Haughton Village News

Haughton Village News

Flowers from a Garden in Ash Drive Haughton

 











St. Giles Church and Bell Ringers

This week's Holy Communion service will be taken by Cath Brumfitt at St. Giles and will be on Sunday, August 23rd at 10 am.  Due to Coronavirus restrictions numbers are limited to a maximum of 27. Please wear a mask, observe social distancing, and use hand sanitizer when entering and leaving the church.  Thank you for your patience and co-operation during these difficult times.


Unfortunately, we won't have enough ringers to ring for the service, but a bell will be tolled to signal there is a service.


Our practice night on Wednesday 19th August was attended by our 6 band members who are no longer self-isolating. We had a practice of rounds and then Queens, in preparation for a performance of Queens for Margaret and Geoff's Smith's Diamond Wedding anniversary, both of them turned up at 8.30 and were able to enjoy the bells from inside the church.  After we finished they came to the Shropshire to enjoy a pre-celebration drink.


The performance has been sent to Bell Board, please see the link below:

https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1386146 


The Team and Geoff and Margaret.


 







Drop In Art Class to Resume on Wednesday Mornings - Haughton Village Hall






Geoffrey and Margaret Smith - Diamond Wedding Anniversary

 Congratulation to Geoffery and Margaret Smith on their 60th (Diamond) Wedding Anniversary

20th August 2020




Ringing for VJ Day at Haughton

Saturday 15th August 2020 was the 75th anniversary of the end of the fighting in Japan, VJ day.  Unfortunately, we were unable to ring for VE day earlier on in the year due to the Lockdown situation caused by the Coronavirus, however, we could ring for VJ. and as a team decided to ring 75 whole pulls of rounds (123456) and 75 whole pulls of queens (135246)

We've recorded the performances on bell board:

https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1385006

https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1385013

Video of our performance: Video made by Emily Lock

Our ringers were:

1. Karen Powell

2. Trevor Lock

3. Mervyn Lock

4. Dick Bowler

5. Jocelyne Lock

6. Trevor Stacey


Click the link below for the other bell-ringing performances throughout the World.

https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/event.php?id=13084

A message from Geoff and Margaret Smith

We would like to put on record our grateful thanks to the many people who helped us in various ways during the lockdown. However, a special mention must go to young Harvey Hall who delivered our daily paper without fail for almost 20 weeks. Harvey is a credit to himself, his parents, his school and to this village.

Also thanks to the Bellringers for their Saturday morning ring to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VJ Day.






Learning to Ring - Rope Handling and Bell Control

For the Bell Ringers 

Most towers have bell ringers all at different stages, from learning how to pull a rope and controlling a bell, through to the most complicated of methods.  I have been involved in teaching our new recruits for as long as I can remember. There are plenty of good books to read that can explain how to do it far better than I can (the yellow one per learner book is a good non-complicated one), however, I find repetition is normally the good way to learn, and so I find myself repeating the DO's and DON'Ts to try and help my learners to achieve a good ringing style.  I've compiled a list below to help them learn away from the tower.  There's a link to this post from the 'Learn to Ring' Page

Learning the Back-Stroke (Rope end):

If you are right-handed then your ringing hand is your right hand, if you are left-handed then your ringing hand is your left.  Your hands should be placed together with your ringing hand above the non-ringing hand. There should be no gap! 

DO's

Stand with your feet slightly apart (not too far, so that you are standing stable)

Stand about 2 handspans away from the rope.

Start from a fully stretched position (both hands together - one hand above the other).

Pull all the way down in a straight line, bending your elbows, to keep the rope straight.

Flick the rope with your wists at an imaginary 'X' on the floor.

Pull slightly faster than the bell moves, keeping tension on the rope at all times.

Let the rope pull your arms right up, back to the fully stretched position.

Keep your hands together at all times.

DONT'S

Don't bend your back (keep it straight)

Don't bend your knees

Don't cross your hands over

Don't have a gap between your hands.

Learning the Handstroke (Sally - Fluffy bit)

Start from a fully stretched position (one above the other).

Pull firmly Let go just above waist height (very important)

Let the Sally go up, and let the instructor pull the backstroke,

Catch the Sally about waist height in the position where you let go, then let it take your hands to the fully stretched position.

DON'TS

Don't bend your back

Don't bend your knees

Don't cross your hands over. 

Don't have a gap between your hands.

Learning to put both stokes together

You should be able to ring both strokes with ease and should be able to set the bell at both strokes.

Hold the backstroke in your non-ringing hand, at the bottom of your thumb and index finger. It should be balanced here with your thumb, instead of being griped.

Put your hands (while holding the backstroke) on the Sally.

Firstly, start pulling the Handstroke, transferring the ringing hand to the backstroke (at the bottom), just above the non-ringing hand.

Let the Backstroke lift your hands up to the stretch position. 

Pull down the backstroke, bending your elbows, keeping the rope straight, and aim at a pretend X on the floor by flicking the rope by using your wists. 

(Your instructor may then want to catch the handstroke at this time, and will get you to repeat this stage until you are confident enough to catch the handstroke)

After pulling the backstroke, just reach out at waist height, resting the tailend at the bottom of your non-ringers hand and catch the Sally.

Let the Sally take your hands to the fully stretch position and repeat the process.

You will now need plenty of practice ringing the bell on your own to really feel it and to gain 'bell control'.

Ring your bell balance to balance.

Don't rush each stroke, make as much time as possible.

COMMON HANDLING FAULTS

It doesn't matter how experienced you become, it is always a good idea to keep tabs on your ringing technique. Grab every opportunity to self evaluate yourself, whenever you can.  Below are a few of the bad habits to try and avoid.

1. Holding/ Catching the rope with your hands apart - Keep your hands together, ringing hand above your non-ringing hand.

2. Crossing over your hands - Don't cross over your hands, try and maintain consistency.

3. Transferring your ringing hand to the backstroke (tailend) as it's moving on the way up - Transfer your hand as it is coming off the Sally, and place it directly on the backstroke at the bottom, before the backstroke starts moving. 

4. Not pulling all the way down. - Pull the backstroke all the way down, flick at an imaginary 'X' on the floor.

5. Standing too far away - Always stand in a comfortable position in a way that you can pull the rope straight. 

6. Avoid making a circle with your hands while catching the handstroke - All hand movements should be kept near the rope and in a straight line.  Trying to 'grab' the Sally will result in a 'circular flick' of the rope and in a small ringing circle, this may cause the rope to wander to your next teammate.

More books about bell ringing are available from the Central Council's website:

https://cccbr.org.uk/shop/




Church Services and Bell Ringing Times - August 2020

Saturday, August 15th 

St. Giles Church Bells will ring at 9.30am for VJ day

Sunday, August 16th 

St. Giles’ Church, Haughton will be open for private prayer from 10.00a.m. to 11.00a.m. - Bell ringing will start at 9.30am

St. Editha’s Church, Church Eaton, 10.00a.m. Holy Communion 

Sunday, August 23rd 

St. Giles’ Church, Haughton, 10.00a.m. Holy Communion - Bell ringing to start at 9.30am

Due to Coronavirus restrictions numbers are limited to a maximum of 27. Please wear a mask, observe social distancing, and use hand sanitizer when entering and leaving the church.  Thank you for your patience and co-operation during these difficult times.

 

Sunday, August 30th

St. Giles’ Church, Haughton will be open for private prayer from 10.00a.m. to 11.00a.m. - Bell ringing will start at 9.30am

St. Mary’s Church, Bradley, 10.00a.m. Holy Communion

Staffordshire Mobile Library

The Mobile Library Service is to start up again this month.   In the first instance there will be a revised and simplified timetable to reduce risks, with the Mobile Library stopping in a smaller number of larger villages for a whole morning or afternoon.  As a result the Mobile Library will be returning to Haughton Village Hall car park on Monday, 17th August, between 1pm and 3pm

Although there will be no service on Bank Holiday Monday, 31st August, the Mobile Library will subsequently visit Haughton Village Hall between 1pm & 3pm every two weeks from then onwards (i.e. Monday 14th September,     Monday 28th September,   Monday 12th October etc).

Although the mobile Library will be returning to Haughton in the first instance, it will not be returning to neighbouring Church Eaton, Moreton & Bradley.  Details of the full timetable for the whole area will be available on the Staffordshire County Council Library service website.


On the first visit it will largely be a matter of people being able to return books, and they will be issued with request slips which they can fill in either on the spot, or perhaps more likely for the following visit, then books can be got ready for them to borrow.  In the first instance borrowers will not be allowed onto the mobile library, to guarantee social distancing; instead they will be greeted & served at the door. Any books returned by people will be placed in a separate box so that they are `quarantined’ for 72 hours before they’re put back on the shelves.

Wednesday 12th August 2020 Bell Ringing Practice

Our six ringers turned up promptly as we were keen to practice for VJ day.  We had decided to keep things simple and ring 75 'whole pulls'  of rounds, to mark the 75th anniversary of VJ.  

We practice most of the night, and towards the end of the evening, the rounds were getting quite steady. To make things a little different towards the end, as Captain I decided we should try ringing 'Queens' the order of Queens is 135246 - all the odds and then all the evens - then we moved on to 'Tittums' 142536.  We have some work to strike the new changes evenly, but both had promise.

We confirmed our VJ ringing would be on Saturday 9.30 to 10am.  Please do listen.  If you would like to know more about VJ day please click this Wikipedia Link

Upon leaving our practice there was a massive Thunderstorm, so we all had to rush to the cars, and shelter in the Shropshire!!!!

Our next practice will be Wednesday 19th August at 8pm.



Haughton Drive Sale - 8th August

There will be a Drive sale this Saturday, August 8th

St. Giles Grove, Haughton

1pm to 4pm


Harvey and Jamie


The Bell Inn Haughton

Every Wednesday throughout August!!! 
Give us a call to book your table.
We look forward to welcoming you all at The Bell

St Giles Church Services and Bell Ringing

Sunday Services across the Benefice for the next three weeks:

Sunday, 2 August, St. Mary's Church, Bradley, 10.00a.m.
Sunday, 9 August, St Matthew's Church, Derrington, 10.00a.m.
Sunday, 16 August, St. Editha's Church, Church Eaton, 10.00a.m.

There will be our usual Private Prayer services at Haughton on 2nd, 9th and 16th August.  Starting at 10am.  The Church Bellringers will start ringing at 9.30am for each of the private prayer meetings.

Wednesday  5th August Bell Ringers.
We had 5 ringers turn up, as Karen had got called to work.  We decided to change things slightly by putting Dick on the Tenor in the view of teaching him to Tenor behind.   We had some good steady rounds on the back 5 and tried some Plain Hunt on 3 with 4 and 5 behind.  The Plain Hunt needs a little more practice!

We then discussed VJ day (15th August) and have decided to ring on Saturday 15th, time to be confirmed. Discussing what we ought to ring, 75 rounds was suggested, but this would mean either standing on the backstroke or pulling off from the backstroke.  We decided pulling off on the backstroke may be more successful and so we finished the practice by practicing just that!

We are very keen to maintain social distancing, and so are only open to 6 ringers.  If you want to join us, please contact us beforehand to see if we have a spare rope, if we have you'll be more than welcome to join us!