The Barfield Handbell Ringers are one of the biggest handbell orchestras in the south-east of England. Our 16 members play 5½ octaves of bells, 3 octaves of handchimes and other instruments like Belleplates. We were founded in 1965 – you can see more of our history on a separate page.
Would you like to book Barfield for an event? Contact details are on the booking page.
Soo much for new year’s resolutions, still too quiet.
But finally some news
Barfield Handbell Ringers are pleased to announce their upcoming Concert
Into the Limelight
At St Mary’s Church Thatcham
On Sunday 12th May at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets £6 (£5 Concessions) available on the door
So here we are at the end of 2023 and the start of 2024.
The time for New Year’s resolutions and mine must be to update this site more often.
So here we go:
Barfield Handbell ringers will resume practices on Monday 8th January preparing for another exciting year of ringing music.
We are always on the lookout for new recruits, if you are interested then just turn up to our practices on a Mondays at 7:40 at St Mary’s Church, Thatcham or contact our Musical Director on graham-hedges@live.co.uk. You’ll probably start off shadowing one of our experienced members but if we have enough interest we may restart the beginners team.
In the meantime I would like to wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year
Like a Ring?
No, this is not a proposal of marriage, or an offer of a doughnut. Barfield are looking for new ringers – and we’re organising a free session where you can try out handbell ringing for yourself. Meet the team, try the bells, and get a taste of our fascinating form of music!
Come and see us on the 3rd of July at 7.30pm, at St Mary’s Church, Thatcham RG19 3PN. Email dianne@barfield.org.uk for more info.
I am sorry to report that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the Barfield Handbell Ringers have taken the difficult decision to cancel their concert on 28th March 2020.
It was a choice we did not want to make but, particularly with the latest announcement from the Government, we felt it was the only option open to us.
As the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak is still not fully understood, no plans can yet be made as to when the concert will be rescheduled.
Further more, all handbell practices have now been suspended (Main team, beginners and improvers, and small ensemble). These will resume when the COVID-19 situation allows.
Many thanks for your understanding at this difficult time.
The hectic December period is over, the turkey and mice pies long digested and forgotten and the Barfield Handbell Ringers are back in full practice mode.
After our AGM this evening, the hard work starts on the music for our concert in St Mary’s Church, Thatcham on 28th March.
Watch this space for further news and updates.
“We’re doing a lot of film music at the moment,” said someone who shall remain nameless, “let’s get some more and do a film concert.” So we did, and now we’re singing film themes, trying to work out how much we should swing, and wondering who’s going to be the chorus line. We do have a soloist assisting us with one piece (singing and ringing with the same brain is difficult!).
Bells, Camera, Action! Saturday 18th May, 7.30pm, St. Mary’s Church, Thatcham.
Tickets £6 (£5 concessions) from Picture It, High Street, Thatcham, or email dianne@barfield.org.uk .
(Poster to come, when the publicity department has prepared it!)
… we must have a concert coming soon. Bow ties and flowers are being dusted off, programmes are being printed and we’re whistling tunes we haven’t played for years then stopping ourselves because they aren’t in the concert. (That last one might just be me.)
As has become traditional we have a part-Christmas concert. It covers all the bases, since if you enjoy Christmas you’ll like the second half and if you’re yearning for a heatwave there’s plenty of non-Christmas in the first half. There are pieces old and new, simple and complex, easy and difficult. So to be eased gently into the festive season, or to provide an excuse for putting off the shopping for another week, come and hear us at St Mary’s Church, Thatcham on the 1st of December, 3.00pm!
Tickets £6 / £5 concessions from Picture It, High Street, Thatcham, or email dianne@barfield.org.uk
Preparations are well under way for our next concert, which is on the 19th of May at 7.30pm. Now you may think this date sounds familiar… and it is, for it happens to be the day of the Royal Wedding! So we are all doing our best not to make puns on “ring”, and hoping some people will not be too exhausted by the celebrations to come and hear some bells.
Of course the wedding had to be mentioned in the title: Wedding Belles. Graham has picked out some pieces suitable to weddings, and some poems to reflect the day. (It’s worth coming along just to see how we got Eleanor Rigby and Leroy Anderson In Concert to fit the wedding theme!)
Thanks to the people at Where Can We Go for including the concert on their website.
Yes, that’s what our next concert is called. If you would like to hear a Bell Boogie, meet a magic dragon or see us attempt a bassline that is highly mischievous, then come along to Ashford Hill this Saturday.
Mid-May Music and Mischief, St. Paul’s Church, Ashford Hill, RG19 8AZ. Saturday 20th May, 7.00. Tickets £7.50, children free. To reserve tickets phone 01635 299227.
Barfield Handbell Ringers 