Merribells U3A
The Merribells meet at the Gorse Hill Community Centre on Thursday mornings, with the main group meeting on alternate weeks and a training group, consisting of members of the main group and beginners, meeting on the interim Thursday. Beginners progress from their group into the main group.
Merribells was formed in 2001 as an ‘offshoot’ from the Merrifolk group when their leader Ron Tanner, persuaded a few other members to try their hand at hand bell ringing on a set of bells that he possessed. They began by playing tunes ‘by numbers’ and started to entertain some local audiences. Soon a couple of other enthusiasts joined to bring their number up to six, with each ringer playing two, and sometimes more, bells.
Boosted by confidence and with the help of a very substantial Lottery Grant they acquired a set of Malmark Bells, manufactured in America, consisting of 27 bells that covered two octaves. The natural progression from this was to play using notational music, which besides offering more scope, produced better results.
Others have since joined the group, and when it was full, the training group was set up. We now have a set of Belleplates, (sometimes found in schools) which are played alongside the hand bells when we have spare ringers.
We are invited to play at various clubs, societies, retirement groups and residential homes, not only locally but as far as Cricklade and Chippenham. We give about an hour’s entertainment playing a wide variety of tunes, interspersed with the odd bit of humour, storytelling and song. Several of our members can also play other musical in struments and sometimes give a solo tune.
We are also affiliated to the Hand bell Ringers of Great Britain and in this capacity attend ringing rallies in the South West of England, meeting other ringers and joining with them in massed ringing sessions.
We will always welcome anyone, providing that they can read music, to have a try at hand bell ringing, phone 01793 812282 for more information.
Contact name
Francis Hobbs
Address - Map
Gorse Hill Community Centre Chapel Street
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN2 8DA
Tel
01793 812282
Email
jannhobbs@aol.com