On Saturday 11 July 2015, ten Cathedral bellringers aged under 18, travelled to Oxford to compete in the fifth national youth contest. They were supported by six adult members of the Cathedral Guild of Bellringers. The event was hosted by the Oxford Society who ring at Christchurch Cathedral and many of the Oxford Colleges and city churches. The other host was the bellringers’ national newspaper the Ringing World. Worcester Cathedral hosted this event in 2014.
Nineteen teams entered the contest from as far afield as the Isle of Wight and Scotland. Our band is the only team which comes from one tower. The other eighteen teams comprised ringers drawn from territories or Dioceses. The contest took place at St Thomas the Martyr with ringing taking place all day. Many of the city churches were also open for ringing. The highlight was some ringing at Christchurch where this band photograph was taken on the staircase used in the Harry Potter films.
Over 400 young ringers, their families and friends met in Merton College chapel for the results. The Worcester Cathedral band came fourth out of the nineteen teams. A great result for our young ringers. One of the judges was Laura Davies (19), a Cathedral ringer who is too old to compete! The Whitechapel Trophy was won by a team From Bedfordshire. We go to London in 2016 and are focused on winning.
Left to right: Georgia Surridge, James Thatcher, Saskia Frisby, Craig Homewood, Matt Southall, Tom Allan, Stuart Lanigan, Michael Burgess, Alistair Smith and William Regan.
