NEWS FROM THE TOWER
The Staplehurst Bellringers hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and wish you all the best for the New Year.
The early copy deadline for this issue means that this report was written at the very beginning of the Christmas festivities but by the time you read this we will be approaching the end of what is always a busy time for our ringers. The first event was on the evening of Tuesday 12th December when 16 of our ringers, along with partners and friends, enjoyed our Christmas meal at The West End Tavern in Marden and a great time was had by all. In addition to the normal Sunday Services we will also have rung for the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday 17th December, the Christingle Service on Christmas Eve, for Midnight Mass and on Christmas Morning. We will also have enjoyed our traditional New Year’s Party, this year kindly hosted by Sue and Chris Bassett, and will have “rung in” 2024.
Things quieten down a bit in the New Year. We have no visiting bands scheduled during January, so we will just be ringing on our normal Tuesday practice evening and for the regular Sunday services.
Finally it is good to be able to report that four of our recruits have now reached the stage where they are able to ring for Sunday Services so are fully fledged members of our band. How about you – if you think this all sounds quite fun why not make it one of your New Year resolutions to come and visit us at our Tuesday practice and see what it’s all about? For more information contact me on 01580 890247. In case anyone is wondering, I must stress that there is absolutely no requirement for ringers to attend the church services that they ring for. You can be assured of a warm welcome.
Roy Barclay
Tower Secretary