Upcoming Events in the Guild

For another view, please refer to the Programme Page.

This Weekend

Updates from the Guild Secretary

Guild Eight Bell Competition

The Guild 8 Bell Competition is scheduled for the 21st of March. Poster is available by clicking here (or the image above).

The church will be open from 1.30 pm. However, due to A57 Link Roads construction works at the end of the M67 and A57 Mottram Moor, the National Highways advises you to avoid that route (see below). Alternative suggested travel options to the church include:

• A560 Bredbury / Gee Cross 

• A555 Airport relief road / Marple / Marple Bridge / Broadbottom

• A lift can be arranged from nearest train station at Broadbottom.

NOTICE: Temporary traffic lights at Mottram Moor

To keep the road open and reduce disruption, we'll use temporary traffic lights at Mottram Moor from 7 pm Friday 20 March - 6 am Monday 23 March. We expect significant delays. We strongly urge non-local drivers to use alternative routes between Manchester and Sheffield. https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/north-west/a57-link-roads/

2026 Westley Award for Belfry Maintenance and Improvement 

The Ringing 2030 Environments Workgroup of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers is launching the 2026 award for people who have recently become involved in belfry maintenance and improvement, developing their own skills and helping others to do so.

The award will be presented at the CCCBR AGM in Rugby in September 2026. The winner will receive £100, kindly donated by Westley Group, and a certificate. Details of the award, and how to enter, can be found on the Council's website here: https://cccbr.org.uk/about/workgroups/ringing-2030-environments/westley-award-2026/ 

University Website Launched 

The Young Ringers for Ringing 2030 have launched the new University Ringing website. https://universityringing.org/. You can find the press release about it here

https://cccbr.org.uk/2026/02/13/the-new-universityringing-org-website-is-live/

Please can you make your members aware of this site.  Especially any young ringers who are considering going to university this year. Also, if there is a university society in your area not affiliated to The Council, can you let them know about the site.

John A.W. Austin - St Mary's Church, Sandbach 

I am sad to have to report that John Austin has passed away, aged 81. John was a long time member and past Tower Captain of the band at St Mary's Church, Sandbach.

David Farrar OBE

Chairman - CDG South Cheshire Branch

Cheshire/North Staffs Young Ringers 

Every month, young ringers from across Cheshire and North Staffs meet to ring together. We meet on the third Sunday of the month and visit different towers across the region. 

In 2025, we rang as far south as Stafford and Haughton, and as far north-west as Neston in the Wirral. We rang in between, including at Nantwich, Madeley, Waverton and Stoke Minster. We enjoyed ringing on the little bells at Woodlands, on the anticlockwise ring at Seighford, and on twelve at Stafford, Newcastle and Chester Cathedral. We also entered a team into the RWNYC 2025.

We welcome all bell ringers aged under-30, under-18 and under-11. Whether you can conduct spliced, or just about handle a bell, or any standard in between, you will be most welcome. 

Please see the NSACR website (https://nsacr.org.uk) for the most up-to-date information, and to find out where we’re ringing this month. If you are under-18 and coming for the first time, you will need to bring a consent form filled out by your parent/guardian for safeguarding. You can find that consent form here. 

Towers have been confirmed for the next monthly youth practice:

Sunday 19th April 2026 - monthly practice

• 1-2pm handbells inside the church at St Mary's & St Helen's, Neston

• 2-4pm tower bells at St Mary's & St Helen's, Neston (CH64 9UB)

• 4:30-6:30pm tower bells including a quarter peal attempt at St Nicholas' Church, Burton (CH64 5TG)

Cheshire & North Staffs have submitted our entry into the Ringing World National Youth Competition, which will take place on Saturday 4th July 2026 in Nottingham. If there are any young ringers at your tower who might like to take part, please email ag-youngringers1@nsacr.org.uk. To be eligible, they need to be aged under-19 on 31st August 2026. A first draft of the rules for the competition is available here.

We are hoping to enter two teams of different standards, one method team and one beginners’ team, so there should be something for everyone. Even if your young ringer doesn’t want to ring in the competitive part of the day, they would still be welcome to join us visiting different towers and mini-rings throughout Nottingham. It’s a fun and encouraging day out, attended by children and teenage ringers from all over the country. 

Ringing teachers, tower captains and parents can contact ag-youngringers1@nsacr.org.uk with any questions. 

We look forward to ringing with you! 

A View of Towers in the Guild