Spring Rally Bury 2018

Northwest Spring Rally at Bury 2018

Rhythm and Rhyme

The Spring Rally was held at Bury Grammar School again this year as it ticks all the boxes for an ideal venue in that it is central in the Northwest Region, is close to the motorway, has good parking and has a large, light and airy hall.

The hall was buzzing, with 12 teams represented. There were quite a few collaborations for the rally session as teams were struck down with illness or rehearsals for the Northern Bell Orchestra.

We were treated to a poetical interlude from a Greystoke new member and learned lots of new techniques, courtesy of Old MacDonald. The treasurer was told off by a teacher for standing on the chair and the massed ringing of “Home Sweet Home” as a round caused much confusion. “Eleanor Rigby” was studied, including the unusual rhythms. It has apparently been very favourably received in concerts by those teams who have got to grips with it.

At the AGM we heard about the elusive Golden Jubilee Bears and welcomed a new member to the committee. We learned about the idea behind “Christmas in July” and were encouraged to claim our Golden Jubilee prize for any new members joining HRGB in the Golden Jubilee year.

What pieces everyone rang:

Team	Music
Sale	Where 'ere you walk Messiah
Marple URC	Rock of Ages English Country Garden
Kinder Ringers	Marigold Nursery chimes
Mini Minims	Favourite Things Sakura
Tantony	You are my Sunshine Mine Eyes have seen the Glory
Bishops School	Alleluia My heart will go on - Titanic theme
Gresford	Grand March Ashoken Farewell
Dean & Marron Valley	Technicolour dreamcoat When you wish upon a Star
Maghull	Mine Eyes have seen the Glory Parade of the Tin Soldiers
Norbury	Trumpet tune

Christmas 2017

Christmas ringing

Once again the Christmas Season has been full of the sound of bells. Kinder Ringers were invited to ring at the Christmas Party of the Disley and District Flower Club which was held at North Cheshire Cruising Club on the Macclesfield Canal. The first mince pies of the season were consumed and lovely flower arrangements adorned the tables.
Kinder Ringers performed a selection of seasonal songs and carols which were very well received.
Packing up and loading up the cars we were shocked to find snow had been falling and continued to do so through the night leaving the event with a very Christmassy feel .

GOLDEN JUBILEE RALLY Saturday 7th October 2017

Lancaster Golden Jubilee Rally Saturday 7^th October 2017

17 handbell teams attended the Golden Jubilee Rally to commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of the formation of the HRGB.

The University of Lancaster LICA building (Lancaster Institute for Contemporary Arts) was a spacious and airy hall with plenty of room for extracurricular activities. Bishops School pupils kindly guided us into the parking bays and the day set off with a Master Class in “Eleanor Rigby” conducted by Kate Sawallisch. Although it was a difficult piece to play with lots of tied notes and off-beat rhythms it set the tone for the 60s theme.

Four people who had attended the original rally were also able to make it, with the first event having been held in the Northwest.

The North West Committee had organised quizzes and games to join in with, including Heads and Tails, which really got us in a spin, and a variation on Beetle using Bear parts. There was a mingling game and a 60s quiz plus a raffle and £50 in pound coins to be won. In the refreshment hall there was a display of photos of ringers with the Jubilee Bears, Norbury and Ashton and some historic photo albums.

The Rally session took place in the afternoon with lots of loose connections to the theme of Gold, Birthdays or the Sixties. The Muppets Theme and Silent Night! Dean Ringers played “Puppet on a String” the Eurovision winner from 1967. Norbury, being the first registered team, played the Euterpe Mazurka from the original arrangement by William Gordon of Stockport. There was also lots of 60s themed dress and much Gold in evidence.

Walthew House blind bellringers from Stockport amazed everyone with their Nursery Chimes and joining in the familiar Old-time Medley, Three for the Road.

Original HRGB member, John Partington, cut the celebration cake and made a short speech.

The pieces written specially for the Anniversary, “Polaris and the Northern Lights” and “Dance Suite for Bells” were played as massed ringing. These were reprised at the end. The event concluded with the ringing and singing of “Let there be Peace” and a toast to another 50 years of handbell ringing.

See what pieces everyone rang:

Team	Music
Norbury	Euterpe Mazurka
Marple URC	Celebration
Greystoke	Moon River
Kinder Ringers	Outbursts of Joy
Walthew House	Nursery Chimes
Mini Minims	Yesterday
Tantony	Over the Rainbow
Kirby Lonsdale	The Muppets theme
Gresford	Alleluia
Beetham	Ode to Joy
Dean	Puppet on a string
Sale	Moon River
Bishops School	Dambusters March
Higher Walton	Silent Night
Marron Valley	I’d like to teach the world to sing
Maghull	Birthday Rag

Jubilee Bears

Introducing the Jubilee Bears - Norbury and Ashton

You may have read in ‘Reverberations’ about the teddy bears which are to visit each Region of HRGB during this Golden Jubilee year. We now have two bears in the Region, named Norbury and Ashton, and we hope that one of them will be making its way to you at some point over the next few months.

The names were chosen as the first registered team of the HRGB was Norbury and the first National Handbell Rally was held at Ashton Grammar School.

This is what we would like you to do with your fluffy golden visitor.

The aim is that between them, the teddies will visit every team and independent member in the Region, and be photographed taking part in an activity – a performance, a practice, some other occasion – the choice is yours.

When you have your photographs, please select one and email it to Jeanette Jenkins, our webmaster, who has kindly agreed to collate them and put them on the Region’s website. Please don’t send more than one photograph – Jeanette is the collator, not the decision-maker!

Jeanette’s email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . When you send the photograph please include the team / member’s name and brief details. Please also show your bear’s mileage while it is with you - we would like to total up their ‘Bear miles’ on their tours around the Region.

Members of the Committee will be mainly responsible for getting the bears around the Region, but if you know that you can pass your bear on to another team or independent member personally, please contact one of the Committee members – any help will be gratefully received!

SOME HINTS ABOUT BEAR CARE:

· Do not feed them anything sticky / messy / highly coloured. Or anything at all, really.

· Feel free to dress them up for their photograph, but please don’t sew things onto them – bears don’t like needles.

· Don’t rely on them as substitutes for team members, especially at performances – bears are not good at counting and are rubbish at turning pages. This may mean they’ll fit in well, but even so …

· Don’t let them conduct – it will feed their egos and the last thing we want is a couple of little furry divas wandering around the Region.

· ON NO ACCOUNT MUST THE BEARS BE CONNECTED TO A MAINS ELECTRICITY SUPPLY. It makes them smell funny.

See the Jubilee Bears Gallery

National Rally Exeter 2017

The National Rally Exeter 2017

The Golden Jubilee celebrations got off to a very sunny start at the National Rally held at Exeter University. The anniversary year was officially launched at the AGM when our NW President, John Partington, joined several other founder members of the society to ring an opening chord.

Beth, our Chairman, received one of the little bears who will hopefully be visiting all our teams on his travels round the region during the year. Another notable event was the conferring of Honorary Life Membership of HRGB on Simon Rennie from Maghull, in recognition of his many years service to handbell ringing both in our region and nationally.

During the packed weekend we were treated to: concert performances by the regional teams from East Anglia and the South East; a wide variety of workshops and talks; masterclasses, including one led by Kate Sawallisch; plenty of delicious food; excellent accommodation; great company; a busy rally ringing session where 20 teams, Kinder among them, rang individual pieces interspersed with massed ringing. There was even time for a group photo of over 300 delegates taken on the steps outside the Great Hall of the University.

At the Concert on Saturday night Maghull were the NW region’s representatives and gave a superb performance of three of their favourite pieces of music.

This very enjoyable event closed with the ringing of a final chord by those taking part. It had been an excellent weekend which had everything to make it a fitting celebration of 50 years of HRGB.

News

NORTH WEST HOSTS THE NATIONAL RALLY

The North West Committee has been delighted by the positive feedback it has received following the National Rally at Newton Rigg in early April, which was attended by over 240 ringers.

On Friday evening, an excellent concert by the Northern Bell Orchestra got proceedings off to a good start. Saturday was a busy day of workshops and masterclasses, and culminated in the Evening Concert. All the Masterclasses performed, and Beverley Town Handbell Ringers gave a wonderful demonstration of traditional English handbell ringing on their Yorkshire “Long Set” of over 130 bells. In contrast, Aidan Fozard dazzled us with his solo performance on belleplates.

Sunday morning was given over to a full Rally session: the hall filled with the sound of hundreds of bells during the massed ringing pieces, and individual performances by nearly 20 teams. Awesome!

Thanks to everyone who helped in the organisation of the Rally – a true North West team effort!

Gallery - 2025 Bolton

Gallery - 2025 Golden Anniversary Rally

Gallery - Christmas 2023

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