The Inn Ringers, Stone’s local handbell team, are on the look out for some new recruits to join their ranks.
The team have been very close to cancelling some of their concerts this year due to lack of numbers, the first time in all the 42 years that they’ve ever come close, after one member of the team left in August and due to illness, another member of the team has had to miss the last two concerts.
Musical Director for the team, Paul Mellor says; “We have had to call on three former ringers to come back to ring with us so we could fulfil our concert bookings. We are really grateful to them, some of our concert bookings come in more than a year in advance, it would have been a real shame if we had to pull out of concerts at the very last minute.”
The Inn Ringers are hoping that a few locals might like to make it their New Years resolution to try a different kind of hobby and join the team.
Team secretary Rowena Dawson says; “It is a really great hobby, something very different but totally enjoyable. We have some fun at our practice nights, a lot of laughs but above all, it is about making music and listening to the fantastic sound the bells can make”
‘You don’t have to be able to read music – we have our own kind of music to follow – it enables people who don’t read music able to play in a team and produce the wonderful sound that is unique to handbells.”
The team are looking for people who may be able to give the team some commitment – to practise every Monday evening and to fulfil concert bookings which are mainly within the local area but can sometimes be further afield – the team have performed at The Barbican in London, Civic Hall Wolverhampton, Free Trade Hall in Manchester and Lancaster University to name a few.
One of the main events in The Inn Ringers’ calendar is their annual Christmas concert which this year is to be held at the Meir Heath and Rough Close Village Hall on Sunday 15th December at 3.00pm.
Paul says; “this is our favourite concert of the year – we have a buffet supper, mince pies, mulled wine, a raffle and a charity stall. We also play some bells! We have some fantastic arrangements of Christmas tunes and they always go down well with our audiences. It really is a great way to start your Christmas!”
Tickets for the concert are £6.00 – you can contact Rowena Dawson (for tickets or more details about joining the team) on 07816 545713, rodaws@yahoo.co.uk or theinnringers@aol.com
