Many thanks to Gill for a great job of organisation so that we were able to ring for Carol Services in nine churches on Sunday . Well done, everyone! Thanks also to Joe for hosting our annual Christmas party. It was fantastic to see so many people come together! Merry Christmas!

Over the last six weeks we have taught seven young people from year 6 of St James’ school to handle. All were able to ring a bell on their own and are well on their way to ringing rounds. It was delightful that they all learnt so quickly and we hope that they will continue to ring with us after the holidays. We would have liked them to reach Level 1 of Learning the Ropes, but we probably needed another two weeks to achieve that.

You can see how well they rang at https://youtu.be/fI55SmgZ6QM

They all rang before the end of term service on Friday (although obviously the sound on the video is not actually them ringing).

This week’s Church Times cover photo (taken by the Rector of St Mary Magdalen at the Bermondsey Street Festival) shows a youngster being introduced to the Charmborough Ring.

Earlier this year both Rotherhithe and Bermondsey towers purchased new sets of muffles from Big Wilf, and Morag and Andrew L had a great day (!) painting the clappers with non-slip paint… this morning the muffles were put to good use in both towers… here they are in use for the first time at Rotherhithe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmPfJReY5qk&list=UUgFbvU8KSO4od5m1fnWZkdw&index=1

On 20th September, the Charmborough Ring will be used in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalen (on the corner of Tower Bridge Road and Long Lane, SE1) as part of the Bermondsey Street Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors each year.

This is an opportunity for us to publicise ringing in the area, and potentially recruit some new or returning ringers. Please let me know if you can help at all:
– between 10 a.m. and midday to erect the Charmborough Ring
– between midday and 4 p.m. to ring, talk to visitors, hand out information, take details of anyone interested
– after 4 p.m. to dismantle the ring.

Please put it in your diaries now!

Morag
(moragtodd@gmail.com)