Dates for your diary

As Xmas approaches, we are starting to get dates of the events that we normally support.  Please take a look at the list, mark them in your calendars, and let the organiser know if you will be attending –

Day              Date          Time          Event                                           Location                Organiser

Saturday      10/11         All day       Surrey Assn Training Day               Bletchingley           Alison

Sunday          2/12         14-16:00    DRC AGM and striking competition  Rotherhithe            Morag Todd

Tuesday         4/12         ???            Licensing new vicar                       Bermondsey           Alison

Wednesday    12/12       18-18:30    Carol Service                                Limehouse              Simon

Sunday           16/12       ????          DRC Xmas Party                            Simon&Janet apt    Simon or Janet

Wednesday     19/12       18:30 for 19:00  Ordination Service                 Rotherhithe             Jonathan

Thursday        20/12        18:30 for 19:00 Fr Richard first mass              Rotherhithe             Jonathan

I’ve also posted these events in the Calendar – please advise me of any errors I have made.

 

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

Rotherhithe Open Day Follow up and Feedback

Many of the 100+ visitors to Rotherhithe on Sunday 23 September 2012 expressed an interest to know more or to give it a try, either with us or in other parts of London. They have now all been contacted and sent details of towers local to them and association training officers who can advise or invitations to one of our practices. Within 24 hours we’ve already had some feedback! So to reward all the Docklands members who helped out at Rotherhithe on that rainy Sunday, here are our ‘user reviews’:

“Thanks very much for following this up and for arranging/participating in the splendid bell ringing display last Sunday – it was truly inspirational”

“It was a real privilege to see the ringing at St Marys on Sunday. We both enjoyed it. I will see if I could be involved. Thanks for the contact details.”

“I much enjoyed my visit to the Rotherithe tower at the London Open House 2012. Your hospitality was much appreciated and your ethusiasm infectious!”

Well done, team! You are inspirational!

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