Our ADM in January started the year with a well- attended meeting, and a delicious tea, at Ashford.

The Striking Contest heats took place at Wetton and Hartington, on a cold but bright day.  The Hartington ringers had organised a wonderful spread at the British Legion club, which gave everyone a chance to get together and await the results in warmth and comfort.  Judge, Jim Andrews, placed Tideswell first in the Method section, with Darley Dale ‘A’ as runners up, with Ashford and Hartington first and second in the Call Changes.  Darley Dale went on to win the Horsley Cup.  Our thanks to Jim for his judging skills, and congratulations to the successful teams.  The Eight Bell Trophy also returned to the Peak District for the fourth year running, so again, congratulations are in order.

As always the most popular meeting of the year was the District Outing, which this year saw the coach full of ringers and friends heading for the Severn Valley and  Malvern Hills, with the brave defying the height to ring at Pershore and the rest of us enjoying the less vertiginous towers.  Many thanks to the Taylor family, who put together these great days out.

To add variety to our District Meetings, both summer events took us out of the county, to Ranmoor in June and Bradfield and Bolsterstone in July, while in August members rang at Bamford and Hathersage, some walking between the two towers.

A highlight for many ringers this year was the Hundred Ringers Event, organised by Linda Pelc, at Bakewell, to commemorate the centenary of ‘Ringing World’.  One hundred ringers came together for a most enjoyable afternoon, ringing in relay for a hundred minutes.  Many congratulations to Linda for conceiving and organising this event with such precision, to Linda’s helpers and to all who took part.  It was heartening to see so many ringers of differing abilities coming together.  What shall we do next, Linda?

At the beginning of October, Peak District hosted the DDA Autumn Meeting at Darley Dale, and later in the month, Gail Lilley did a sterling job organising two Quarter Peal Days, covering the whole of our district, giving as many ringers as possible the chance to take part.  Thank you, Gail, for taking on this very complicated task again, and thank you to all who took part.

The last meeting of the year was the Carol Service, held at Youlgreave.  After the service, members enjoyed a Pie and Pea Supper in the Village Hall.  Thank you to David Camm for organising this, and to his small but hard-working team of helpers.

We were saddened to hear of the death, at the beginning of October, of Frances Hibbert, of Chapel- en- leFrith.  Frances had been a ringer there for 40 years, and was a fount of knowledge about the church and the local area.  In 2010 she had received Maundy Money for services to the church.  Our sympathies go to her family and friends.

Finally, could I thank the committee for their support and hard work through the year, and the tower captains and incumbents for the use of their bells and for making us so welcome?