New Year 2009

THE DAY WE WENT TO PERSHORE  (By Rachel Vessey – Jan 2009)

AS THE FROST SPARKLED ON THE TREES AND THE BIRDS BEGAN TO SING

WE ALL HEADED OUT IN OUR CARS FOR THE ANNUAL RINGING OUTING.

COMING FROM BODICOTE AND HOLMER, REVISING METHODS AS WE GO

WITH SIX LAYERS OF CLOTHING ON TRYING TO KEEP US WARM FROM HEAD TO TOE

CROPTHORNE WAS ON THE AGENDA FIRST, SIX LOVELY BELLS TO START

GETTING UP THE ALMOST VERTICAL LADDER SEEMED TO BE THE HARDEST PART!

RINGING ROUNDS THEN CALL CHANGES TO GET US UNDERWAY

I HOPE THE VILLAGERS HAD BEEN WARNED THAT WE HAD DESENDED ON THEM TODAY

THEN CAME PERSHORE ABBEY SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART

BUT GETTING TO THE BELL TOWER WAS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
SPIRAL STAIRCASES TO START WITH NARROW GAPS TO THEN GET THROUGH

BUT FROM THE SUSPENDED RINGING PLATFORM THERE WAS SUCH AN AMAZING VIEW.

THE BELLS SOUNDED WONDERFUL AS IF COMING OUT OF THE SKY

WITH COURSES OF BOB TRIPLES BEING RUNG FROM SEVENTY FOOT HIGH

EVERYONE HAD A GO AT RINGING FROM THE YOUNG TO THE OLD

AN EXPERIENCE TO NEVER FORGET AND IT GOT US OUT THE COLD!

THE THIRD STOP WAS MOST ENJOYABLE AS WE STOPPED OFF TO EAT

EXCHANGING STORIES OF THE FIRST TOWERS AND DEFROSTING OUR HANDS AND FEET

THEN WE WENT ON TO RING AT ECKINGTON BACK OUT INTO THE COLD

RINGERS ARE A TOUGH OLD LOT OR MAD AS I’VE BEEN TOLD!

YOU SEE RINGING ISN’T JUST A HOBBY IT’S A WAY OF LIFE

MANY OF US HAD LEFT BEHIND A DESERTED HUSBAND OR WIFE

BECAUSE ONCE YOU LEARN TO RING, SOMETHING TAKES OVER YOU

AND A WEEK CAN NOT GO BY WITHOUT RINGING AT A TOWER OR TWO

FINALLY ONTO BREDON TO HOLD OUR FINAL ROPE IN HAND

BUT THIS WAS RATHER DIFFICULT ALMOST LIKE RINGING A RUBBER BAND

ONCE WE HAD ALL HAD A RING THE EXPERTS RANG A SPLICE

 INCORPORATING THREE METHODS AND IT DID SOUND RATHER NICE!

SO THEN ON TO TEWKESBURY AS WE GATHERED AT THE OLDE BEAR INN

WHERE WE REMINISCED ABOUT THE DAY AND GOT A FEW DRINKS IN

THANK YOU TO MARTIN SAUNDERS AND TO THE TOWERS WHO LET US RING

IT’S A DAY WE WILL ALL REMEMBER AND WE CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT OUTING!