Secretary’s Report for 2015

I think we can look back on the events of 2015 positively and I would like to think we have had another good year in the District.

It is very pleasing to see 24 members elected to the Association, three more than last year, which included eleven from Church Gresley. 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 welcome to the Association: Adam Baker, Marcus & Scott Bates, Steven Blakemore, John Cater, Cameron Collier, James Davidson, Helen Disley, Moira Johnson and Iain & Jayne Mitchell from Church Gresley. Paul Clewett from Derby Cathedral. Lynne Buffey, Emma Hines, Christopher Redfern and Claire Ritchie from Hartshorne. Weronika Gale from Long Eaton. Lynda Leach from Sandiacre. Richard Brooke, Paul Colleyshaw, Traci Gibbon-Groves, Katie Halliday and Jennifer Peckham from Ticknall. Johanna Westwood as an unattached member.

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. We ring to the ability of those attending so do please join us whatever you can ring, we would love to see you.

Congratulations to Adam Baker, Cameron Collier, Helen Disley and Bronwen Wenham from Church Gresley, Jenny Halliday from Melbourne, Roger Harris from Sawley and Richard Brooke from Ticknall, who achieved their first quarter peal this year. Johanna Westwood rang her first peal. Congratulations, well done to you all.

We have had good attendance at our meetings, although would love to see more, and have also benefited from visitors from outside the district. The Annual District Meeting was held at Ilkeston, with ringing at Stanton by Dale beforehand and West Hallam afterwards. After the ADM our first meeting was at Newhall in February followed by the ever popular Quiz at The Royal Oak, Ockbrook in April. With 39 people joining in, spurred on by good beer and the customary quality supper, they wrestled with subjects ranging from presidents with beards to knitting patterns. It was good to see first time teams from Aston on Trent and Sandiacre, with Sandiacre going on to win. We visited Winshill and St Modwen's Burton upon Trent in May, joined Ilkeston's practice in June and had an evening meeting at Alvaston in July. September saw our ringing outing to seven towers ranging from three to eight bells in Rutland, unfortunately this wasn't as well attended but an enjoyable day was had by those who went. October we held a quarter peal week, 22 members took part in seven quarters. In November we went to Long Eaton and we ended the year with over 50 people carol singing, including 'While Shepherds Watched' to the tune of 'Auld Lang Syne', at Ticknall in December. What a lovely end to the year.

Regular Surprise Major and advanced practices have again been held, our thanks to John Hawes for organising these events throughout the year. Please do come along to these practices, they give an opportunity to ring more advanced methods.

Eight teams entered the District Striking Competition, five in the call changes and three in the method. It was fantastic to see the newly formed ringers at Hartshorne taking part in their first ever competition and to have Melbourne entering for the first time in a while. Both the method and call change heats were held at Hartshorne where we received a wonderful welcome and spread of food. Thank you to Graham Hayward from Nottingham for judging. In order of the results, teams from Derby Cathedral, Melbourne and another Derby Cathedral team entered the method heat. Melbourne one & two, Long Eaton/Sawley, Derby Cathedral and Hartshorne entered the call change heat. Derby Cathedral went on to win the Horsley Cup finals and Melbourne went on to win the Arthur Ashby Cup in June. Well done!

A band representing the Southern District entered the Association eight bell competition, which was held at Ashover in October. They rang Yorkshire Surprise Major and came first, congratulations. Francis Gilbert from St Peter's Derby took part, along with other young DDA members, in the National Youth Striking Contest in Oxford. They came a very credible second out of nineteen teams, 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 ssec@derbyda.org.uk and I can add you to my list to receive your own personal copies. I have a plea for tower secretaries, please don't forget to take the posters I send to display in your tower, thank you. I know some secretaries forward my email information to their ringers, I think this is a good way to communicate the district events to everyone. If you feel you could do this for us, as we are keen to get details of our events to everyone, we would be very grateful. Thank you.

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