For the macular society in Farnborough, Christmas came early this year when our small ensemble bell coir played at their November meeting and a competition was run to select festive music beginning with a variety of musical intervals, and there was a prize for the person who gave most correct answers.
The Bell ringers were very pleased to take part in the Songs of Praise service once again.
We played “wonderful world’ and the children’s singing was wonderful!
Perhaps Denbies Vineyard has a hotline to the weather controller, but after a week of rain and wind Sunday 11 September dawned bright and clear! Good news of St Lawrence Chobham Handbell Ringers who were due to play on the route of the Denbies “Bacchus” Marathon, in which the runners were raising funds for the Princess Alice Hospice.
We played for about three hours (with lots of breaks for food, drink (yes, we were able to partake of a little wine) and photos with the runners, many of whom were in fancy dress.
The sky was blue, the sun was shining, we played well and we had a great time with lots of applause and “thank yous” from the runners as they went past. A very enjoyable community event!
TBA
Chobham St Lawrence Handbell Ringers get all sorts of requests to ring at events around the South of England. Some requests are more unusual than others and entertaining the runners at the 2015 Bacchus Half Marathon held on Denbies Wine Estate in September was no exception. We were asked to entertain runners at one of the refreshment stations enroute which was visited by around 1300 runners of which 1200 were in fancy dress.
‘I wanted to say a huge thank you to Chobham Handbells for their performance at Bacchus Festival on Sunday.
I understand the performance was very well received and sparked a lot of interest with some runners stopping to cheer which is fantastic.
I hope you enjoyed the day and various costumes that went past?
The day was a huge success for the hospice and I’d like to say thank you again for supporting us with the event.’Alison Clare Adams
Community & Events Fundraiser
Princess Alice Hospice
While the runners came by to take a cup of water or sample some of the wines supplied by Denbies we entertained them with music from The Barber of Seville, Memory by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Summertime, one of George Gershwin’s finest. The runners were very appreciative of our playing and some even had a go at ringing. We were certainly entertained by them too as they glided by in the sunshine dressed as nuns, butterflies, Mexicans and Roman Centurions to name but a few. A good day was had by all!
We played our annual summer concert in Chobham Church on 17 July, with music by Rossini, Saint-Saens, Glenn Miller and Andrew Lloyd Webber. We had a large and appreciative audience and raised money both for the team and the church tower fund. The Surrey Advertiser commented that we brought down the house (though our support for the tower fund is intended to keep it upright!)
Once again we held and played our Bells at several public Christmas concerts and also to bring Christmas into several Care Homes this season including…
Walton-on Thames. KT12 2DU 7-30pm Friday 19th December
Chobham church, Woking. GU24 8AA 7-30pm Saturday 20th December
High Cross Church, Camberley. GU15 3SY 11am Saturday 20th December
Woking Leisure Centre, ATOS. GU22 9BA 3pm Sunday 21st December
Your support & generosity helped raise valuable funds to allow for refurbishment of the bells we play – so we can continue providing these concerts to local communities – Many Thanks.
Macro-photograph Quiz: Thank you to everyone who took part. The winner of the £25 prize has now been notified.
Many a fine tune played on old Chobham bells…
The Chobham based Handbell Ringers are keen to continue their charity fund raising concerts.
The bells we play are now the grand old age of 106 years. They were cast in the same foundry as Big Ben, in Whitechapel London, and they have recently been returned there for refurbishment.
We hold many concerts throughout the year but the Bells are especially popular at Christmas time…
…Thanks to everyone who came to our summer concerts; we hope you enjoyed it as much as we do playing, and hope to see you again soon, this time playing upon refurbished Bells !
We held our first summer concert for 2014 at our home base at St Lawrence Church Chobham – and also a second at St Andrews Church in Goldsworth park in July.
