Southern District

I think we can look back on the events of 2014 extremely positively and I would like to think we have had another good year in the District.

It is very pleasing to see 21 members elected to the Association again this year which included eight from Sandiacre. We welcome to the Association: Sam & Rachel Jopp from Derby Cathedral, Barry Brough and Jim Elliott from Derby St Luke's, Edward Barnett and Gaereth Cooke from Ilkeston, Jenny Halliday and Duncan & Lucy Saunders from Melbourne, Ken Ballington, Simon Coe, John Shortt and Wendy Mann from Repton and Anne Bareford, Pamela Bassett, Anne Castledine, Karen Dale, Karen Lewis, Carolyn Mayo, Shelley Redfern and James Watts from Sandiacre. We were very pleased to see a lot of you at the meetings last year and we look forward to seeing you at future District events; everyone is always most welcome. It’s good to have new life in the District and I hope we will continue to encourage people to learn this art and support new ringers. We also had two members transfer from non resident life members to resident members last year; we welcome Martin & Maggie Whiteley from Derby Cathedral.

Also congratulations to Ian Alexander from Alvaston, Fiona Redfern from Derby St Peter's, Duncan Saunders from Melbourne and Martin Mienczakowski from Ockbrook who achieved their first quarter peal this year. Francis Gilbert and Bernard Taylor rang their first peal this year, congratulations. Well done to you all.

We have had very good attendance at our meetings and have also benefited from several visitors. The Annual District Meeting was held at Derby St Peter's this year, with ringing at Spondon beforehand and Derby Cathedral afterwards. After the ADM our first meeting was at Ockbrook in February followed by the ever popular Quiz at The Royal Oak there in April. With 38 people joining in, spurred on by good beer and the customary quality supper, they wrestled with subjects ranging from Voltaire to Thomas the Tank Engine. After 60 gruelling questions, it was tight at the top, with Ockbrook victorious by a single point over Aston 'A', who took the tie-break for second place ahead of Derby Cathedral. We visited Derby St Luke's in May and saw the return of the pot-luck striking contest in June. 21 ringers from the District took part marking everyone’s ringing. Pam Timm's team won, well done. It was very exciting to visit the newly restored bells at Sandiacre in July and meet the new ringers there. The thunderstorm afterwards was watched, and stood in, with great joy. In August we returned to visit Chellaston after last year's clash with an event in the hall. September we held a quarter peal day, with 26 members taking part and six out of the seven quarters were successful. Congratulations to Chris Gilbert and Rachel Jopp who achieved firsts in methods. October saw our ringing outing to seven towers between Alton and Leek. Unfortunately this wasn't as well attended as normal but an enjoyable day was had by those who went. In November we went to Repton, enjoying the replicas of the Staffordshire Hoard on display in the Church. We ended the year with over 50 people carol singing, including 'While Shepherds Watched' to the tune of 'O for a thousand tongues', not quite as good as the year we sang it to 'Auld Lang Syne', at Ticknall in December. What a lovely end to the year.

This year regular Surprise Major and advanced practices have again been held. These have given people an opportunity to ring more advanced methods; please come along to these future practices. Our thanks to John Hawes for organising these events throughout the year.

Six teams entered the District Striking Competition, three in the call change and three in the method. Both the method and call change heats were held at Aston on Trent where we received a wonderful welcome and spread of food. Thank you to Tim Poole from Nottingham for judging. In order of the results, teams from Derby Cathedral, Derby St Peter's and another Derby Cathedral team entered the method heat; Derby St Peter's, Long Eaton/Sawley and Derby Cathedral entered the call change heat. Derby Cathedral went on to come second in the Horsley Cup and Derby St Peter's went on to come third in the Arthur Ashby Cup in June. Well done. A band representing the Southern District entered the Association eight bell competition, which was hosted by ourselves at Netherseal in October, with open ringing at Lullington and Overseal. The District team rang Cambridge Surprise Major and came first, congratulations.

One young ringer from our District, Francis Gilbert, took part in the National Youth Striking Contest in Worcester along with other DDA members; this year they rang in the method section for the first time. Well done.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the District committee for their work and support, especially those who took on the arranging of events, preparing delicious cakes for meetings, and taking minutes in my absence.

I continue to send out our District information via email as well as hard copies in the post. This is available for all District members to receive. Just send an email to me and I can add you to my list to receive your own personal copies.

Finally I would like to thank the incumbents for the use of their bells and to all the tower captains who work so hard and keep ringing alive throughout the District. I just ask that members support our events next year to make it another very successful year. Thank you.
M Elizabeth Cotton
Comments