Badby bellringers continued the tradition of ringing out the old year from 11.30pm on Dec 31.  2017 ringing ended with “diminishing rounds”, whereby the largest bell stops first and the remaining five continue, then the 5th stops … until the littlest bell is left ringing alone.

After a quick toast, all bells were “fired” (rung as simultaneously as we could manage!) for twelve blows to mark midnight and the start of 2018. Further ringing took place so that all eight, including two narrow boaters, could have a ring. Near neighbours came to celebrate and congratulate the ringers on a year’s performances.  Their visitor confessed to having rung as a teenager and was promptly put on the tail end of one bell and was ringing again within a minute!  The bells were lowered in the unusual order 321654.

GHP 871806