Category Archives: News

Loch Ness Marathon September 30th 2012

Only a fool does the same thing repeatedly and expects a different result. So having suffered pain and misery in the London Marathon in 2010 Andrew Clark from Bermondsey said ‘never again.’ This Sunday sees him running the Loch Ness Marathon – and this time there are hills!

 

Its Nessie – no apparently its Andrew after a training session

‘I have a couple of very good reasons for running,’ he argues. His friends Helen and Martin Marshall had premature twins earlier in the year. Peter and James were less than 2 pounds each when born and have needed a lot of help and support as they have grown. One charity that has provided this help is Pop’n’Grow and this is who Andrew is running for Sunday.

Peter and James

A small charity, just a year old, Pop’n’grow supply specially designed clothing to Neonatal Intensive Care Units and Special Care Baby Units. This clothing comes with a lot of support and understanding, designed initially when Paula Smith was sitting watching her daughter in NICU and realised how scary it all looked.

‘Any money that people donate will make a real difference to the charity and the families it supports’ explains Andrew. ‘Each baby grow costs £4.50, but with 209 NICU units around the country they are looking to raise in excess of £21000 a year to make sure they are all supplied.’ To find more information about Pop’n’Grow go to www.popngrow.co.uk or look for them on Facebook. If you can sponsor Andrew, please do contact him on quasi1981@hotmail.com

 

Article and photos from Andrew Clarke, captions from Webmaster

DRC hold Open Day at Rotherhithe

The DRC held an Open Day at Rotherhithe on Sunday, September 23rd taking advantage of the many Open House events also taking place in Rotherhithe village.

Members provided visitors a good sight of the bells from the viewing platform above, ringing demonstrations in the ringing tower, and plenty of exercise going up and down the tower staircase.

Andrew Clark showing visitors the bells

Despite some dreadful weather, over 100 visitors spent time with us.  The visitors included Open House circuit tourists, and local people who  were dragged in from their normal business by our touts on the street.

Claudia displaying some impressive umbrella control while accosting passers-by

Several visitors were sufficiently interested to leave an email address and we will follow up to see if we can pick up some recruits.

It was nice to see old friends including Afua and the Pinnocks, and Shelagh Norman and Chris Goldsmith from Greenwich who responded to an earlier appeal for helpers on the day. So, thanks to everybody for making such a successful day, and we’re already looking forward to next year.

 

Andrew demanding to see a visitor’s wallet before he will provide any information

St Mary’s Church Rotherhithe Bell Tower open to the public Sunday, September 23rd 2012

11am -1pm & 2-4 pm

St Mary’s Church

St Marychurch Street

SE16 4JX

Nearest pubic transport Rotherhithe Overground or C10 381 buses.

Step inside a historic bell tower. Meet the ringers and see them in action.
View the bells in motion (no unaccompanied children, please). Find out
about other towers in the area where bells are rung. Sign up for a lesson.
If you are unable to join us on Sunday but would like more information
about ringing in the Docklands area, contact us:
info@docklandsringers.co.uk or 0845 680 4305

 The DRC are opening Rotherhithe Bell Tower on Sunday, September 23rd 2012 for tower tours and ringing demonstrations. Several other buildings in Rotherhithe vilage are opening as part of Open House London 2012 including Sands Studios and the Brunel Museum.

View or download flyer here

For more information on Rotherhithe tower including history and directions, click here

 

 

Stepney band rings at St Dunstan-in-the-West

Morag has been associated with Sion College for many years, so when she arranged the Founders Day Service at St Dunstan-in-the-West on July 5th, it seemed only reasonable to arrange for a band drawn largely from St Dunstan’s in Stepney to ring before the service.

St Dunstan has recently had a new set of bells installed, so there was a high degree of interest from DRC members in attending. Entering the ringing chamber, you are immediately confronted by an enormous aluminium fire ladder protruding into the centre of the ringing circle.  Dickon soon encouraged a few of the stronger (or easily bullied) members into manhandling it out of the way so that ringing could commence.

DRC band at St Dunstan’s-in-the-West. From left – Mike Todd, Joe Taylor, Jonathan Slack, Ben Meyer, Andrew Larsen, Greg Rose, Elizabeth LeMoine, Janet Archibald, Dickon Love

The 10 bells are fairly light, but ring and sound very nicely. Jonathan called some rounds on 10, and some Steadman triples – all nicely struck.

Morag has also provided a link to a site that showcases the new bells and their installation

http://london.lovesguide.com/dunstan-in-the-west.htm

 

 

 

Stepney Band wins novice Cup

On Sunday, May 20th, Stepney novices beat a band from Hackney to retain the MCALDG North and East District Novice Cup . The band included (back row) Ed Bucknall, David Giles as conductor, Julian Cass, and (front row) Andrew Smith, flanked by Alison Hammond and Trisha Shannon (who intends to keep on defending this trophy for another 20 years).

 

The winning band

Article and photo supplied by Trisha.