FRIENDS OF CLAINES CHuRCH

CLAINES AWARDS

SUCCESS FOR CLAINES RINGERS

A band of ringers from Claines entered and won a striking competition organised by the Worcestershire & Districts Change Ringing Association. Competing at Grimley Church, on July 7th, the band won the “Fall and Rise” competition. They rang the 6 bells at Grimley, which include the oldest Bell in Worcestershire, dating from 1482.

The “Fall and Rise” Shield is awarded to the band who can best ring the bells “down” and then return them “up” to ringing position.

position.

The band was very much a family affair as it included Claines’ Tower Captain, Martyn Hills, his wife Sue and their children Stephanie and Oliver. Gordon Smith and Victoria Palmer completed the team.

GOLD AWARD FOR JOHN

John Sansome, Head Chorister at Claines and also a Chorister with Worcester Cathedral Voluntary Choir has been awarded The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) Gold Award. John was presented with the Gold Award Medal at Claines Church on 8th July.

The RSCM runs a series of Chorister training schemes and awards. The highest of these is the Gold Award. This is awarded for the highest skills in music and singing but also covers effective leadership and knowledge of the church, its services and seasons. The same award covers young singers and adults and it is a tough syllabus. John had to prepare numerous musical pieces, programme notes and undertake performance, sight singing and an examination with one of the RSCM’s national examiners at St Mary’s Church, Warwick.

It is not awarded lightly. Claines Choir has achieved two of these awards in the past; Lee Richardson in 1991 and Geoff Sansome in 1975.

Over the summer awards were won by Claines Bell ringers and a Chorister.....