Central

Officers: President: Ruth Groves, Secretary: Jo Harris, Vice President: Nicky Smith, Treasurer: Wendy Crampton

Contact: secretary.lgcentral@gmail.com

Central District report for 2023

I am delighted to report an amazing increase in our membership, which shows that spending money on resources and advertising pays dividends, and is money well spent. We have doubled our membership in the last year or so.

This year started on 28th January, when we met at Aldbury to ring and hold the ADM followed shortly after by a very hearty tea. The attendance was good. Nicky became Vice President, to replace Jenny Instone, to whom many thanks are due for her input over very many years.

The quarter peal day, in London, was attended by some of our members, who enjoyed the experience.

Ringing was arranged on 11th March, at St John the Baptist, Little Missenden, where we had a good number of ringers to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th. April saw us at Langley Marish in Slough. A good turn out, and an enjoyable evening’s ringing, with a tour of the wonderful library before. Four members attended the Ladies’ Guild holiday, in May. After quite a set-back, when the hotel had to cancel our booking, the organisers rearranged an alternative venue and tour. Very enjoyable and highly recommended. Must do that again!

The AGM was held in the Banbury Branch, again it was a wonderful occasion, seeing familiar faces... and many new ones too. July saw us at Hughenden, a good turnout, including visitors from neighbouring districts, with a chance to visit Hughenden Manor. Harrow Weald hosted our September meeting and was a great success, a tower where the majority of the lady ringers are members of the Guild.

November saw ringing at Bow for the Lord Mayor’s Show, followed by Cornhill in the afternoon, several of our members attending. Aston Clinton saw yet another strong turnout, and we enjoyed ringing on ten. This meeting brought a very successful and enjoyable year to a close. We were, once again invited to take part in the London Ringers Advent Service in December. This time at St Vedast, near St Paul’s Cathedral. Many ringers taking part and an outstanding handbell group.

Thank you to everyone for taking part, ringing, catering, organising, what a great bunch you are! Thank you to all the officers who have worked so hard to realise such incredible membership figures, and importantly help make meetings welcoming, enjoyable and inclusive. Here’s to another successful year!

Ruth Groves

Central District report for 2022

The Central District had a very positive and enjoyable 2022. We met 4 times during the year, ringing at Aldbury on the 23rd of April, Bledlow on the 23rd of July, Harefield on the 25th of September and Abbots Langley on the 26th of November.

Several members also joined in the wonderful guild AGM in the North West District, in Lancashire, on the 25th of June, which was a fabulous opportunity to meet other members, and we would like to thank the North West team for their amazing organisation and warm welcome. We also rang at St Mary Le Bow for the Lord Mayor’s Show in November, at the invitation of the MCALDG Ringing Master, and were invited to attend, and join in the ringing, at the London Ringers Advent Service on 29th of November at St John’s Church in Waterloo, where our District President Ruth Groves read one of the lessons, ac-companied by myself and our Treasurer Wendy Crampton.

With ease of communication in mind we have set up a WhatsApp group for the District, to operate alongside the emails sent, rather than replace them. It is hoped the WhatsApp will be helpful, especially if members are lost or delayed en-route to a meeting, as someone will hopefully have a signal to receive messages if we are in a location with poor mobile signals.

We have gained 7 fabulous new members during the last year, let’s hope this coming year is as successful. We can all keep mentioning the Guild in our home towers, because there are many ladies who have never heard of the guild, and by inviting people to come along to meetings if they wish, hopefully we will grow year on year. As the National Office is also working on producing a range of templates, we can use these for publicity, which should further prompt interest in membership. We wish to extend a warm welcome to any lady ringer who wishes to join us, as the larger the membership the more varied and stimulating the ringing opportunities, and friendships, we will enjoy.

We are always happy to send out a call to the membership should any member find their towers short of ringers for events such as open days, weddings, quarter peals etc, or if their Association is hosting ringing tours and has space for extra ringers - I urge members not to hesitate to email me with details. On a final note I would like to say that we are always delighted to welcome ladies from other districts to our meetings, so please keep an eye out on the Guild Facebook group and the Ringing World Bellboard online calendar for our meetings, or feel free to email me for more details of our schedule.

Jo Harris

Central District report for 2021

Sadly, there is not a lot to report from the last 2 years, due to the Pandemic. However, several things of note need to be said.

Unfortunately, we have lost our very efficient Secretary Clare, as she has now moved away, with her sister. We owe her a great debt of gratitude for all the hard work she put into the Guild, over many years, and we wish her well in her new home. She is, however, keen to keep in touch and hopes to be able to join us on our meetings in the future.

During the Pandemic (but not related) we lost Audrey Andrews, a staunch member of our group, and great supporter for a number of years. We were able to attend her funeral on a lovely sunny day, outside in the churchyard at Harefield, where she rang, and had held various offices during her long life. She will be sorely missed.

This year, we have lost another member, Joan Badger, who was a life member, who again, was a member of our Branch for a number of years, bringing her husband David along to swell our numbers. Joan was largely responsible for the rehanging/restoration of the bells at Ridge. Although she had not been a member for a few years, she too, will be missed. We also had news of the death of Stephanie Willcocks, another life member, and there will be a memorial service for Stephanie on Saturday 28th of May at 2pm, with ringing before for her at 1pm at St. Stephen’s Church in St. Albans.

We haven’t been able to have, or attend the Guild AGM for the last 2 years, but hope this year we may be able to send representatives from our Branch. The meeting is usually held on the third Saturday of June......but has been known to move a bit.

So, let us be optimistic!!

We are extremely lucky to have 2 new and very enthusiastic members on board. Jo Harris and Wendy Crampton, who are keen to promote the Ladies Guild and assist us to continue to uphold the principle reason for the inauguration of the Ladies Guild in 1912 – to support ladies who ring to be able to ring together, at whatever level, and to assist them to develop their ringing skills where they may not be able to do so in their own towers.

I look forward to the prospect a very exciting year, when we can all meet up again, and enjoy our ringing together in convivial company.

Ruth Groves District President

Central District report for 2019

We have been delighted to have a significant increase in the number of new members to the branch during the year, most of them from Hertfordshire towers. This has also enabled us to try some new towers for our practices which has been most welcome. We also had very welcome regular support from a number of gentlemen supporters, particularly Phillip Denwood, Mark Instone and Michael Robinson.

Ringing at our meetings catered for all abilities from rounds and plain hunt up to Cambridge and we always aim to assist everyone in trying something to stretch their personal ringing achievements.

During 2019 we managed 5 meetings (rather than our usual 4) and the highlight of these was in November at a new tower, Kings Langley, where we had a record attendance both of members and guests.

Central District covers a very large area stretching from Milton Keynes in the north to Middlesex in the south and from Reading to Stevenage west to east. We would welcome new members from anywhere within this region. Members take turns to organise our meetings which are usually held on the 5th Saturday.

Meetings in 2019 were as follows:

• January organised by Rowena Scott at Harefield followed by a post festive lunch.

• March organised by Sandra Jackson at Cheddington, followed by our ADM.

• July organised by Clare Carpenter at Chalfont St Giles.

• August organised by Clare Carpenter at Whitchurch.

• November organised by Sandra Jackson at Kings Langley.

Visitors to our meetings are always very welcome.

At the ADM all officers were re-elected.

As usual, a few members attended the Guild holiday in May around Portsmouth and the Guild AGM at Clarborough. Four members, including some of our new members, had participated in the Guild ringing at St Clement Danes for the Lord Mayor’s Show on 9 November 2019.

Clare Carpenter,Secretary

Audrey Andrews, obituary

If I had to use one word to describe Audrey it would be ‘Commitment’. Anything that Audrey engaged in was done with complete dedication and done to the best of her ability. Audrey was a devoted Mother and Grandmother. She was married to Ron and had 4 children, sadly her two sons pre-deceased her. Her two daughters, Heather and Sarah, were of paramount importance in her life, and she often talked of them in conversation.

A ringer of 50 years experience, Audrey learnt to ring at Ruislip Parish Church, her husband, Ron, learning following his retirement. Audrey was very active on the ringing front. She regularly went on Trefoil Guild Outings, and was also a regular attender at the annual Ladies Guild Ringing Holidays for a great number of years. Latterly, after moving to Harefield, she rang at Harefield Parish Church, ringing many Quarter Peals for the Ladies Guild and other important celebrations, both for family and church members. She would often go, with friends, to the Sidmouth area, ringing while away, notably at Exeter Cathedral.

Her move to her cottage in Harefield, from her large house and garden in Ruislip, was made following the death of her husband, Ron, and she soon settled into the community as a valued resident. Her garden soon gained the benefit of Audrey’s talents, casting slabs and laying paths around her new domain, with a designer’s eye. Every plant was a specimen, in the right place, and combining to create a really beautiful extension of her home. However, this was not enough! An allotment was added to grow her vegetables, and she gained much pleasure from ‘growing her own’ - and was probably self sufficient. 

Audrey had a ‘Waste Not Want Not’ attitude to life. Pallets were transformed into log stores for drying and storing logs, and many unusual containers were to be found in her garden. Her friends did discourage her from buying a chain saw, when she was considering such a purchase. Recently, she planned to replace the little shed at the end of her garden as it was looking a little tired.

She was an active member of Harefield Church and undertook many jobs to ensure the smooth running of the church and graveyard, being very generous of her time to others. She was a talented musician, playing the piano and harp. She was knowledgeable on so many subjects and widely travelled. 

Audrey could do anything she decided to do. Everything she did, she did to the very best of her incredible ability. She was a person you could turn to, in a crisis, and she would be there to give support and a kindly word. She had time for everyone, a lived a very packed and productive life. She will be sorely missed, both by the Central District and the Guild.

Audrey died on 2nd July 2020 age not quite 94 after a short illness and her funeral was held on 17 July. Her funeral was held in the churchyard at Harefield which thus permitted a large number of family and friends to attend, spread out among the beautiful surroundings. 7 Central District ringers were in attendance.

Ruth Groves

Central District report for 2018

We were once again pleased to welcome a small number of new members to the branch during the year. We also had very welcome regular support from Phillip Denwood and Michael Robinson. We changed from visiting 2 or 3 towers each meeting to concentrating on longer at just one church followed by a pub lunch, which achieved the desired result in greater numbers attending. 

Ringing at our meetings catered for all abilities from rounds and plain hunt up to Cambridge. However, attendance at our meetings was reasonably stable and the attraction of a new tower at St Albans resulted in a good turnout on a lovely sunny day. 

Central District covers a very large area stretching from Milton Keynes in the north to Middlesex in the south and from Reading to Stevenage west to east. We would welcome new members from anywhere within this region. 

Members take turns to organise our meetings which are usually held on the 5th Saturday. Meetings in 2018 were as follows:

• • January organised by Ruth Groves at Wendover followed by a post festive lunch.

  • March organised by Clare Carpenter at Langley, followed by our ADM.

  • June organised by Anne Robinson at St Albans.

  • September organised by Ruth Groves at Little Missenden.

As has become the norm, our December meeting was moved to early January as it was too close to the end of the year to make the practice viable. 

3 members (plus a husband) attended the annual Guild tour to Worcestershire in May 2018 and 4 members had attended the Guild AGM in the Shaftsbury area. 

Visitors to our meetings are always very welcome.  At the ADM all officers were re-elected. 

Clare Carpenter

Central District report for 2017

We were pleased to welcome a small number of new members to the branch during the year. We also had very welcome regular support from Mark Instone, Phillip Denwood and Michael Robinson. Ringing at our meetings catered for all abilities from rounds and plain hunt up to Cambridge. However, attendance at our meetings was patchy during the year, due partly to illness or other pre-arranged commitments. 

The smaller numbers attending some meetings resulted in a reduction in tower fees paid by members which unfortunately were insufficient to cover our donations to towers for our ringing this year (even allowing for the fact that when we ring at Langley the tower captain very kindly refuses to accept a donation from the District). Members take turns to organise our meetings which are usually held on the 5th Saturday. 

Meetings in 2017 were: 

• • April organised by Clare Carpenter at Fulmer and Langley, followed by our ADM; 

  • July organised by Ann Denwood at Studham and Tilsworth.

  • September organised by Rowena Scott at Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter.

  • The December meeting was moved as it was too close to the end of the year to make the practice viable. So members enjoyed a New Year’s meeting in early January arranged by Ruth Groves at Wendover and was followed by a post festive lunch. The move of date, and also to spending longer at a single tower, proved a popular one as it was well attended. 

At the ADM all officers were re-elected. Visitors to our meetings are always very welcome. 

Three members (plus a husband) attended the annual Guild tour to Chesterfield in May 2017 and 4 members had attended the Guild AGM at Bexhill on Sea.  Unfortunately, members who had signed up to ring in the Guild Quarter Peal days at both Liverpool and St Clement Danes had to withdraw through illness.

Clare Carpenter, Secretary

Central District report for 2016

Attendance at our meetings grew during the year and we were pleased to welcome a number of new members to the branch. We also had very welcome regular support from Phillip Denwood, Mark Instone and Michael Robinson. Ringing at our meetings catered for all abilities from rounds and plain hunt up to Cambridge.

In July Clare Carpenter took over from Rowena Scott as District Secretary – we thank Rowena for her dedication during her period as Secretary in keeping the branch well organised. Audrey Andrews celebrated her 90th birthday in July with a lunch arranged at a pub in Harefield. Before the lunch a quarter peal at Harefield was arranged with Audrey ringing in the first rounds before handing the bell over to Jenny Instone just before we went into changes. Unfortunately the quarter came to grief halfway through when two bells swapped over.

Members take turns to organise our meetings which are held on the 5th Saturday. Meetings in 2016 were as follows:

• • January ADM organised by Rowena Scott ringing at Hanwell, Hillingdon and Harefield (shades of My Fair Lady…?) followed by the meeting at Harefield.

  • April organised by Ann Denwood at Wendover and Aldbury.

  • July organised by Jenny Instone at Hitcham and Langley.

  • October organised by Clare Carpenter at Bierton, Aston Abbotts and Wingrave.

The December meeting was cancelled as it was due to be held on New Year’s Eve and attendance was expected to be too low to make the practice viable. Visitors to our meetings are always very welcome.

Clare Carpenter, Secretary

Central District report for 2015

Last year’s ADM was held at Harefield. Ruth thanked our regular members for their support and said we had had some good meetings even if low in numbers and had been able to ring Cambridge.

Ruth also thanked Mark Instone and Phillip Denwood for all the support they have provided throughout the year, stating it was good to have some men on board.

Jenny Instone and Ruth Groves enjoyed an excellent Ladies Guild holiday in Lancashire

Meetings were:

• • June 14th Annual General Meeting

  • May 30th ringing at Cosgrove, Buckingham, Old Wolverton organised by Rose.

  • August 29th ringing at Binfield and Winkfield organised by Jenny.

  • October 31st ringing at Monks Risborough, Stoke Mandeville, Weston Turville organised by Clare

Rowena Scott, Secretary

Central District report for 2014

Last year's ADM was held at Langley where the main discussion was the Ladies' Guild AGM which we were hosting on 14th June 2014.

Ruth thanked everyone for their support for the AGM which turned out to be a very successful day, especially as we are few in number. Ruth also thanked Mark Instone for all the support he has provided throughout the year.

Four of our members enjoyed the Ladies Guild holiday in Torquay.

On August 30th we rang at Buckingham, Maids Moreton and Gt Norwood organised by Rose.

On November 29th we rang at Fulmer, Hitchin and Dorney organised by Jenny but numbers were low.  

Rowena Scott