It is always nice to Visit Highwood Court which we have regularly gone to at Christmas time.  We are always made to feel very welcome and it is a very jolly community. We had our 12 handbell team and played various Christmas carols including Jingle Bells with which some of the residents joined in playing sleigh bells. They also accompanied us with singing, this is sometimes difficult as some of our music has occasional variations.  Nevertheless they accompanied us very well.

It is so nice to see them enjoy themselves and we came away thinking it was a lovely start to Christmas.

Beryl Forrester

I have known Sue Fraser for many years and we have had many adventures together on our bird watching trips with the U3A.

She has been a good friend to me and we have shared our love of nature (animals and birds). Sue has taught me a great deal over the years as she knew every bird we spotted and every bird song we heard.

I used to visit her at her home and we would go for walks with her dog Pipit across Wetley Moor Common nearby and have tea and cake in the Summerhouse when we got back.

I introduced Sue to our Handbell Team in Alton and she joined the group, learned quickly and she loved playing bells. She has been an asset to our team and has supported us in many concerts and events.

We will miss her company and cheery smiling face very much and we appreciate all she did.

I am so glad I got to know Sue and I am so sorry to have lost her but I think of her often and I will never forget her.

Jean Reilly

Saturday December 4^th 2021

Because of Covid limitations and restricted numbers allowed in the hall we were unable to have our regular Christmas Concert.

However we decided to have a social evening instead with each member given only four tickets to distribute to their own family or friends. The tickets were free but we asked for donations on the evening, so we could donate the money to our usual recipient The Donna Louise children's and young people's Hospice.

The weather on the evening was very wet and windy but thankfully those with tickets still turned out. The hall had been decorated. The tables were spaced out with table cloths and lit candles on each. Coming in from the cold outside, the hall provided a very warm. atmospheric, welcoming and cosy contrast.

To restrict movement once in the hall we were not providing our usual pie and pea supper but instead guests were asked to bring their own drinks and nibbles. The tables were soon laden with all types of drinks, nibbles and all sorts and styles of drinking glasses. The general chatter in the room now made it apparent, that this was, very much, a social evening.

A varied programme of tunes and carols was very warmly received by the audience. Many different techniques were used by the ringers using the bells, chimes and mallets. Even dynamics were observed!!

Celebration' started our evening off. A fitting number to really celebrate our getting together with friends and family after all the recent restrictions.

During the interval mince pies were brought to each table. Because there was no supper to give out and all the work clearing tables and serving desserts, the ringers were able to join their table of friends to enjoy a drink and partake of the nibbles. Very relaxing for all.

Before the second half began,the raffle was drawn.

Wendy and Alan then gave a very impressive performance of ringing with two bells in each hand. The audience really appreciated the skill and dexterity involved.

During the evening, Peter read out  a poem he had written entitled 'Bells or Bells?-- And Belles'  and Sarah read the words from the carol 'In the Bleak Midwinter' before it was played by the ringers.

The evening concluded with a rousing version of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High'.

Peter Walker 

I joined the Alton Handbell Ringers back in June 2021 – at the time I wasn’t sure if my university timetable would put an end to it, but thankfully everything has gone to plan and I’ve been able to continue ringing on Wednesday evenings, which I’m really pleased about!  

My Grandad sat me down with two wooden spoons and a piece of music for an hour before my first session. I didn’t realise until then how tricky it was to count up to 3 or 4 repeatedly, whilst also following the bars and ringing when my number came up… I barely even knew what a bar was to be honest, other than the Cadbury Dairy Milk kind! So I rocked up to the first session I was joining and was greeted by a lovely and welcoming group of folk (I’m sorry, I still haven’t quite got all the names I’ll be honest, but that’s just me…) and I enjoyed attempting to follow the music and remember which of my hands held the 19 bell and which one the 20 bell. I was pleased that it’s number not music-based because I’ve never been musical so found it much easier to follow, eventually! 

Skip forward 5 months and it’s time for my first concert! It was a beautiful big church but characteristically cold, so I was grateful for the gloves and scarf that’s part of the attire! As we arrived, Wendy and Alan had everything bell-related set up already (thank you!) and there were a couple of ladies setting up a raffle table and jigsaw and cake stall in the Church. I felt pretty relaxed to be honest – I enjoyed ringing anyway and we did a warm-up by doing the start of all the songs which was a good way to remember each piece and where the tricky bits were in them. There was a daunting audience of 12 people! (I’m told there would normally be more, but I quite liked it for my first concert… although maybe 70 people would have brought some warmth into the church? Probably not.) But they were very appreciative and said they really enjoyed listening. I also had the privilege to sit and listen to one of the songs that I don’t play in (I’ve Got the Joy). Apparently it didn’t go according to plan or as well as the rehearsals, however my untrained ear didn’t notice anything wrong and I thoroughly enjoyed the joyful melody. I think it’s one of those tunes that you appreciate more the more you hear it! Overall, I really enjoyed my first concert and I think everyone else did too. The snowy drive home, not so much, but it did feel very apt following In the Bleak Midwinter and Frosty the Snowman! I have my second, more social concert tonight, I’m hoping that knowing there are friends and family in the audience won’t put me off!   

Becky Ward

When I started hand bell ringing in 2015, I found myself stood next to Sue who was very helpful to me, particularly in the early days as I began to acquire the necessary skills.  I remained playing next to Sue for the following five years whenever the Alton Handbell Ringers met.

Sue was a lovely, highly intelligent lady and during that time, we had lots of laughs together.  She was my partner in chime!

I was shocked to hear earlier this year that Sue was suffering from an aggressive form of cancer and deeply saddened by her death at the beginning of May. 

One incident I recall was at a Christmas concert in the church at Uttoxeter – the one that was so dimly lit that we all struggled to read our music.  Not everyone was required to ring all pieces and so Sue and I were sat out in the stalls.  Soon Alan and Wendy started giving us funny looks and we suddenly realised that we should be up there, taking part in the next piece.  What had happened was that we had got mixed up between two pieces entitled ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and ‘Walking in the air’ which of course is from the film ‘The Snowman’.  We were to ring in one but not the other.  A week later, I sent Sue a Christmas card featuring pictures of snowmen for future reference.

Wendy decided that it would be good to get together in memory of Sue to play some of Sue’s favourite pieces and this took place in Alton village hall in the afternoon of September 8^th.

Pictures of Sue and the team were set out on a table for reflection and the afternoon started with a good solid rendition of Processional Celebration.  There followed a number of very different and contrasting pieces including Di Tanjong Katong, Polaris and the Northern Lights and the Takeda Rhapsody.

It is somewhat ironic that I now play bells 17 and 18 which is where Sue used to play and I think of her a lot.

Apparently Sue had rung a Beatles medley in her very first concert back in 2013 and so we felt it fitting to play ‘Yesterday’ which is quite demanding for bells 17,18, 19 & 20.

Unfortunately, we did not play ‘Thaxted’, which was another of Sue’s favourites, because we did not have a full team due to some team members being away on holiday, but no doubt we will reflect on her contribution whenever it is played in future.

It is of course very sad that we have lost Sue, but It is great to have some young blood in our team once more and Becky, who has only been with us for a few weeks, plays very well and is now a key member of the team.

We concluded our afternoon session with the firm favourite ‘Celebration’ followed by a cup of tea and some fine cake provided by Jean.

Rest in peace Sue – you will never be forgotten.

Dave Jones