There were 9 District events organised this year plus we hosted the Association Eight Bell contest in October. All events went ahead as planned and were generally well attended. I am also pleased to be able to report a much better situation this year with district Quarter Peals. Thanks to the efforts of our Ringing Master, Anne Westman, we have attempted 12 quarters, all rung for Sunday Services and were successful in 7 of them. These included 10 firsts of various types and also included a good number of younger ringers.
The year started with the ADM attended by over 30 members held at Bolsover with afternoon ringing at Heath and Sutton Scarsdale. With great enthusiasm we elected a committee totalling 14 members.
February saw our first social event, the Quiz, held this year at the New Inn, Winsick. This event was ably organised and run by the Jeffrey family despite Terry getting out of hospital just a day prior and whilst he looked tired he showed all his usual enthusiasm for such events. Sadly as we now know this was to be one of his last District events, Terry died in early April following an evening out with family and friends. We all will sadly miss him and his enthusiasm for all things ringing. Eight teams participated in the quiz and the event was won by “The Devonshire Dogs”, a team from Old Whittington but in the now time honoured fashion the “Village Idiots” aka the Westman family, who came third, will be organising the 2009 event.
Our striking contest heats were held at Clay Cross in March and I’m pleased to report that this year 7 teams participated and this is despite Eckington not fielding a team, a first in many years. The results were:
Arthur Ashby |
Horsley Cup |
1 - Old Brampton 210¾ points |
1 – Staveley 204¼ points |
2 – Staveley 145 points |
2 - Old Whittington 182 points |
3 - Young Ringers 109 points |
3 - Old Brampton 178½ points |
|
4 – Not So Young Ringers lots of faults so approx 148 points |
Old Brampton & Staveley went through to the respective finals. Our thanks go to David Marshall for again judging our District heats.
April saw the first of our Young Ringers events with a practice on the light 8 of Pinxton where some extremely accomplished ringing was achieved. On May Day we held our car tour, this year to East Yorkshire. This was another success and thanks must go to Andrew Hall for organising the day. We started at Eastrington and finished at Howden with five other towers in between. In June we went out of county to ring at Ranmoor. I am particularly pleased to report that this was a well attended meeting with many younger ringers present and a very good standard of ringing was achieved on this excellent ring of 10. The Sheffield branch has invited us to a joint meeting, which is organised for August 2009 at Ecclesfield.
In July Tim and Caroline Swift ably organised our Car Treasure Hunt, 9 cars started from Old Whittington Church and all found their way to the Highwayman on the Baslow road. The Westman family came first but Tim & Gill Ball, picked out of the hat by young William Hardwick, will set the contest in 2009. Tim & Gill organised our successful 2004 event so I look forward with anticipation to the next one.
August has often been a month that we have not held a meeting; it was decided this year to have a District Practice at Dronfield on their normal practice night. This was one of the best attended events of the year with more than 30 ringers in attendance. In September there was a “Ring & Dine” ringing at Tibshelf followed by food at the Poets, Ashover.
In October we hosted the 8 bell contest with general ringing at Pleasley, Clay Cross and Scarcliffe whilst the contest was held at North Wingfield. We entered two teams in the contest with our A team being placed a creditable 3rd and our B team 5th, six bands competed.
Our last tower ringing event of the year was at Killamarsh in November, which whilst not well attended was enjoyable with quite a few of those in attendance ringing Killamarsh Treble Bob for the first time. In December the Young Ringers held a meeting at Riddings ringing both the newly refurbished tubular bells and hand bells.
I am sad to have to report the deaths of four Chesterfield ringers this year. As well as Terry Jeffrey we lost Pam Ashley, Gordon Briggs (HL) and Tom Staveley and whilst Terry was the only active ringer recently I for one have many fond memories of all of them and I’m sure that goes for many of our members as well. They will all be sadly missed and our thoughts and prayers are with their families.
My thanks as usual to all those towers who have welcomed us and to all members and others involved in organising events. My thanks for the support of all the committee, but my particular thanks to Pam and Karen, who have continued to support ringing and committee events despite their family heartbreak.
Having been a member of the Association for 26 years, of which I have served 18 on the District Committee, 12 of these in one or other of the 3 principal posts, I have decided that whilst happy to serve on the committee I can no longer devote the time required to the principal officer posts and I shall therefore not be standing for any of these positions. I am however grateful to the District members for putting up with me over this time and also grateful that I am stepping down when the District appears to be in the ascendance in ringing terms. I look forward to supporting District events, hopefully organised principally by others, in the future.