all saints church staplehurst number two bell

Staplehurst Bellringers Report May 2021

It is now more than a year since we had to cease ringing due to the Coronavirus pandemic and contact with each other has been limited to our weekly Zoom meetings or occasionally passing each other in the street. Various members of the band have, however, managed to chime three bells at Christmas, toll one bell on 23rd March to commemorate those lives lost during the pandemic, and most recently toll one bell half-muffled for the death of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. The last two of these were part of the national events requested by the Church of England and all were carried out in accordance with social distancing requirements.

However brighter days look to be on the horizon. As I write this, we have just reached the second phase of the planned road map out of lockdown, so there is a cause for some optimism. If all goes according to plan hoped to be able to ring, albeit on a limited number of bells and only for short periods, from 17th May. Then, provided all legal restrictions are removed by then, we hope to return to normal ringing from 21st June.

Whilst we have all, undoubtedly, missed our activities in all their varied forms of services, practices, outings, competitions, teaching, social activities, etc., we are remaining positive and look forward to that happy day when we can climb the spiral staircase and begin ringing again together once more.

Roy Barclay
Tower Secretary

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