Melton District

Melton District monthly meetings are held on the 3rd Saturday evening of every month, details are on the web page and visitors are more than welcome to join us. In the past quarter the meetings have been at Ashby Folville, Great Dalby and Sproxton, it’s nice to see plenty of our new members turning up to the meetings to try their hand at different weights and numbers of bells away from their home towers.

I’ve been battling with ‘Bees in the Belfry’ (well clock chamber actually) at my home tower of Twyford, a swarm landed and made a nest in the cavity behind the clock which stopped us using the clock and ringing. Paul Watson (one of our Pickwell ringers)  is a bee keeper and came along to give me a hand  – our initial attempts to rehome the bees failed and after a couple of pints of ‘Thinking Juice’ we came up with a plan to board up the back of the cavity of the clock face allowing the bees to use that space as a hive but stopping them interfering with the bells or clock mechanism. The bees are doing well enclosed in their new hive and the clock and bells are back in action. 

Congratulations to David Wicks and Paul Watson of Pickwell who rang their first quarter at Twyford on the 4th April. We rang Grandsire and Bob Doubles and had some excellent striking throughout. 

We also rang the first quarter on the newly tuned bells hung in a new frame at Tilton on the Hill on the 14th April, half the band were from the Tower and did very well to keep it going and complete the quarter. 

The ringers in the south of the district have started a tradition of a St Georges day tour – David Wicks has kindly organised these, this year’s report is later in the newsletter.

Pete Brown

Hinckley District

I took over as Tower Captain at Leire on the 1^st April as our previous one retired.  I was a bit dubious at first due to lack of experience but am really enjoying the role now.  This has lead to the opportunity of taking over as Hinckley District Secretary from the 1^st June and I’m hoping to get stuck into this challenge going forward.

Marie McSeveney

Loughboroughh district

Loughborough district practices are up and running and going really well. Thank you to all who have attended the meetings so far. We have had 3 practice evenings at Loughborough parish, Belton and Whitwhick and we look forward to the planned monthly practices to come.

Next is Packington on the 28th July, Ashby on the 20th August and Hugglescote on the 26th September and look forward to seeing everyone again and meeting new members who have not managed to attend yet.

Susie Scales