So Christmas is over for another year.
As always it was a busy time for the handbell ringers.
We began at Mill View care Home in Bradford at the end of November where the residents all enjoyed our first rendition of our Christmas Music.
In December we visited another care home – Ashfield at Skipton where we had performed a few years ago.
In fact this was a festive season where we were invited to make return visits to a number of locations. We also returned to the Parkinsons Group at Baildon Community Link Centre and to the Brown Cow Inn at Ireland Bridge. Of course it is always easier to ring at places where the audience at sat down and we have their full attention.
In a pub, and particularly just before Christmas, people are obviously busing eating, drinking, ordering and generally chatting to their friends so that we are merely background noise. We trust the bells however added to the festive atmosphere and were appreciated.
Our final performance was at Beacon Community Church, Wibsey where we performed at their annual carol service. This was a lovely service with a choir, general community singing, poems and readings. There were even mince pies and coffee in the mid service break! We performed some pieces on the full 3 octave set in the first half and some 2 octave sing a long pieces in the second half. Then as we left the church for the drive home we discovered snow had fallen whilst we were inside – very seasonal!
Once again we had, unfortunately, to turn down a number of requests for Christmas performances due to our already busy diary. It appears that the message must have got through though and we already have a number of bookings for Christmas 2020 from groups who do not want to be disappointed again.
Please contact our bookings secretary Anne soon if you are also interested in inviting us to perform for you.
In the meantime, wishing you all the best for the New Year.
Solna Burnham (07884 233382)
Bingley Handbell Ringers
