This morning we made a presentation about handbell ringing to our primary school, with the aim of getting some students interested in a handbell ringing club.  It was very brief, a short introduction to what this was (ringing by patterns) and wasn’t (tunes).

We got the headteacher to ring some rounds, and got Thomas up to ring some plain hunt.  Truth to tell, we had given the headteacher some coaching beforehand, and she took about ten minutes to get plain hunting (pity she is such a busy person).  Then we said that if anyone had any questions they would have to join the club to find out.

It was really well received, and our initial trepidation about undertaking this has been replaced by a worry that we may have too many volunteers.   We thought we would manage this by having 4-week introductory blocks, and then finding a good plan for anybody that wanted to go further with it.

Next week we are bringing a group of handbell ringers to the school’s Christmas Fair for some demonstrations and ‘have a go’ sessions.  We are looking forward to it.

Oh yes, and last night, London, nyet.  Hilariously, after losing a quarter a decent way in, we then found ourselves utterly incapable of completing a plain course of it.  How does that work?  Then we had a go at a touch of Gonville Little Treble Bob (part of another cyclic composition of David Pipe’s, see the peal on Campanophile).  Those long 3-4 places were surprisingly tricky (but it was easier than ringing London).