Vale Bellringers

Winners of the Paul Taylor Shield 2008

The last Saturday in September saw an invasion of Alderney by Bell Ringers. They came from Vale, Town, Forest and St Peters and even some from Jersey!

So the Vale contingent were to be found at some unearthly hour at the airport checking in for the first flight of the day to Alderney. The flight into Alderney is always spectacular flying in over the cliffs. A bumpy ride over the grass to the airport and off to Town for coffee.

Ringing got underway at 10 a.m. followed by a short service and the ADM and striking competition draw. Lunch was served at the Masonic Hall – prepared by Andrew Montgomery and his helpers.

The striking competition started soon after lunch and the Vale team rang fifth. After trying out each of our bells (which the judge said sounded like continental ringing) we launched into our test piece. Some very nice ringing marred, or so we thought, by a small method error towards the end. We also put in a Vale scratch team to give our two ringers not in the main competition a taste of competition ringing.

Over tea the results were given. The scratch team came 7th(out of 8) A good effort with good remarks from the judge. It’s always an age as the results are given. I can just imagine how it feels in these celebrity TV shows where the results are given in “no particular order” when there is this pause before the results.

So we climbed through from 7th and ever upwards until there remained two teams, ourselves and the Town. Much to our amazement Town were judged to be in second place and the shield was ours. Our strength, according to the judge was in our rhythm and remaining calm when a mistake was made.

The Paul Taylor Shield will hang proudly in the Baptistery until next year when the competition will be held here in Guernsey at the Town Church.

Mike Bubb, Tower Captain

E-mail: mbubb@guernsey.net

The Paul Taylor Shield