12th January saw Ampthill hosting our bellringing district’s AGM. Bellringers from various Bedfordshire towers arrived from 3.30pm to ring, then there was a short service at 5.00pm where Revd David said some rather lovely things about the part bellringers play in the life of the Church. After the service was the usual scramble for tea, with around forty people keeping us busy supplying sandwiches, cakes and cups of tea – so many cups of tea! After the actual business meeting was over, those who could went back up to the tower for more ringing.

We have another peal attempt coming up on 8th March – a band of Bedfordshire bellringers will start ringing at 9.30am, and should finish by 12.30pm. A full peal is quite an achievement, and one has not been rung at Ampthill for around ten years so we are keeping our fingers crossed that this one goes without a hitch. The peal organiser, Martin Major, intends to put a footnote to the peal with best wishes to Jim Yates, who was Tower Captain at Ampthill for many years and was instrumental in getting the ring augmented from six to eight bells in the early 1980s.

It is good that the bells are being put to such good use; lately our numbers have been depleted, partly by two of our regular ringers

going off to university. We have one young learner who is doing very well and we would love to get some more recruits. Bellringing is a fascinating hobby which can take up as much or as little of your time as you wish, practically anyone over the age of ten is capable of learning, and although we sometimes get forgotten because we are a little hidden away, we provide a useful service to the Church. There are also lots of social events, ringing outings and chances to ring at other towers in Bedfordshire.

If you would like to find out more about bellringing and perhaps come up on a Wednesday evening to have a go, please contact.......................

Jackie O’Regan on (01525) 630242 or send an email to jackie@ampthillringers.org.uk.

Jackie O'Regan