Peal Weekend: Saturday 16th September 2023

Guild President Elizabeth Smith writes:

Our next Guild Quarter Peal Weekend is planned for mid September and will be based around Hereford. We hope to attempt quarters of Doubles, Minor, Triples and Major, although exactly what we ring will depend very much on who wishes to take part. If there is sufficient demand we might also be able to arrange some ringing (either quarter peals or general ringing) on the Friday afternoon and/or evening.

A booking form is available here and should be returned by 16th July at the latest (please download it, enable editing, fill it in and return to the email address given on the form).

We will arrange a group meal on Saturday evening (more details on this soon) and provide a list of suggested towers for service ringing on Sunday morning. Husbands and partners will be very welcome at the evening meal and for Sunday service ringing. It might also be possible to arrange some ringing for them on the Saturday, depending on numbers.

You should book your own accommodation. Our suggestion is: Premier Inn, Hereford Holmer Hotel, which also has a Beefeater Restaurant. There is another Premier Inn, Hereford City Centre, and a Travelodge in the city. There are a number of other hotels and Bed & Breakfast establishments.

Tower fees will be payable, generally based on £2.50 per rope per tower. Details of successful quarters will be posted on Bellboard and sent for publication in The Ringing World, for which the suggested donation is £1 per ringer per quarter.

I look forward to seeing you there, Liz

Ladies Guild logo - improved versions available

Improved, computer usable, versions of the Ladies Guild logo have been designed, and are now  available for downloading and using whenever required. The logos can be scaled as required. Coloured and greyscale versions of the logo are provided, with white or transparent backgrounds.

Ladies Guild 10-bell Quarter Peal Day

St Clement Danes, London: Saturday 25th February 2023

Liz Smith writes:

The bells at St Clement Danes (a nice 21cwt ring of 10) have been booked for the day on Saturday 25th February. The hope is that we will be able to attempt several quarter peals of Caters or Royal. 

Please use the buttons on the right to access an application form and a separate document with the practical and financial arrangements for the day..

If you would like to take part in the day, please complete the form and return it to me (lizandlionel43@gmail.com) as soon as possible - don't leave it until the deadline (which is 23rd December) as you might then forget about it!  

Please be realistic when assessing your ability to ring the methods listed.

If you are unable to print the application form and then scan it when completed, just send me the same information in an email.

Looking forward to seeing many of you in London in February.

With all good wishes, Liz

Yvonne Porter - sad news

Yvonne Porter died on Sunday 30th October at the age of 90.  Yvonne joined The Guild of Devonshire Ringers on moving to Saltash in 1955, becoming a member of the St Andrew’s, Plymouth, band until 1981.  In 1982 she transferred to Stoke Damerel, coping more easily with the lighter bells.  She had served as General Secretary of The Guild from 1978 to 1988, becoming Guild Master in 1989, and a Vice President from 1990.  Yvonne had many ringing friends across the country, and was a member of the Ladies’ Guild and a Cumberland Youth.  Although too frail to ring for some years, she is sadly missed.  

Yvonne’s funeral will take place in Stoke Damerel Parish Church, Plymouth  PL1 5QL on Monday 28th November at 12.30pm. The bells will be available to any ringers wanting to take part from 11.30am.

Ladies' Guild Holiday in Lincolnshire, 7th - 14th May 2023

Pearl Jeanes writes:

Here are details of the holiday offer for next year's Tour to Lincolnshire.  We have been fortunate to book Stoke Rochford Hall Hotel, near Grantham for our stay - https://www.stokerochfordhall.co.uk/

The holiday costs include half board (B&B and evening meal), tower donations and coach travel including driver gratuities.  Please note that the cost does not include travel insurance.  All the rooms are ensuite and offer great value for money. However If you wish to upgrade to a larger room, it's an extra £50 per room per night. Please note there are limited twin rooms available.  

Links to download the provisional towers information and the booking form are to the right..  As usual bookings will be allocated on a first come first served basis. 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Best wishes, Pearl and Margaret

On 29th August, Pearl adds:

The Ladies' Guild holiday 2023 is now fully booked. Any further queries will be placed on a reserve list. 

Congratulations to the North West District band

Members of the North West District rang a quarter peal of Plain Bob Caters at Grappenhall, Cheshire, on Thursday 4th August 2022. This was a first on 10 for 3 of the band, first on 10 as conductor and first on 10 for the district. The quarter peal was rung as a belated birthday compliment to the conductor. Full details here.

Ladies Guild Quarter Peal Weekend

Friday 21st October to Sunday 23rd October 2022  - Based around Bingley, West Yorkshire

Following the success of previous quarter peal weekends, we are planning another one for 2022 based around Bingley in West Yorkshire. Jane Lynch from NW District will organise the weekend.

We will attempt 6 bell and 8 bell quarters at local towers and have an evening meal out on the Saturday night. Jane will book the towers, organise the bands and the evening meal, but individuals will need to book their own accommodation. A suggested list of hotels will be available.

Husbands and partners will be very welcome at the evening meal. It might also be possible to arrange some ringing for them.

A booking form is available and needs to be completed and returned to Jane by 31st August 2022 if you wish to participate in the event. 

Jane Lynch  j.lynch6@btinternet.com

A good time was had by all. Seven quarter peals scored, details and photos here.

Congratulations to the South Midlands District peal band

Members of the South  Midlands District rang a peal of Plain Bob Minor at Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire, on Tuesday 5th July 2022. This was a first peal for the Ladies' Guild for all the band, and a first of minor as conductor. The peal was rung in celebration of the election of Elizabeth Smith (South Midlands District Vice President) as President of the Ladies Guild. Full details here.

Ladies Guild Archives

From Janet Stevenson, Guild Archivist

The Guild Archives have been digitally listed and all hard copies prior to 2011 have been sent to (& received by) the London Metropolitan Archives https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ where they will be accessible to anyone wanting to do research. Ongoing files of annual reports, obituaries, holiday reports and all display materials are still kept in my house. contact me if you want anything.

Please continue to send your newsletters and minutes of meetings to the Guild archivist so that they can be digitally recorded on an external hard drive which can be handed on to the next archivist.

NB (February 2021) The pandemic of 2020/2021will be of historical interest. Please make a note of how you have kept in touch with your members and how you organised your Annual meeting and send this to the report compiler who will ensure that a copy goes into the archives.

More details of the archives and their storage here.