A Vision - update

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Published: Sunday, 21 July 2013 23:22

Just to keep you up to date:

The eight discussion groups held across the Association are now complete and thank you to the local ringers for making the venue arrangements.

Also, thank you to the 142 ringers from 69 different towers who came along to the groups to meet with us and to those of you who have sent comments via email.

We very much appreciate your time and contributions. All the ideas, comments, suggestions, views will be considered by the working group at their next meeting at the end of July.

It has certainly been a valuable opportunity to meet with so many of you across the County and to hear your views on the current state of ringing in

Nigel's LEJOG - he did it!

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Published: Friday, 07 June 2013 23:18

From Nigel Gale:

I'm delighted to report that I reached John O'Groats yesterday lunchtime, to schedule, just under 12 days after leaving Land's End. After a long train ride south today I am now safely back home in Horsham.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable expedition, all 1060 LEJOG miles of it (plus around another 140 "other" miles). I was extremely lucky with the weather: mostly had a following wind, only about 3 hours of rain in the whole time, and - remarkably - not a single puncture. It could hardly have gone better. If anyone is considering doing the same or something similar, I definitely recommend it.

The full report appears in the latest edition of Soundbow - available from Kathy Howard and in the meantime I would like t

Bells at the South of England Show

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Published: Wednesday, 29 May 2013 23:13

Penelope Keith visited us at the Church Tent at the South of England Show at Ardingly. Here she is enjoying a lesson with Alan Collings with Dewby's Bells - a mini ring of 8 bells.

The Association had a fantastic three days as part of the Church Tent - all thanks to the volunteers who agreed to take part - and we collected contact details for 50 people interested in finding out more locally. More pictures appear on the Gallery Page and a full report to appear in Soundbow Summer 2013.

For those interested in finding out more and perhaps having a go at ringing church bells - two follow up mornings have been arranged on Saturday 29 June at Shipley and Southover (Lewes) towers.

If you would like to know more, contact Marisa H

The South Downs Way - an insider's story!

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Published: Wednesday, 29 May 2013 10:54

On Friday 10th May a group of five ringers from St Leonards in Seaford and two from Staffordshire made their way to Winchester to walk the South Downs Way. Thanks to Mary Burr for contributing this article!

As the train rattled along towards Winchester we began to realise that it was a very long walk back! Eventually we arrived to find other ringers from Seaford and nearby towers having tea in the cathedral tearooms. Just before 4.00pm we nervously made our way up the 100 steps and along the precipitous edge of the nave roof to the ringing chamber where our trepidation in my case turned to fear! Luckily for us Jonathan Franklin from Ringmer was on hand to organise us. He did such a good job that although eight out of twelve of us had never rung on 12 bells before we could be very proud of our performance. It felt like such a privilege to have had that opportunity and what a way to start our walk!

Saturday morning found us beside the King Alfred statue for our first photo. The weather was fine and Winchester was looking incredibly beautiful in the sun as we set off for our first hill. Wearily we arrived in Meonstoke in time for a hot bath before ringing at West Meon followed by dinner and a glass of wine and so the pattern of our days was set. Each day we would walk between 12 and 15 miles before ri

Read more: The South Downs Way - an insider's story!