Ringing connections

The band of ringers at All Saints is the strongest in the area. Naturally we take pride in that, but we also take pride in our contribution to the wider ringing community – something of which non-ringers might not be aware.

Like most groups associated with All Saints a lot of activity is within the Parish – weekly practices and service ringing – but there is a lot going on outside as well.

We are all members of the Sonning Deanery Branch of the Oxford Diocesan Guild, which organises over 70 practices a year for ringers from all local towers. They range from elementary to advanced, and they enable individuals to make progess and achieve more than they would be able to within their home towers.

There is also an active youth programme, where Young Ringers from different towers can regularly meet to ring with each other and with young ringers in neighbouring branches.

With strength comes responsibility, so it is perhaps no surprise that out of the fifteen towers in the Branch, All Saints provides three of its ten officers run it (Chairman, Ringing Master and Training Officer).

All Saints contributes to the health of local ringing in another way. There is a widespread tradition of ringers attending other towers’ practices. Over the years we have had not only occasional visitors (perhaps visiting Wokingham for work or holiday) but also many regular visitors who come to advance their own ringing, and of course because they enjoy ringing with us.

In recent months it has been pleasing to see the progress made by our regular visitors (including several youngsters) with our support.

Regular visitors also help us provide a better service. For example if several of our own ringers are away when we need to ring a quarter peal for evening service or a special event we can call on a wider pool.

A former Rector once commented favourably on the ringers interaction with ringers in other parishes, compared to some more parochial groups, but I don’t think even he appreciated the nature of the ringing community, which is far more than a collection of separate tower bands.

John Harrison (April 2024)