How exciting! We can now reveal our big secret! Filming took place with the BBC at St. Mary’s on 18th & 19th October 2018.
Sprotbrough church & it’s beautiful bells will feature on the Inside Out programme (Yorkshire & Lincolnshire’s) on Monday 5th November 2018 at 7.30pm BBC1.
The programme will be presented by Keeley Donovan & Doncaster’s War Veteran Ben Parkinson & will commemorate the end of World War 1 sharing the story of a trawler captain in the North Sea, a wartime love story & Ben will be seen trying his hand at Bellringing.
We are very lucky to have an amazing band of ringers at Sprotbrough aged between 13 & 87 years. Many of these have dedicated their lives to ringing.
In WW1 1400 bell ringers were killed during the conflict including Bell ringer Harry Champion from Doncaster.
In 2018 the aim was to replace each one of the ringers lost with a new ringer to honour their memory. A scheme was introduced named Ringing remembers where new recruits earn a badge to say thank you for their efforts. The scheme has been so successful that over 1700 new recruits are ‘learning the ropes’.
Our aim at Sprotbrough was to recruit new ringers in the scheme & to help find a new team for Doncaster Minster.
Sadly the Minster Bells have been silent for 25 years except for special services & weddings.
We are very proud of our twelve new recruits who have been dedicated to learning in time to ring on Armistice day over the last few months.
Five of these ringers Noah McDermott, Sandie Fancourt, Ross Havenhand, Katie Havenhand & Graham Hunt are to feature on the programme ringing alongside Ben Parkinson. They are supported by ringing teacher/ tower captain Tim Wheeler, Teacher Jay Downes & Mary Guy tower captain of the Minster.
Congratulations to Noah McDermott on attaining his level three ART award, Ross Havenhand, Katie Havenhand & Sandie Fancourt all achieving level two ART awards. They are pictured receiving their certificates from Ben Parkinson inside St. Marys.
I would like to thank all our recruits who joined us this year, Noah, Katie, Graham, Barbara, Sandie, Ross, Gemma, Helen, Jessie, Ella, Natasha & Leanne & for your dedication.
I would also like to thank the Rector Amanda Barraclough for being so supportive & allowing us this fabulous opportunity to film such a beautiful building & it’s glorious bells.
Thank you also to the neighbouring houses for allowing filming with a drone to take place over their properties.
Finally I thank the bellringers of Sprotbrough who have welcomed all our novices, given them support in helping them learn to ring. I would also thank the churches & ringing teams of Darton, Adwick, Wath, Barnburgh, Rawmarsh, Thorne, Pontefract & Arksey who have us allowed us to visit them to aid our learning.
We look forward to hearing ringing for armistice at Doncaster Minster, Sprotbrough, all churches across the UK & the World as we all commemorate this centenary year, remember the fallen & ring out for Peace.