Come and Learn to Ring With thanks to

Come and Learn to Ring! With thanks to and acknowledgment of the Association of Ringing Teachers

Welcome to the world of change ringing! • • • 2 Inhabited by friendly people (like you!) Ageless! Sociable! Inclusive: open to all, of any faith or none Healthy: physical and mental workouts A sport, an art, a mental challenge, a spiritual pursuit, a hobby, ‘giving something back to the community’: you decide!

Old but not old-fashioned! • Technology • simulators with silenced bells when teaching • apps so you use your ‘phone, i. Pad or laptop • Social Media • • Facebook Twitter Bell. Board Web sites • Training & Mentoring • Residential and non-residential courses • Association training days • Open Days • Heritage or any practice night or Sunday. Because we have to operate as a team to make our ringing successful, we tend to be a friendly bunch. • Competitions • groups based on professions (eg police) or interests (eg cycling) • Associations, Inter Association 3

I’m interested but how do I start? ? • Turn up at local tower on practice night or at Sunday ringing! • You WILL be made WELCOME ! • Get a feel for what it’s about • 1 to 1 sessions with instructor • Start ringing with others 4

OK, so what is the ringing journey? • Destination and speed up to you • Learn basics, and leave it there? • Gradually learn more and become more skilled (surprise yourself!)? • Plan for the journey? 5

Right: so what can I expect? • • • First, learn to ‘handle’ the bell Instructor will build your skills gradually and safely Learning to control a bell’s swing takes c 7 -15 hours Learn to catch the rope and ‘feel’ the bell through it Learn how much to pull or ‘check’ the swing to keep bell in its place • Once mastered, join others in ‘rounds’ • You are now part of the team! 6

So what does the team do, exactly? • First ring ‘rounds’, the bells ringing in note sequence from highest to lowest • Important to use both ears and eyes • Sounding right (‘striking well’) critical; pleasant sound better than a crashing one! • Next step: call changes = conductor calls out the changing positions of the bells • Some ringers are happy to stay at this stage 7

What are the next stages? • After call changes you can learn ‘methods’ (tunes) • First ‘method’ is plain hunting, moving your bell one place up or down the sequence • ‘Ropesight’ is developed; you begin to ‘see’ the other bells and know their positions as well as yours 8

And further stages? • Real method ringing • Learning how patterns with long sequences of changes are constructed • ‘Practice, practice’ develops your skills • Patterns are at leading edge of mathematical theory but even the most complex depend on simple rules • Memorise the rules and patterns and experience the pleasure that comes from a well-struck and completed method 9

Is that it? • Not in the least! • Step by step you progress in complexity • methods • number of bells • length of ringing: quarter peals and full peals • ‘Call’ changes or methods yourself • Help new ringers • Enjoyable, rewarding and life-affirming! 10

Before you buy in, read the reviews! unity that I tegral part of the comm to my ‘’The bells are an in I am giving something live in and by ringing a heritage activity that has been town and continuing e inhabitants of this area for part of the lives of th. I am privileged to do so. ’’ hundreds of years. “I like the so cial aspect a nd have me new friends t through rin ging – and when we go on youth ou tings it’s always fun! ” cher rds so my tea work towa was something to em. At first it have ‘’I like to achieve th towers d we work to e goals an to ring at new sets m w we like ar. ’’ Ropes’ but no g the oal for this ye ‘Learnin al is my g r Peals. A pe rte and ring Qua 11 ‘’It’s a g ood phy sical cha not har llenge – d but it needs coordin ation. I t keeps m mentall e fit y and p hysicall y. ’’ ‘’We usually go to the pub after ringing – that’s a great social get together. ’’ ch is for the chur ’My ringing cal eople in my lo to call p I am ity to service. commun rch vice to the chu giving ser ’ y my ringing. ’ b

‘’I enjoy outings to other towers most – you see so many interesting places and meet new people. Our weekend away in East Anglia was brilliant!!’’ ‘’I ring to make n ew friends and fo r th social side of ring ing. I have met lo e new people and ts of have close friend s in local band. I like the meetings and my other practices re go to gularly. ’’ the fabulous time on “We had a tes, on t Coast of the Sta Eas rs to iting various towe holiday, vis – we ir practice nights ring on the people, t some really nice me teresting ed some really in experienc ng for tory, and even ra his ing!” someone’s wedd 12 “You h ave to ring as for eac part of h piece a team of ringi togethe ng. Ri r like th nging is mak valued es me part of feel a the gro up. ’’ iking World Youth Str ‘’Attending the Ring r – I had no n was an eye opene Competitio re ringing in ny young people we idea so many areas. ’’ ‘’After 25 years ringing I finally got to ring at St Paul’s – now I have rung in all the cathedrals with bells!!’’

We hope this has given you some idea about what learning to ring bells is about, but the really best way to find out is to turn up and have a go! We’ll be only too happy to answer any questions so contact us, your local Tower or Association.

Further Power. Point resources available from the Central Council: The following presentations offer greater detail than this general overview: An Introduction to English Bell Ringing - a general overview The History of English Bells and Bell Ringing - for those interested in the historical aspects The Science of English bell ringing - for those with a scientific or Restoration Appeal an appeal mathematical interest - a template to use as a guide when starting

Online addresses Discover Bell Ringing - www. bellringing. org Association of Ringing Teachers - www. ringingteachers. org Learning the Ropes - www. learningtheropes. org Change Ringing Resources - www. ringing. info Central Council of Church Bell Ringers - www. cccbr. org. uk The Ringing World - www. ringingworld. co. uk Doves Guide for Church Bell Ringers - dove. cccbr. org. uk Ringing at University - www. universityringing. org

Other media Facebook: Association of Ringing Teachers Bellringers CCCBR Learning the Ropes …search bell ringing for many other local groups and Associations Twitter: Association of Ringing Teachers - @ringingteachers Learning the Ropes - @Lt. Rringers Central Council of Church Bell Ringers - @ccringing

We hope you have found this presentation interesting. For further information please visit: https: //cccbr. org. uk/services/pr/ 18