Most of the activities that were planned to take place this year to mark our 75th anniversary have not taken place for obvious reasons. And now, just as ringing was regaining some impetus, renewed restrictions are on the horizon. Making use of that short window of opportunity that has existed over the last couple months, I arranged a special peal to celebrate our anniversary and invited a representative band from the three ringing organisations that were created by the dissolution of the Midlands Counties Association to take part.
Unfortunately, that attempt at Colston Basset wasn’t successful and nor was a second one a month later at Claybrooke. So, with the clock ticking, a third bid was hurriedly arranged at Saltby. In the characteristically chilly conditions that are associated with winter peals there we finally triumphed and rang a very commendable peal. It also happened to be young Lewis Benfield’s first peal of spliced and yet he rang with the aplomb of the more seasoned campaigners that surrounded him.
So, a flurry of activity involving 14 different people, three conductors and seven hours of ringing resulted in success in the nick of time and a permanent record of celebration. My thanks go to all those ringers involved and to Mick Angrave who helped with arrangements.
Martin Whiteley
Leicester Diocesan Guild
Saltby, St Peter, Leicestershire
Saturday, 18th December 2021 in 2h 59m (12–1–11 in E)
5056 Spliced Surprise Major
(6m: 1024 Rutland; 864 each Lincolnshire, Yorkshire;
768 each Cambridge, Pudsey, Superlative; 137 com)
Composed by R Philip Graves
1 Sally A Brown
2 Lewis D Benfield
3 Philip R Wild
4 Colin Aked
5 Michael Angrave
6 Anthony J Rowan
7 Martin J Whiteley
8 R Philip Graves (C)
First of Spliced – 2.
Rung to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Leicester Diocesan Guild, the Southwell & Nottingham Diocesan Guild and the Derby Diocesan Association from the old Midland Counties Association.
Ringers from each of the three organisations took part in this peal.