News

• July 16th 2025   The G&B Youth Team entered two teams - one in the 6 bell method category and one in the 6 bell call change category - of the Ringing World National Youth Contest 2025. This took place around Birmingham on Saturday 5 July. This year there were 37 teams competing in the 4 categories. First up were the method ringers, competing at Edgbaston. The band rang well for the first half of the test piece but a devastating method mistake ultimately led to the conductor calling stand. The call change band competed at Erdington and produced "the fastest piece of ringing of the day, with good rhythm and pace" according to the judges. After the competition ringing was finished the team moved on to general ringing: at the 16 in St Martin in the Bull Ring, the 10 at St Paul in the Jewellery Quarter, several mini rings and handbell sessions. There is a fuller report here with more pictures.
• July 2nd 2025   Congratulations to the Bristol Band who won the 2025 National 12 Bell Striking Competition with a stunning performance; receiving from the judges a score of 96%.
  The Bristol ringers organised a marvellous day to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first National 12 Bell Competition which was hosted by St Mary Redcliffe in 1975.
  Shown here are the Bristol ringers celebrating their victory with their conductor - Chris Poole - holding the Taylor Trophy.
• June 23rd 2025   On the weekend of 21/22 June there was a residential (camping) event for Scouts, Explorers and Rangers based at Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire. 3000 Scouts and their leaders were attending this event and the G&B were invited by the Scouting Organisation and the Mobile Belfries Trust to supply ringers to introduce ringing to the Scouts. Roger Haynes, G&B Chairman, invited the G&B Youth Team to carry out the task.
  This was a fantastic opportunity and turned out to be a great experience for those members of the G&B Youth Team who volunteered to assist and here are some photographs of the day. Thank you to Phil Pratt and Avon Ropes Ltd for sponsoring the G&B Youth Team.
• June 13th 2025   The Ringing World National Call Change Competition took place at Coaley in the Wotton under Edge branch on Saturday June 7. Thirteen teams took part; of which three were from the G&B area. Bristol were the highest placed G&B team at fourth with Bisley at seventh and St Mark Cheltenham at twelth. Full details including pictures here.
• May 10th 2025   Alfie Stick has at last had the trophy that he was awarded at the AGM presented to him. After a bit of TLC had been carried out on the Trophy by Hugh Evans the award was presented to Alfie by the Youth Team Leader Ian Bucknell and the Chairman Roger Haynes at a Youth Team day out on Bank Holiday Monday. Throughout the day the Youth Team ringers were shadowed by a German film crew that are making a documentary for German and French television.
• April 26th 2025   The rules of the Association have been updated following the resolution at the recent AGM.
• April 8th 2025   The unapproved minutes of the recent Association AGM are now availablehere
• April 5th 2024   Tewkesbury were victorious in both striking competitions today. For the Penn (eight bell) trophy held at Barnwood and for the Croome (six bell) trophy held at Churchdown.
• April 3rd 2025   All practices at St Andrew, Chippenham have been CANCELLED due to one of the bells being temporarily unringable. This includes the regular Wednesday night practices and the Suprise Major practices on the first Wednesday; these have been transferred to St Paul. A further news item will be posted when they are back in order.
• March 24th 2025   A new page has been added about the Central Council's Ringing 2030 initiative, together with its background and progress. This is important if ringing is to be sustained, or even survive in certain parts of the country.
• March 4th 2025   The 2025 Achievement of the Year competition has been won by Cirencester Branch who received the Bliss Trophy. All of the entries are available to view here.