In 2010 our Association is going to welcome the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers to Derbyshire. It will be the Council’s second visit to Derbyshire since the inception of our Association. Last time the Council was here it was 1977. A whole week of activities was planned, rather than the customary weekend. Then it was announced that there would be an extra Bank Holiday as it was Her Majesty the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Needless to say, this was a good reason to have plenty of extra ringing – and many of the Council representatives planned to do the extra ringing at home, rather than in Derbyshire. Among the activities arranged was a Civic Reception. The reception was attended not only by the majority of the Central Council members, but also by the Bishop of Derby, The Mayor of Derby and the Provost of Derby Cathedral. At the reception a significant announcement was made: Derby had been selected to be the new Jubilee City! The first announcement of Derby’s City status was made then, as Derby’s most important citizens were present. The Provost (Very Rev. Ronald Beddoes) immediately suggested that the Cathedral bells should be rung to celebrate Derby’s elevation. So, at midnight, the Cathedral ringing chamber became a hive of activity, the bells were rung for an hour – and the Provost brought several bottles of wine to add to the festivities. In spite of many Council members going home, the week of activities which had been arranged was a tremendous success and enjoyed by both the visitors and the Derbyshire ringers and their families.
This time we are unlikely to have such excitement, but we are hoping that the visit of the Council will be just as successful as it was in 1977. We hope that many Association members will be involved in the visit. We shall be asking for your help in a variety of ways: to man the ‘help’ desk at the Derby Conference Centre, which is where the meeting is to be held; to act as stewards and tellers at the meeting itself, to run ringing at the various towers during the course of the long weekend and to welcome visiting ringers to your churches for practice and Sunday ringing. As well as helping, we would very much like to encourage you to join in as much as possible: there will be ringing at various churches throughout the Diocese, a Dinner at the Conference Centre and a Songs of Praise service at Melbourne church. The Council will be here for the weekend of May 28th – 31st 2010. Please put the dates in your diaries and let us accord the Council a true Derbyshire welcome.