Bell Ringing at St Leonard’s Church

Looking for a new hobby? Why not try Bellringing at St Leonard’s?
If you’re looking for a fun new hobby, then Bell Ringing at St Leonard’s is fun, rewarding and sociable.

We welcome people of all ages who have a musical ear and a desire to learn. Bell ringers practice at Swithland on a Thursday evening at 8pm. When you first start, we’ll take you through the basics and whilst it can take some time to learn, it won’t be too long before you are joining in properly and learning ’rounds’.

On Sundays, the group ring at Swithland, Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves on rotation.

When required and available they ring at weddings.

To find out more contact Jan Beeby.

• Bell Celebration Weekend

  What a wonderful time we had at the weekend and thank you to everyone who played a part in the celebrations.

  We were pleased that Graham from the Whites Bellfoundry was able to attend for the ‘rope ceremony’. This is the traditional way to mark the end of the restoration project when a new bell rope is passed over to the Church.

  

  There was a perfect start to the weekend celebrations with a successful peal on Saturday morning and an ‘open church’ event later that afternoon with a wonderful display of photographs documenting the restoration project. Thanks were also offered to Mr Marc Wainwright, one of our ringers, who has been ringing at St Leonard’s tower for over fifty years.

  

  There was a special ‘Ringers Service’ at 9.30am on Trinity Sunday and the bell rope was used as an interesting illustration of three in one. The bells were rung in the middle of the service as part of our act of worship which was an especially poingnant moment for our band of ringers and many of the congregation did too.

• First wedding of 2022

  It was a delight hearing the wedding bells ring out as we welcomed our first wedding couple of 2022 to the wonderful setting of St Leonard’s Church and we offer our congratulations to Mark & Faye as they embark on the rest of their lives together as man and wife.

  

  The service was conducted by our Acting Rector, Revd Colin Resch. The organist was Mr Paul Wilcox.

• Bell Ringing for VJ Day – 15 August 2020

  

  Whilst VE Day marked the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, many thousands of Armed Forces personnel were still involved in bitter fighting in the Far East. Victory over Japan would come at a heavy price, and Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) marks the day Japan surrendered on the 15th August 1945, which in effect ended the Second World War.

  Fighting in the Asia-Pacific took place from Hawaii to North East India. Britain and the Commonwealth’s principal fighting force, the Fourteenth Army, was one of the most diverse in history – over 40 languages were spoken, and all the world’s major religions represented. The descendants of many of the Commonwealth veterans of that army are today part of multicultural communities up and down the country, a lasting legacy to the success and comradeship of those who fought in the Asia-Pacific.

  This year we remember the contribution of all Commonwealth and Allied Forces, without whom victory and the freedoms and way of life we enjoy today would not have been possible.

  To mark this occasion in Swithland, we will be chiming a bell seventy-five times just after a 2 minute silence is held at 11am on Saturday 15 August 2020.

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