If you are relatively new to ringing and are lucky enough to have found an ART-accredited teacher to take you through Learning the Ropes (LtR) Levels 1 to 5, then achieving Level 5 should be your target. When you achieve Level 5, you will be invited to attend the ART Masterclass in Birmingham. This is definitely a prize worth having. After two years of intensive (and yes, I would say obsessive) ringing, both my husband and I were encouraged to aim for Level 5 and the prospect of the ART Masterclass. 
Our teacher, Nikki Thomas, was keen to keep us moving forward in our ringing, especially when we seemed to hit a wall. However, through hard work, hours of practice and being a bit stubborn with ourselves, we passed our Level 5 in 2018. Right from the first contact with the organisers we could tell this was going to be something special. Many experienced ringers from Birmingham, and other places, were involved in planning and executing a busy weekend. Saturday was to be taken up with intensive practice under the guidance of personal tutors allocated to each of us for the day. We undertook listening exercises, which sharpened everyone’s focus for the day ahead, and then divided into smaller groups to three different towers across the city of Birmingham – each one steeped in the history of bell ringing. Walking between the towers gave us a great opportunity to pick the brains of our tutors which was invaluable, and to take in the atmosphere of a city which to many is synonymous with ringing. On the Sunday, quarter peals were planned, though unfortunately we couldn’t participate this year as Martin was taking part in the Great North Run. However, three quarter peals were rung and Sally Nichols, Melissa Hunt and Cara Tatterton all scored a first in Plain Bob Major, Plain Bob Triples and Cambridge Surprise Major respectively.The practices were efficiently run and intensive, with plenty of helpers on hand. All ringers were ‘placed’ on their bells each time, so everyone got to ring or watch while others rang. All chances to learn something were eagerly taken. I particularly loved the way that no time was wasted chatting about what to ring next! The final session of the day culminated with the whole group coming together at St Martin’s in the Bullring which has sixteen bells. Here we had the unique chance to ring ‘jump changes’ on all sixteen.I will never forget the experience of the Masterclass weekend. It was one of those big events in your life when you can remember almost every detail. One of the best things was meeting some very experienced ringers who not only are extremely pleasant people but are totally committed to helping other ringers, no matter what their level of ringing. It also gave me a chance to network with people who have amassed immense amounts of experience in every area of ringing. In fact, the leader of our group was Simon Linford who was elected as the new President of the Central Council on the same day as our Masterclass! Thank you very much to Stephanie Worboys, MarkEccleston, Simon Linford, Lesley Belcher and everyone else who gave up their time to organise the Masterclass and spent the weekend with us ‘spreading the love’ of ringing – it was priceless!
This article was first published in the January 2020 edition of Tower Talk, ART’s free quarterly e-magazine. To sign up for future copies delivered to your inbox, please subscribe here.