The much delayed presentations of the Salisbury Guild Ringer of the Year Awards for 2019 were made on 3 November 2020. The winners were announced earlier this year and it had been hoped that presentations might have been possible at resumed branch meetings, but alas that has not been possible.
The winner of the Adult Award was Julia Russell, the tower captain at West Lavington, in the Devizes Branch and the winner of the Junior Award was Ben, who rings at Heddington, in the Calne Branch.
The Guild President (Judith Williamson), the Guild Master (Robert Wellen) and the Guild Education Officer (David Hacker) visited a ‘well ventilated’ Heddington churchyard to make the presentations, outside and ‘socially distanced’ – it could only happen this year. We had planned to do this on the following Saturday, with Ben present, but the impending second lockdown put pay to that, so unfortunately Ben was not present as it was a school day. His Award was accepted on his behalf by Jeroen, ‘the proud Dad’ and also a ringer at Heddington, and passed on to a delighted Ben that evening. Well done Julia and Ben.
Robert Wellen
Guild Master, Salisbury DG
