I have been too busy with teaching my band to contribute much back to ART, but I hope my story below will help to inspire others.
March 2013 Moved to Shrewsbury, joined the St Chad’s band. Became a member of Holy Trinity, Meole Brace where the light 8 had not been rung regularly for a decade.
June 2013 Agreed with the vicar, churchwarden and tower captain to see what we could do. Agreed a clear strategy.
Sept 2013 Got the bells checked and installed a simulator (Bagley & Abel)
Oct 2013 Open Tower had over sixty visitors and resulted in twelve volunteers to learn
Oct 2013 Attended the ART Module 1 at Morville. Tutor: Paul Lewis; Mentor : Alan Glover
Nov/Dec Taught them bell handling. One dropped out. Rang (with help) at Christmas on six.
Jan 2014 Started regular sunday worship ringing and have never had less than six since.
Summer 2014 I announced that I had accepted an invitation to work in Malaysia for six months over the winter. We started planning a strategy!
Oct 2014 Church Warden, steeple keeper and keen member of band took over in my absence. Total support from the band and promise of support on practice nights from experienced members of SACBR.
Dec 2014 I called changes on Christmas Morning via skype from KL
Jan 2015 The Meole ringers were awarded the Outstanding Achievement trophy by SACBR
May 2015 I returned to a band eager to show me that they had not only survived but improved. Lost one but taught a new learner from scratch to ring call changes. Invented the Change-o-matic to help with call changes. This has no electronics but we will be entering it in the ART “effective use of technology” award. It is also mobile and we can find nothing in SACBR striking comp rules which prevents its deployment. Watch this space!
May/June 2015 Rang for new Princess, VE, Magna Carta & Waterloo (in wellies, see picture!)
Meole Brace Band – Ringing in their Wellies!
Future? Currently 14 ringers on our books. Main priority is to move current band onto methods. In 2016 we would like to recruit some teenagers.
The ART Training Scheme has given me the motivation and confidence to teach the Meole band from scratch – and the results have been something else! Thank you.