By Roger Booth on 28-Aug-2017 - To build on the success of our summer ringing school at Kensington, where 20 new ringers completed Level 1 of Learning the Ropes, the organisers from the Middlesex CA and London DG are now turning our attention to placing them with a local Sunday band – helping them progress on to Levels 2 and 3 […] Read more
By Debbie Phipps on 26-Aug-2017 - St Mary’s Church; Lytchett Matravers On Friday 25th August 2017 we marked the presence in our Guild (at the Dorset Steam Fair) of the Ypres Memorial Bells on their way to Belgium. Our band comprises of mainly novice ringers following the ART programme of learning so we were unable to ring any special Method but as […] Read more
By Ruth Suggett on 26-Aug-2017 - It’s often the case that many novice ringers are never told how to lead, just told to do it. OK … so, how do you lead? The first thing to get to grips with is the rhythm. You pull off on ahandstroke and when you pull the next stroke – backstroke, there’s no pause. However […] Read more
By Tim Cavell on 19-Aug-2017 - The sign over the entrance to the Whitechapel Foundry tells us that it has been making church bells since 1570, and before then under another name. This makes it the oldest manufacturing business in Great Britain. Sadly, it has just announced it will be closing later this year so our recent Bardwell Bellringers visit there […] Read more
By Louise Johnson on 12-Aug-2017 - My children and I started ringing following a chance conversation I had with Trisha Hawkins, the bell ringing teacher at St Mary’s, Barnes. She had recently got back from a ringing trip and was recounting the details, and it all sounded very interesting. She then asked me if I would like to have a go, […] Read more
By Helen McGregor on 07-Aug-2017 - The Tulloch band are looking for some more help….. This is a fantastic opportunity for an ART Trained ringing teacher to enjoy a visit to Scotland with free accommodation, in exchange for some friendly and supportive ringing leadership between October 7th 2017 and the 31st March 2018. It’s the perfect opportunity for an accredited teacher […] Read more
By Lucy Chandhial on 06-Aug-2017 - Teachers from across the Middlesex Association of Church Bell Ringers are offering a week’s long course in Bell Handling (from Monday 21st to Friday 25th August inclusive). The sessions will take place between 10am and 4.30pm each day at St Mary Abbots in Kensington, and the cost is £50 for the week. Many of the […] Read more
By Bernadette O'Dwyer on 05-Aug-2017 - This DVD, which is of benefit to both teachers and new ringers alike, highlights the importance of practising the skills, technique and teamwork necessary to raise and lower individual bells or in peal. The point is clearly made that raising and lowering bells is a performance piece which must be completed safely while maintaining musicality […] Read more
By Elaine Greatrex on 02-Aug-2017 - We came from all directions and all had a different agenda. What we were there for was a simulation awareness workshop, what we got was a well-informed introduction to simulators and a wide-ranging informative discussion on the future of how simulators could help ringers ring without disturbing the neighbours. While the workshop was designed as […] Read more
By Ginette Pardoe on 29-Jul-2017 - In 2013, a fellow ringer suggested we start a monthly practice at Broseley in Shropshire with a view to establishing a new band; there hadn’t been an active band there in several years. I mentioned this to a friend, Teresa, who is also the landlady of a local pub (so I see her quite often!), […] Read more