West Dorset AGM Report

There was a great turnout for the 2025 AGM on the 15th November, this year held at Beaminster.

 

The afternoon started with a service in the church taken by Revd Chris Luckraft who is also one of the local ringers and then up the tower for an afternoon of ringing. The heavy ten were a new experience for many of the attendees – most of us in West Dorset being used to sixes – so there were plenty of rounds and call changes led by Ringing Master, David Barrance, for everyone to get to grips with the different techniques needed for ringing accurately on higher numbers.  Some of the more experienced ringers also rang touches of Grandsire Caters, Stedman Caters and Cambridge Major. The bells at Beaminster can be something of a handful but happily the standard of ringing showed off their magnificent tone to its best.

 

An excellent Tea was provided in the church courtesy of the Beaminster ringers and their well-equipped kitchen which, when all present were well sated, was followed by the AGM.

 

Following the election of new members and the usual reports on finances and the LEBRF, David initiated a discussion about Branch practices. First he summarised the past year detailing the great success of our Thursday morning Bradpole practices which variously cover on rotation basic call changes, plain hunt and doubles, more advanced minor and an eight bell practice ranging from triples to surprise major.  Monthly Saturday practices had been quite variable in their attendance and feedback from the floor suggested that moving them to the evening might get better attendance.  Opinions are varied in this respect so David said he would consider changing the times on some of them. He also asked what else the branch could do and several attendees asked for midweek evening practices although others voiced a concern that they may conflict with a tower’s normal practice.  One idea for consideration is that a tower may open their regular practice to the Branch to run an evening Branch Practice instead of their regular one which would also benefit the tower’s own ringers by attracting people who may be able to ring things that a tower hasn’t got quite enough people to attempt.  If any Tower is interested in doing this, David asks them to contact him. Sunday practices was also something proposed which seemed to have quite a lot of support.

 

David also suggested that we make incumbents aware that, even if a church doesn’t have a local band to ring for weddings, the branch would be happy to act to match ringers to their event.

 

Next came Sue Carter, our Training Officer, who shared that, following her questionnaire circulated at the end of 2024 we had held several successful training courses including

 

 

Sue extended her thanks to Nick, Andy and Tim for their help with these and Sue and David are currently running 2 follow up Listening courses for 7 students.

 

She plans to repeat some of these courses as required as well as holding a Raising and Lowering course early in the new year.

 

The Longridge Silver Salver was presented to John Fry who rings at Sherborne and Longburton in recognition of his sterling work with learners and improvers at Longburton and his leadership in building a team to a level where they could enter the Guild’s Novice Striking Competition.

 

The current members of the committee were re-elected for another year. Chairman Nick Baker encouraged members throughout the branch to join the committee and support the continuing efforts.