The Bells! Incase you missed them

On Wednesday afternoon, in memory of Harold Jenkins, our church bells rang 🙂

Here is a 45 minute recording by Jamie Dawson of the Quarter Peal performed by an experienced band of the West Dorset Branch of SDGR (Salisbury Diocese Guild of Ringers)…

 

Thank You!

❤ Harold Jenkins  16.01.1940 – 14.01.2023  ❤

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#Village,#Community,#Remeberance,#Celebration,#Family,#Thoughts,#Prayers,#FirstResponders,#Memorial,#QuarterPeal,#SDGR,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Quarter Peal – 3.30pm, Wednesday, 12th April

The bells at St. John the Baptist church have not been heard for some considerable time. There are not enough ringers who are able to commit regularly, no tower captain or tower secretary and the bells themselves need some maintenance. However…

At approximately 3.30pm on the afternoon of Wednesday, 12th April (tomorrow) there will be a Quarter Peal in memory of Harold Jenkins who died peacefully on 14th January this year.

Harold was pivotal in keeping the bells of St John the Baptist Church, Broadwindsor, ringing for many years and the village owes him a great debt of gratitude. This Quarter Peal rung by an experienced band of the West Dorset Branch of SDGR (Salisbury Diocese Guild of Ringers) will take about 45 minutes and involves at least 1,250 changes (a ‘change’ is when two bells swap places in the order of ringing).

Harold was a very private man and we thank his widow, Margaret Jenkins for sharing this personal tribute:

Born Harold Thomas Fricker Jenkins on 16th January 1940 in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

An extremely shy and private person, typical Capricorn:slow to anger but really mad if he was upset.

We met when we were 16, then married at 22 and immediately went on a posting with Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service, to Brussels, at the Common Market Delegation, until four month’s later General De Gaulle said “Non” to UK entry and the Delegation closed.

Then came four years in Rangoon, Burma where Elizabeth and Nicholas were born. Following that came a two and a half year posting to New York at the British Delegation to the United Nations.

After a three year home posting, the children went to boarding school and we went to Bombay, India.

The next move was another visit to the USA. This time to Washington D.C. This was our favourite posting.

A four year home posting came next with Harold rising to the head of the East Africa Department.  A part of this entailed visiting the refugee camps in Ethiopia.  He was very glad to return home!

Dar es Salaam in Tanzania was the next post – not a favourite but it had its moments.

The last accompanied posting was to Kathmandu, Nepal, where he was Vice Consul and Head of Management with a staff of 50.  Harold was involved with the aftermath of two air crashes that happened within six weeks of each other.  It was a harrowing experience for both the Embassy staff and their wives.

Returning to the UK in 1994, we returned to Surrey before finding our present house.  After a spell of immigration officer duties at Heathrow airport, Harold was asked to go to Kiev (as it was then), to Bucharest and then to Paris, each on special assignments.  These three month assignments left Margaret at home to run the B&B, tend the garden and the allotment. A complaint about weeds was not well received!

Harold lived happily in Broadwindsor for twenty six and a half years, where he spent many hours ringing the church bells.

Please enjoy the bells!
A recording may be heard HERE.

❤ Harold Jenkins  16.01.1940 – 14.01.2023  ❤

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#Village,#Community,#Remeberance,#Celebration,#Family,#Thoughts,#Prayers,#FirstResponders,#Memorial,#QuarterPeal,#SDGR,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Memorial Service for Harold Jenkins – Wednesday, 1st February

Village resident Harold Jenkins, who died earlier this month, will be remembered at a service on Wednesday, 1st February, at 12 noon in Burstock church.

There will be refreshments afterwards at The Comrades Hall, Broadwindsor.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this sad time.

❤ Harold Jenkins  16.01.1940 – 14.01.2023  ❤

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#Village,#Community,#SadLoss,#Family,#Thoughts,#Prayers,#FirstResponders,#Memorial,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Harold Jenkins 16.01.1940 – 14.01.2023

Sadly, village resident, Harold Jenkins died peacefully in his sleep at home on Saturday morning.

Harold & his wife Margaret operated as First Responders for several years within our community. Harold was also a judge for many photographic competitions including The Melplash Show.

Harold leaves behind his wife, Margaret with whom he celebrated their Diamond (60 years) anniversary at the end of last year and his two children, Nick & Elizabeth.

There will be a private cremation and a remembrance service will be held at a later date. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

❤ Harold Jenkins  16.01.1940 – 14.01.2023  ❤

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#Village,#Community,#SadLoss,#Family,#Thoughts,#Prayers,#FirstResponders,#MissYou,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

End of Broadwindsor’s First Responders

Broadwindsor First Responders are no more.  The decision to close the group follows the retirement of their last Responder. Broadwindsor First Responders proudly came into force in the spring of 2003 with nearly 40 volunteers at that time.  All trained by Phil Lathey of Dorset Ambulance.   The idea had been started by the then landlord of The White Lion, John Beighton. The late Pat Clarke volunteered to take on the monumental task, accepted the collection bottle and started some serious fundraising.

First Responders 2012
Broadwindsor First Responders 2012 appealing for volunteers: Pat Armes, Jacqui Sewell, Heather Coley and Terry Clarke

By 2012, volunteer numbers had dwindled and the group were threatened with being forced to disband but an appeal through the Bridport News brought them some much needed publicity. The people of the village certainly appreciated and supported it.  Former Chairman and co-founder Terry Clarke had said “The problem we found was that people were desperate for it to continue but no-one seems to want to volunteer to keep it going.
Certainly I felt that the times we were called we did give the people a lot of help and support and they were very pleased to see us because inevitably we were the first to see them because they were desperately ill or had befallen some accident.

In a Farewell notice in the Broadwindsor News, Jacqui Sewell, Margaret Jenkins, Terry Clarke & Val Johnson  thanked Rowland Hibbard from Kittwhistle Garage who maintained their vehicles.  They thanked all the previous & present First Responders who gave their time to provide a hands on emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for over 15 years.

The Responders assisted in the installation of defibrillators located at:

  • Comrades Hall, Broadwindsor
  • Kittwhistle Garage

Monies from the trade in value of their last vehicle was donated to Dorset Air Ambulance.

Parish Councillor Jacqui Sewell commented ” It does make me feel sad. It was a privilege to serve the village as a First Responder and I am very grateful to South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust for the training.”

Christmas Garland

“Thank you for all your support over the years. Stay safe and keep well”

Christmas Garland

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#SouthWesternAmbulanceServiceNHSFoundationTrust,#FirstResponders,#KittwhistleGarage,#EmergencyService,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe