On the 29th June, All Saints’ Church at Old Glossop will be hosting a module 1 course, teaching bell handling. Tutored by Clare McArdle from the Birmingham School of Bell Ringing, this is an ideal course for anyone who  would like to learn to teach bell handling, or experienced teachers of bell handling who  would like to extend their skills further.

All Saints’ Old Glossop

One of the main principles of the ART training scheme is breaking down new skills into small, manageable steps so that a new ringer can progress comfortably in a structured way. By learning to handle a bell in small stages (starting with the bell down),  the physical skills of bell handling are developed in a safe and easily comprehensible way. Unhelpful handling habits can be identified and corrected early on, before becoming established.

The day course will be a mixture of theory presentations and practical exercises in the tower, with plenty of time for delegates to put everything into practice, ask questions and try out what they are learning.

For more information about the Module 1 course and to read what other teachers have said about it, click here

After the course, teachers are encouraged to make a start by using the techniques straight away with learners, keeping a log book of their teaching and reviewing how each session went. By keeping a log book, teachers develop the habit of good observation skills and can plan future sessions effectively. Once a teacher has completed their log book and has taught someone to  handle a bell independently, they are eligible for accreditation with ART, following a successful visit from an ART assessor.

All teachers who have attended the course are able to add their ringers to the SmART Ringer system and Learning the Ropes scheme, request certificates for their ringers and access a large database of resources on teaching ringing.

The cost of attending the course is £20 payable to ART, plus any local contributions for refreshments on the day.

To request a course place, please fill out this online form on the SmART Ringer course calendar

Old Glossop, 8 bells, 17cwt

There is a regular train service to Glossop from Manchester Piccadilly
and the church is a 10 minute walk from the station through Manor Park.
For people who want to combine the course with a weekend away, there are
three pubs within 100m of the church, with food and accommodation
available. Situated 500m from the Peak District National Park boundary,
Old Glossop is a popular jumping off point for people wanting to explore
the western side of the Dark Peak – Kinder and Bleaklow.