Aughton GatheRing 2026
Aughton Rally March 2026
The event started with two pieces of massed ringing with members of Hoad View and Llandudno Teams joining the other groups.
Kingsfold “I heard the voice of Jesus” Arranged by Angela Jones conducted by Beth. This is reported to be in Archbishop Sarah Mullaly’s top five hymns.
Techniques included Echo, Mart lift and mallets.
Many teams were struggling with the random start to this arrangement of Kingsfold but freestyled it out valiantly.
Only Gresford had chimes but they were very effective and atmospheric.
Kate conducted “The Jubellee Polka” with it’s frog or mallet click percussion.
AGM and Lunch
Followed by Presentations to Linda, Irene and Anne, Vases with the inscription
“Given in appreciation of all you have done for the North West region of HRGB”
A Quiz was available to purchase and answers will be in the next issue of Oyez.
A Powerpoint show of the videos recorded for the region’s 50th Anniversary was played.
Robert conducted Vincent with it’s tricky slow section towards the end.
Team ringing included:
Maghull - Skye Boat Song
Norbury - Grandfather’s Clock
Irene and Eleanor - When the Saints / Camptown Races
Tantony - St Anthony Choral - Performed for Carlisle Cathedral's Rest under the stars festival
as the Sounds of Egremont.
Gresford - Mama Mia
Marple - Alpine Waltz
Beth & Jocie - When I grow up (from Matilda)
Kinder - Alexander’s Ragtime Band
Gresford revealed that they had left one box of bells in the cupboard and thanked Beth for her loan of the crucial middle octave. They would be appointing a “Cupboard Monitor” for future rallies.
Kinder - Around the World
Beth & Jocie - Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
Marple - Carillon
Gresford - Bring him home ( from Les Misérables) using chimes
Tantony- Where is your heart ( from Moulin Rouge) - arranged by Sandra Winter
Irene & Eleanor - Still Still Still - a German Christmas piece
Norbury - Trumpet Voluntary
Maghull - Celtic Grace - Lord of all hopefulness
Maghull will be holding a Concert on Saturday 18th July 2026
at St Andrews parish church, Maghull
See the Gallery at Gallery - 2026 Aughton
Christmas Handbell Ringing 2025
There has been lots of
Handbell Ringing in the region
this Christmas
from Carol Concerts
to Christmas Tree Festivals
from Care Homes
to Christmas Markets
See the Gallery here Gallery - 2025 Christmas
Spring GatheRing and AGM 2026
HRGB NorthWest Spring Rally 2026
Saturday 28th March 2026
Christchurch Ministry Centre, Aughton, Ormskirk L39 5AS
You are warmly invited to join us for the Region’s Spring GatheRing and AGM. We are planning a full programme of team and massed ringing.
There will be 3 pieces of massed ringing, Vincent, Jubellee Polka and Reflections on Kingsfold which will be fun to play and led by conductors from within the region.
Teams attending will have the opportunity to perform 2 pieces in the afternoon. There will NOT be a raffle due to restrictions from the venue.
However, there will be the opportunity to purchase a quiz (£1 a copy – cash only please!).
Doors will open at 10.45 am for a start at 11.30 am, and we expect the day to end at around 4.30 pm.
The AGM will be held just before lunch at 12:15pm. The event is open to all members of HRGB, and the charge for the day will be £5.00 per adult, £2.00 for junior members.
Some tables will be available for individual ringers who come without teams, but everyone will need to bring foam and bells for their own use –
if you really can’t do this, please get in touch with the committee in plenty of time and we’ll see if we can help.
Light refreshments will be served, but you will need to bring a packed lunch and please remember to bring your own cup.
Handbell Concert in Chapel-en-le-Frith
Sunday 7th December 2025
on Saturday 7th of December 2025 at 2.30pm.
Join them for a festive concert of
Christmas Music and song.
Tickets are available from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Handbell Concert in Sandbach
Saturday 27th September 2025
on Saturday 27th of September 2025 at 7pm.
Join them for a fabulous evening of enjoyable music celebrating hymns and pop songs alike.
Refreshments will be available afterwards and the best part, it's FREE!
Of course, they would appreciate any donations and any money raised will be shared between Brereton Handbell Ringers and the venue.
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Handbell Concert in Sheffield
Friday 8th August 2025
All are welcome to the free concert of the HRGB National Residential Ringing Week on Friday 8 August at 7.30pm at The Edge, Sheffield University, South Yorkshire, S10 3ED.
Enjoy fantastic music performed by around 90 musicians in the UK's largest handbell concert
Northern Bell Orchestra Events 2025
The Northern Bell Orchestra, as well as having a brand new website, are holding three events in 2025.
The first concert in Sale Methodist church M33 4PL also features the MYC choir and will take place on Saturday 7th June 2025 from 4pm to 5.30pm.
The second, on Saturday 12th July 2025 will be at St Mary's church, Greasborough, Rotherham S61 4DX from 3.30pm to 5pm. This also features Bronze Carillon and a soloist Emily Wong.
If anyone fancies having a go and would like to see a rehearsal for themselves there will be an open day on Saturday 19th July 2025.
For more details please see www.northernbellorchestra.co.uk
Welcome!
Our Region
The North West Region is part of Handbell Ringers of Great Britain, whose aim is to promote tune ringing on handbells by organising activities and providing support and advice for its members.
The Region covers Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, parts of Derbyshire and West Yorkshire, North Wales, the Isle of Man and Ireland.
Our activities are organised for members of the Region, but there’s a warm welcome for prospective members so if you would like to try out one of our events, contact our Secretary, Irene Merson.
The Region also has a Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1223433977844693/
Ringing in the North West Region
International Symposium Aberdeen 2026
International Handbell Symposium 2026
A respectably large group of NorthWest Handbell Ringers made the long journey to Aberdeen Scotland for the 22nd International Handbell Symposium from 3rd to 8th August 2026.
The cooler weather up North was a relief from the current heatwave at home and we were soon settling into our hotel and unloading handbells.
We had the music sent to us in advance and had had a look at the massed ringing music thanks to practices organised by the Northern Bell Orchestra. The Symposium venue, P&J Live (Post and Journal) or The Exhibition and Conference Centre Aberdeen (TECA) was impressive in its size and facilities. The “green shirts” or organising committee were there to welcome us and answer our many and varied questions. Small gifts and badges were exchanged at the welcome reception.
Our allotted space in Hall C was next to a group of Canadian Ringers “The Eh Team”,
as Canadians are known for saying “Eh” as a greeting and fortunately they were very friendly. We even became their official team photographer as a group photo was required every day as they wore their different team shirts. In return they supplied us with Canadian sweets in the breaks. In front of us were a team from New York USA who were very enthusiastic, joining in all the actions for the performance whereas we were too busy concentrating on getting the right notes in the right places.
The conductors came from all the eight guilds involved in the organising committee and were different in their approaches and styles. The podium had to be raised by a foot to allow people at the back of the hall to see the conductor. It was very difficult to control such a huge number of ringers and in some cases three limbs were required to bring in all the different parts.
The massed ringing practices were very varied as all the pieces were so different.
It was quite a relief though when the Workshops began on the Wednesday and we could do something other than ring handbells!
On Thursday the day started with a moving all faith service to remember those killed at Hiroshima for Hiroshima Day.
Each day started with Notices and Lost and Found announcements. At one point a toy Echidna had been found and it was still there on Saturday so I hope it found it’s way home.
Two surprise pieces were added to the concert programme, donated by Bells of Whitechapel, and conducted by Aidan Fozard. We had a couple of run-throughs but it was mainly rung by sight-reading. However being well-known tunes it didn’t seem to matter.
The final piece for the concert was a fun piece requiring special effects to represent raising the flags and rigging on a ship and hauling on the ropes. This also included actions, stomping, calling “Ahoy” and singing which all added to the performance.
The evening concerts each day showcased some fantastic teams from countries as varied as Hungary and Hong Kong including our own Northern Bell Orchestra and Maghull Parish Handbell Ringers. Also a three generational team featuring Linda, Beth and Jocie. There was also a scratch World handbell choir formed of ringers who had met at previous Symposia and had had just 90 minutes practice but was so good it had to have an encore.
The ringing “tracks” workshops, who had also only had two days to practice their pieces, gave amazing performances.
After the build up to the final live-streamed Concert attended by the Lord Provost of Aberdeen City, the Banquet and Closing Ceremony was a chance to wind down and meet more new friends. Many people involved in organising the Symposium were thanked including the Japanese Interpreter, Arthur Syin who seemed to be ad-libbing a bit as the conductors frequently commented “Did I say that?”.
The next Symposium President Foon Lyn Yap was introduced for Singapore in 2028 and the IHC Symposium flag handed over in a moving ceremony.
See the Gallery Gallery - 2026 International Symposium