Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have all had a good Christmas ringing season and were not too badly affected by the snow.
Do let me know if any of your ringing activities brought your bells into a novel context (for your team) that would qualify you for a Chairman’s Challenge certificate. I enjoyed hearing from Fordingbridge Handbell Ringers of their experience playing music specially written for their bells alongside a choral society, brass band and organ in a “Christmas Glory” concert.
I am currently looking forward to seeing many of you at the Small Ensemble Dayat Benson on 3rd February and the AGM Rally at Caterham on 10th March.
Our Golden Jubilee year officially ends with the next National Rally in April, so if your team has not yet been photographed with one of the teddy bears contact your county rep or another bear guardian, and send your photos to the Vice Chair. You can see some of the photos on our Facebook page.
Handbell ringers are invited to Get Creative, a nationwide participatory event taking place during the week 17-25 March 2018. Any kind of creative activity can be a part of the event including arts, crafts and music. It can provide a platform to bring handbell ringing to people who may have no idea what it is like or even that it exists! It is supported by organisations such as Voluntary Arts and the BBC.
The easiest way is to benefit from the fact that many libraries will be supporting the event, so we can approach a local library and offer a handbell ringing hands-on activity and they should provide space. However other activities we may be involved with during this period could well be suitable if we are welcoming people and giving them a chance to Get Creative! For more info on Get Creative! visit the HRGB website or click here.
I have sent more information to county reps and committee members. Alternatively you can contact info@getcreativeuk.com or our National Chairman, Tim Willetts, tim@hrgb.org.uk, who is keen to know of any teams planning to be involved. He would love to have 50 groups around the country involved, and that would make a good final flourish to our Golden Jubilee year!
Gay Cooper gay.cooper@hrgb.org.uk