Steeple Aston Church Bellringers

The aim of the Steeple Aston Church Bellringers is to ring the Church bells on Sundays and for other services such as weddings. They meet in Steeple Aston Church tower for practice every Tuesday at 7.30pm and also on Sundays half an hour before the service.

Bellringers full peal Queen's official 90thThey also ring the bells on special occasions. Following their successful ringing of a quarter peal to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday on April 21st 2016,  Steeple Aston Bell ringers and friends took on the much more arduous task of ringing a full peal for her official birthday on Sunday, 12th June 2016.

The ringers taking part, pictured here, were (l to r): Lawrence White  (SA), Malcolm Hensher  (SA), Michael Austin  (Hook Norton), Daniel Austin  (Hook Norton), Sally Austin  (Hook Norton), Alan Griffin  (Bloxham), Graham Clifton  (conductor) (SA), Nicholas Powell (SA).

The Bellringers are a very sociable group and welcome visitors. They also have many social events through the year. Anyone over the age of 10 is welcome to join the group. The only proviso is that you must be able to climb the stairs.

There is no fee to pay but when you are able to handle a bell you may become a member of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, for which an annual subscription is £9. If you are interested in joining, either give Graham a call to discuss ringing or just turn up on a practice night and have a try.

Contact
Graham Clifton, Church Tower Captain
Tel: 01869 347273
Email: gjclifton@btinternet.com
Website: https://steepleastonbellringers.com/

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Steeple Aston Handbell Ringers

The main purpose of the Handbell Ringers is to play Christmas carols door-to-door round Steeple and Middle Aston in the two weeks leading up to Christmas. They choose a different charity to collect for every year.

They meet to practise on Sunday evenings at 7.30pm in a member’s house. Meetings start in September if they have been asked to entertain for a given function, but in late October if they are just practising carols.

The handbells are the property of the parish church and it is traditional that handbell ringers are church bell ringers as well. Anyone over the age of 10 is welcome to join the group. You don’t necessarily have to be able to read music as they play by numbers.

Membership is free. If you are interested in joining the Handbell Ringers, contact Vicky or Graham.

Contact

Victoria Clifton, Handbell Captain
Email: vmcstedman@btinternet.com
Tel: 07817025948 

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 Steeple Aston Choral Society

Honorary Patron – Heather Cleobury

Steeple Aston Choral Society was founded by a former village Rector and is still going strong, more than four decades later. The Society is privileged to have Paul Badley, a professional solo and ensemble singer who has performed all over the world, as its director and Paul Herrington, an accomplished pianist, composer, arranger and educator, as its accompanist. Heather Cleobury, another professional musician and strong supporter of amateur music, is its patron.

The choir numbers around thirty singers and is happy to welcome new members. There are no auditions and singers do not need to read music fluently, so as long as they enjoy music-making and socialising, they may learn the music as they wish.

The choir performs three concerts, with professional soloists, each year, – one in the church, one in the Village Hall and one in either venue (depending on the works being performed.) The summer concert is generally lighter music, with generous amounts of audience participation.

Rehearsals are on Monday evenings from 7.45-9.30pm in the Village Hall.

For more details, contact Margaret Bulleyment, SACS Secretary – 01869 347346 or mtheb749@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/steepleastonchoralsociety

www.savh.org.uk (Regular Events)

 

 SACS Concert Calendar 2024/25

 

Sunday, 14 April – A Spring Evening at the Opera – 6.30 for 7.00pm in the Village Hall 

Come and join us for a convivial evening of favourite opera choruses, arias and spring music.

Programme includes – ‘Easter Hymn’, from Cavalleria Rusticana; Drinking Song, from La Traviata; Bridal Chorus, from Lohengrin; Chorus of Hebrew Slaves, from Nabucco; ‘La Donna e Mobile,’ from Rigoletto,’ plus, Spring from The Seasons etc.

You will know them all and you may even get to join in. Dressing up is optional, but singing your socks off is not.

Table seating (eight to a table) Bar with wine, soft drinks and nibbles.

Tickets £12.00 (Children under 16 free) can be ordered from SACS members, or direct from Margaret Bulleyment 01869 347346 or  mtheb749@gmail.com

 

Sunday, 30 June – Summer Party Concert – 6.30 for 7.00pm in the Village Hall

It’s SACS’s party time again. Join us for a relaxing evening of wine and strawberries, with some of your favourite musical medleys including Simon and Garfunkel; Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and the popular Summer Sing-a-long.

Table seating (eight to a table) Bar with wine, soft drinks and nibbles.

 

Sunday, 24 November  – Autumn Concert – 7.00pm in the Church

Eternal Light, Carol of the Epiphany, Howard Goodall. Choir and Audience Carols.

 

2025

Sunday, 30 March – Spring Concert – 7.00pm

 

Sunday, 29 June – Summer Party Concert – 6.30 for 7.00pm – Village Hall