Congratulations to John Proudfoot – the inaugural winner of the ‘Pat and Gareth Evans Award’. John received this award in recognition of his commitment in establishing a new Band of ringers at St Martins, Brampton.
The award was presented to John by the Venerable Stewart Fyfe, Archdeacon of West Cumberland and President of the Guild, at the Ringing Meeting at Workington in January.
It is particularly pleasing that the inaugural winner of the Award is someone who knew Pat and Gareth very well and rang with them on numerous occasions. In fact, John’s first ever peal was rung with Pat and Gareth – Plain Bob Triples on 5th June 1994 at Arlecdon. John went on to ring a further 6 peals with Pat and/or Gareth as members of the band. One of these was a peal of Grandsire Triples in September 1997, rung by officers of the Guild, in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. John also rang 14 quarter peals with Pat and/or Gareth. (Thanks to Andrew Warboys for this information)
The following is a transcript of Stewart’s words on presenting the trophy at Workington:
Pat and Gareth Evans were not just enthusiastic and successful bellringers, but were willing volunteers. They served on committees, acted as tower captain and teachers. In their lifetimes, they will have helped countless other people not only to become bellringers, but also, to become better bellringers. Pat and Gareth took pleasure in seeing other people improve.
The Pat and Gareth Evans Award has been established by the Guild to recognise not achievement, but progress. Significant and notable progress. It may be awarded to a ringer, a steeple-keeper or a tower captain. It may be awarded to more than one person, fittingly, because bellringing, as we all appreciate is a team activity.
This time two years ago, St Martin’s Brampton had a silent tower. Now, it has a small but committed band, including one returnee and five new ringers. There are regular practices, ringing before the monthly Family Service and for special occasions such as Remembrance Day and Christmas.
To go from being a Silent Tower to achieving this is, of course, massive progress. The Guild offers our congratulations to the new ringers at Brampton, who have all got their Level 1 ART qualification. We trust this is the start of even more and better ringing to come.
However, as those six ringers, and as Pat and Gareth also knew, the wonderful progress achieved at St Martin’s would not have been possible without support from other ringers. Guild members have made sure the tower was fit for ringing, recruited the new ringers, acted as teachers, supported practices and made ongoing improvements to the bells.
None of the progress made at Brampton would have been possible without these good people. The progress at Brampton is a fine example of solid teamwork. But at the heart of it all has been one person who, quite selflessly, has taken it upon himself to organise, encourage and motivate, new and old ringers alike through his own vision, enthusiasm and determination. His commitment to what must have sometimes seemed an impossible task, has enabled other people to achieve wonders. There is now ringing aloud at Brampton tower and that is the best progress a bellringer could hope to hear and that is why the Guild are pleased to present this inaugural award of the Pat and Gareth Evans Award to John Proudfoot.
Thank you John for all your enthusiasm and encouragement.
