It’s time to catch up with part two of the wide-ranging conversation on the future of ringing hosted by Cathy Booth at the recent Art Conference. Just like part one, the panel of Tina Stoecklin, Andrew Slade and Max Drinkwater don’t hold back from tackling the tricky questions! What does the CCCBR do for ringers? How can associations work with Diocese to target bell funds in churches that have a future? How do we empower younger ringers into leadership role and evolve structures that meet the needs of today’s ringers? And by younger we are of course talking under 50s!
Although many of the issues raised may seem familiar, some of the solutions suggested may be surprising. Is it time for ringers to professionalise, be ‘seen’ by the church community and show what skills and resources we can offer? Something to discuss later in the pub …
Top five takeaways

• If you have received any complaints regarding bells under your care, and you need help and advice, email the Complaints Helpline at complaints@cccbr.org.uk
• Encourage younger ringers into leadership roles. Not only will it refresh your tower’s perspective, but it will also enhance their CVs.
• How strategic is your area with your bell maintenance funds? If you’re not already linked into the diocese then now’s the time to get together to make sure investment choices are strategic.
• Has your Tower Captain got a role for life? Maybe it’s time to consider succession planning ready to implement a fixed-term policy.
• If your association isn’t already tackling these big issues why not think about your own role in standing up, showing leadership, and ensuring the future of ringing.

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

How many bells are enough? Six, eight, ten? As show host Cathy Booth discovers from Peter Heard, once the offers of help and support came rolling in to Nevern Restoration Project, it was easy for their ambitious plan to grow and grow!

There’s something for everyone in this engaging episode, whatever your interests. Church history, restoration projects, epic fundraising, setting up a band from scratch and the ups and downs of special guests and TV appearances all get a look in.

Peter feels that ringing has rejuvenated him in later life, but I think this may be the other way about. Judging from the amazing success of this bell restoration and training centre, he has fully reciprocated by doing his bit to breathe new life into an old tower.

Top 5 Takeaways

• Looking for the perfect holiday location with an excellent ring of bells thrown in? Find out more about Nevern church and its bells here Our Church Bells | Nevern Church (nevern-church.org.uk)
• If you’re planning a bell project, check to see what talent there is in your church congregation, you might be amazed to discover the expertise that you have
• Find out more about the Keltek Trust Helping churches acquire surplus and/or redundant bells to be hung for English-style full-circle bell ringing
• Looking to hold a ringing recruitment drive? What better place to hold a welcome and introductory session than the local pub!
• Whilst the Colwinston Trust focuses its funding on projects that benefit Wales, look for unusual connections to your church and local trusts that might be able to help you with any bell ringing project

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Terrified of Twitter, hesitant about hashtags, tentative about TikTok? This practical podcast sees host Cathy Booth take a closer look at social media and how ringers can make the most of it, whether it’s to recruit new ringers, keep the neighbours engaged or impress other towers with what you’re up to.

And if it’s tips you’re after, this podcast delivers in spades, with great advice from those already up to exciting things on their social media platforms. Listen and learn from Chrissie and Katelyn from Loughborough Bell Foundry, Sarah Bowyer from Worcester Cathedral, and Richard and Rebecca from Frittenden Bell Ringers.

With so many platforms you might very well be wondering where to start. Well apparently photos of animals, and especially cats, are the perfect clickbait. Get your cute Stedman 'cat's ears' pics ready everyone, as now is the time to use them!

Top 10 Takeaways

• Use your best photos, especially in Instagram – image is everything!
• Be true to yourself – what’s unique or special to your tower? Play to your strengths and think about the message you want to get across
• Short videos and reels are great to get people engaged. People love to see a real person and hear their voice
• Have a look at other bell ringing social media accounts to see what works and get some inspiration
• Get a few great photos and draft a few posts before you start. It will help to have some content already figured out
• Don’t forget that with some small tweaks, you can use the same content across more than one platform!
• Looking to reach out to your local community? Facebook is a great way to target a local area as you can connect with other local groups already on the platform
• There are all sorts of ‘how to’ videos – if you’re not sure how to do something, check it out on YouTube
• Post regularly if you can and don’t be disappointed if you don’t get instant results, it can take time to raise your profile
• Social media shouldn’t be a chore so enjoy it and have fun. It’s a great way to introduce ringing to a whole new audience!

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

What, if anything, is worth keeping from the COVID lockdown period? Well definitely the Wensleydale Clusters online ringing course! Host Cathy Booth hears from ART award winners David Scrutton and Jonathan Couchman, who tell the story behind their successful recruitment scheme, now in its third year.

In just five hours of online learning and practice in Ringing Room, the course gets wannabe ringers up to the stage of understanding plain hunt and eager to be matched with a local tower captain so they can begin ringing for real in a nearby tower. The retention rate is impressive too!

Lots of tips here for any ringing project - bring together talented people with towers in need, keep things friendly and informal, and don’t intimidate leaners by exposing them too early to the ‘scary ringers’…

Top 5 Takeaways

• Check out all the other winners and runners up from the ART awards as there is plenty of inspiration there! www.ringingteachers.org/awards
• Committees and formal structures can sometimes put people off – keep your project agile with just a small team at the top
• Interested in following Wensleydale’s example? Check out their materials: www.funwithbells.com/wensleydale-ringers-resource
• Think about timing for any recruitment, or project come to think about that. People need something to do and look forward to in the cold, dark nights in January and February
• Consider the benefits of online ringing for people with health conditions, carers and others who find it hard to leave the house. So much potential to bring ringing, and the wider community, together.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Is Phil Gay a typical ringer, an atypical ringer or just total legend? Show host Cathy finds out as she delves into a ringing life very well lived.

From inventing a mobile belfry, developing the Keele Ringing Summer School, teaching his family to ring and hanging his own mini-ring in his garage to notching up 1000 peals, Phil has made a massive contribution to ringing both locally and nationally. And that’s without mentioning his years of service at the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.

Yes, not every one of his innovations has been taken forward, but Phil still has plenty of ideas. In particular, we just can’t wait to see Phil’s quick erection model!

Top 5 Takeaways

• Consider running a separate practice for learners once they start attending the tower practice night – this will help them correct any bell handing issues and give them more rope time
• Help retain your ringers by being accepting – if someone can’t make every practice or Sunday think about the positive contribution that they can make
• Find out more about the Keltek Trust which helps churches acquire surplus or redundant bells that can be then hung for change ringing https://www.keltektrust.org.uk
• Equip your teenage ringers to become valuable assets at University Ringing Associations by, for example, encouraging them to conduct a quarter or arrange an outing
• Retention is partly down to good teaching – check out the ART website to find out what’s on offer https://www.ringingteachers.org

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Struggling to strike in the right place? Anxious about unpredictable sallies? Getting no satisfaction from your ringing? You’ve come to the right podcast!

Ace ringing teachers, Ruth Suggett, Judith Frye and Greg Russell, talk host Cathy Booth through the most common bell handling problems and, more importantly, how to solve them. From slow hand transfers, inadequate follow through and not catching the sally at the right time, it’s all here.

Don’t worry though, with the help of a good teacher, early diagnosis and willingness to master the necessary skills, all can be put right. Above all else, aim to be one with your bell - it is not the enemy, but ego is!


Top 5 Takeaways

• Don’t believe you have a handling issue? Ask someone to take a video of you ringing on your own phone and then watch it back at a slower speed – very often with bell handling issues, seeing is believing!
• Watch other ringers and consider their individual ringing styles, you can learn a lot through observation
• If you can get it up the tower, have a full-length mirror available, so ringers can watch their style and get instant feedback 
• Once learning a new bell handling element, go back and practice earlier skills so that you can successfully put everything together and develop an elegant and effective ringing style
• Check out the videos on the ART YouTube channel https://youtube.com/@ringingteachers

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

In this second episode focusing on engaging the media, host Cathy Booth looks at two sides of one ‘Ring for the King’ interview by talking to broadcast journalist Tim O’Callaghan and Simon Linford, President of the CCCBR.

Cathy learns that it’s hard to set the news agenda so if the media pick up on your story, you’ll need to act fast. And once a news outlet runs with your story, others may well follow so make the most of it!

For the CCBR, the recent media blitz is part of a much wider strategy focused on the future of ringing and attracting ‘good’ bell ringers - that stick at it, enjoy it, and add value to their towers. So, ditch the cold, dirty ringing chambers, grumpy old men and unrealistic expectations and begin the adventure of a lifetime of discovery …

Top 5 Takeaways

• Want to recruit some new ringers for your tower? Think carefully about the different communications channels you could use and who they will reach
• Be creative with targeting your messages. Struggling to reach young people? Try engaging with parents
• Be upfront about the commitment needed and time it can take to learn to ring
• Preparing for a media interview – think about the top ten questions they may ask you and write down some answers so that you have these to hand
• For more tips on dealing with the media check out the CCCBR website https://cccbr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Press-Info.pdf

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

This episode is jam-packed with practical tips as host Cathy Booth, with the help of three engaging guests, explores how to get positive bell ringing stories into the media.

First off, ringers Matthew Butler and Kate Flavell talk Cathy through their experiences of making the news - either after being contacted by local radio, TV and the press, or trying to hit the headlines themselves.

Cathy then gets a very different perspective from interviewing journalist Andrew Napier, who very helpfully explains how things work from the other side.

So if your Facebook post goes viral, or you have a great news story to share, this podcast provides the perfect preparation for your interview, photograph or press release. If you do get the call, just go for it - see it as yet another opportunity to bust that myth that ringing involves monks being yanked up in the air!


Top 5 Takeaways

• Think of the one key message you want to get across and don’t be afraid to repeat it.
• Practice explaining change ringing in a short and simple way that absolutely anyone can understand.
• For TV, print and social media, think about the visuals and remember to try and feature a range of ringers from different demographics if possible.
• If approached by the media always check what the story is and what they want from you. As a backup up though, always be prepared to answer questions about noise complaints, just in case!
• Don’t be disappointed if your story doesn’t get featured or you work hard to set up an interview but it is cancelled at the last minute, the news agenda does move very fast.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Ever wondered what it’s like to learn how to ring church bells? Podcast host Cathy Booth catches up with both learners in Winchester and teachers at the Association of Ringing Teacher’s conference to find out.

It’s clear that all the beginner ringers love the challenge of learning, especially enjoying the feeling of being focused and in the present. However, ringing isn’t quite as easy as it looks. It’s just as well that there are plenty of patient teachers there to help. So listen to your teacher, take small steps and keep going - and if you go through a rough patch, just remember how much progress you have already made.

The good news is that the one thing that everyone agrees on is that the most important thing about ringing is to have fun. That, and don’t forget to breathe!


Top 5 Takeaways

• When learning to ring, pull the sally hard at handstroke and stretch up at backstroke – remember that your hands need to go all the way up and all the way down
• Once you can safely ring a bell, work on your listening skills. Begin by trying to hear your bell before working up to hearing all the bells in the row
• Focus on learning one thing at a time. When you have mastered that, move on to the next thing
• Don’t expect miracles and become despondent if you feel you are not making progress. There is a lifetime of learning ahead. Don’t worry, the lightbulb moments will come, so enjoy them when they happen
• Interested in learning to ring? Visit ringingteachers.org/get-involved/learn-to-ringand Rose will help you find a teacher near you

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

This thought-provoking episode sees host Cathy Booth catch up with Emily Roderick, who after volunteering to support the podcast now finds herself featuring in it!

One of the age-old questions that ringers rarely agree on is ‘what exactly is ringing?’ - is it a sport, is it music, or is it art? Ringer and artist Emily is currently exploring ringing from the perspective of performance art, with an Arts Council England grant to boot. What follows is a fascinating discussion into the creative process and where imagination can lead to.

So, if you are a ringer interested in performance, or an artist interested in ringing, now’s your chance to get involved. Get in touch with Emily, and who knows what might happen next ...


Top 5 Takeaways

• If you’re learning to ring, try to ring as many different bells as possible as it will help improve your bell handling
• When ringing, pull all the way down, keeping your rope as straight as possible
• Immerse yourself in the different aspects of ringing, it might give you a new perspective
• Bell ringers are a fascinating bunch of people – find out what creative or artist skills your band has, and have a think about what you could make the most of their strengths and outside interests
• Follow Emily on Instagram @emilyhrodders https://instagram.com/emilyhrodders?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Are your bells too loud, or too quiet? Could some simple tips help your hard-of-hearing ringers to cope better in the tower? This podcast sees host Cathy Booth and guests explore the fascinating world of sound.

First, Alison and Chris share their experiences of ringing whilst using hearing aids, and come up with some terrific tips to make life easier both in the tower and in the pub afterwards.

Then Cathy quizzes her husband Roger on sound levels in towers. Turns out that it’s not just the decibel volume that matters, but reverberation and structural sound count too. Nobody wants a bad case of ‘clapper knock’!

Whether you want to soak up the sound with wall-to-wall carpet or crank up the volume by leaving all the doors open, this podcast is perfect for you.


Top Five Takeaways

• Conductors – tell those outside the circle to be quiet, catch the eye of the ringers before involving them in a change and call ‘that is all’ at the end, rather than ‘that’s all’
• Ringers – if you are new to hearing aids, experiment using the ‘music’ or ‘speech enhancing’ setting, depending on your needs. Stand where you have a very good view of the conductor and work extra hard at your ropesight
• Use a mobile app to quickly check the decibel volume in your ringing room – if it is too high then bring in some professional advice
• Check out Mike Banks’ presentation ‘Sound control inside and outside of your tower’ https://cccbr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Mike-Banks-Sound-Control-slides_2.pdf
• Got concerns about your hearing? Get these checked out as soon as possible. Several studies have found a link between untreated hearing loss and dementia risk. Why not try the RNID’s free online hearing check www.rnid.org.uk/check

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Who better to quiz about the future of ringing than the President of the CCCBR, the chair of the Association of Ringing Teachers, and an ordained ringer and co-author of a book about ringing and the church? Show host Cathy Booth puts this esteemed panel through its paces, posing some vital questions on what needs to happen to keep change ringing alive, and to recruit and retain young ringers.

It turns out that most of the answers lie with young people themselves, and that the ringing community has a lot to learn from the way young ringers organise, communicate, and socialise.

So, tune in for a free-ranging and thought-provoking discussion that might end up with you questioning some of the current values, beliefs, and rituals of ringing culture …

Top five takeaways

• Make the most of the relationship you have with your church – they may well have skills and expertise that can help with your recruitment
• Listen to the views of your young ringers
• Don’t forget the role of parents in encouraging their children’s hobbies. They might even take up ringing themselves
• Make the most of all technologies available to your tower. To find out more about improving your striking through Hawkear check out www.12bell.org.uk/hawkear
• Ringing can link to many parts of the primary curriculum, such as history, maths, music, and PE. A visit to a bell foundry might make for a perfect school trip! Schools | Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust (belltrust.co.uk)

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

No, we’re not talking about tyrannical tower captains, caustic conductors or belligerent tenor ringers here, but the wide and wonderful variety of wildlife that ringers and steeple keepers share their bell towers with. 

David Bagley fascinates host Cathy Booth with descriptions and anecdotes of both welcome and unwelcome species, and advises on how to either encourage them or get rid of them. No, it’s not just bats in the belfry, as insects, mammals and birds all seem to enjoy the atmosphere and make themselves at home. 

As well as some fascinating facts, this podcast offers some great excuses for losing a quarter - just blame the distraction caused by that cheeky mouse, plague of ladybirds or rare sighting of an assassin beetle!

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

This second sojourn into ringing in redundant churches sees show host Cathy Booth discovering two more exciting projects where ringers have joined forces with the Churches Conservation Trust.

When someone suggests you take the keys and check on the bells in a redundant church, big things can happen. Such an invitation proved inspiring to Andy Cope and his partner who have transformed All Souls in Bolton into a community ringing centre with a winning recruitment strategy.

Meanwhile, the vision for a national centre of ringing in Northampton is coming together beautifully, as Simon Linford updates on progress. Close your eyes and imagine the perfect place - nice ring of eight next door, set of training bells, state of the art simulator, a ringing library and a real ale pub. Yes, you heard that correctly, a pub! Is it too early to book an outing? 

Top 5 Takeaways

• Find out more about The Churches Conservation Trust, including how to get involved and support your local historic church at www.visitchurches.org.uk
• Keep track of progress at the National Ringing Centre https://www.pdg.org.uk/latest-news/national-ringing-centre-at-st-peter-s-and-the-old-black-lions
• Discover All Souls, Bolton https://allsoulsbolton.org.uk/home/about-us/, check out all the community activities on offer https://issuu.com/allsoulsbolton/docs/asb_community_brochure_2019 and watch this short introduction to the bells (2) Watch | Facebook
• Fancy a couple of nights sleeping under the nave? Go Champing, for your next ringing outing https://champing.co.uk
• Take some tips from All Souls ringers’ recruitment. Tower tours, taster sessions and a sixth-form feed into university ringing societies are all great tactics

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

What do you get when you cross The Churches Conservation Trust with bell ringers?  Show host Cathy Booth finds out, in the first of two special episodes. In this month’s show, Cathy meets Neil Skelton, David Bagley and Neil Dodge to discover what exciting projects can develop when ringers get involved in supporting historic places of worship.

From remote rural churches where ringers breathe new life into neglected spaces, through redundant churches that become popular unofficial ringing centres, to urban towers reclaiming their proud ringing heritage - the CCT and bells appear to be a winning combination.

As well as hearing about some inspirational projects, there are also some great tips for towers to visit and fascinating bits of history. And it wouldn’t really be a Fun with Bells podcast if there wasn’t a rollicking good tale about a high-profile dispute between some determined ringers and a disagreeable vicar.


Top 5 Takeaways

• Find out more about The Churches Conservation Trust, including how to get involved and support your local historic church at www.visitchurches.org.uk
• Fancy a trip to St Giles in the ‘lost village’ of Imber? Find out more about the church and its bells at imberchurch.org.uk
• Check out what the CCT has to say about St Peter’s Sudbury at https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/visit/church-listing/st-peter-sudbury.html , take a look at upcoming events at www.stpetersudbury.co.uk and follow progress with their restoration project on Twitter twitter.com/@StPeterSudbury
• Want to grab the bells of St John the Baptist, Strensham? Take a look at their website http://www.bagleybells.co.uk/strensham/strenshm.htm and then email david@bagleybells.co.uk 
• Can’t make it to Strensham in person? No problems, get over to YouTube to watch this great presentation about the church and the bells https://youtu.be/p6dWyB9-Gag or watch a video of the eight bells ringing some Stedman Triples https://youtu.be/a3uEkxf6hq

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

This episode sees host Cathy Booth explore the question of what ringers wear. You may or may not be surprised to hear that the answer is not bell-bottom jeans.

Guests Deb, Alex, Elizabeth and Michaela touch on history, safety and decorum as they share experiences, research and anecdotes on what to wear, or more importantly what not to wear!

At times this could be mistaken for an episode of ‘carry on campanology’, particularly when it comes to the topic of wardrobe malfunction. Preserve your modesty at all costs by avoiding floaty frocks, bringing back braces and being mindful of who is following you up the ladder.

And as always, bell ringers love a controversy - polo shirts with tower logos on? Good or bad? You decide ...


Further Reading

• Ladies – looking for some clothing inspiration, while ringing your peals? Check out Linda Garton’s ‘From Hats to Bikinis‘ on YouTube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTK-xazWFto
• Preparing for the colder months? Arthritis gloves are good in cold weather and even have little rubber bobbles to help grip the rope! Link: https://www.verywellhealth.com/best-arthritis-gloves-2552025

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

This month instead of a podcast episode, we are launching a social media competition.

The podcast will be back in the Autumn.

For more details about the competition, go to funwithbells.com/competition.

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Hot on the heels of the launch of the new Learning the Ropes Advanced Call Change Scheme, show host Cathy Booth chats with four call change aficionados.

Clare, Dee, John and Ian are all delighted to see the new scheme in place and look forward to the huge benefits it will bring. With the focus on good listening and bell control, the scheme aims to recognise the skills of call change ringers across the country and result in accurate, musical and stylish ringing.

But should you call the changes up or call them down? Possibly the most controversial question tackled by this podcast since the ‘jam or cream first’ cream tea rumpus! Thankfully Cathy’s guests handle this and other sensitive subjects knowledgeably, diplomatically and amicably. That is, until someone brings up the handstroke gap …


Top 5 Takeaways

• Find out about the new Advanced Call Change scheme and get your ‘log book’ at the Learning the Ropes website 
• Fancy calling some call changes but lacking on confidence – why not try calling them from outside the circle?
• If accurate striking is your goal, try practising with a simulator – your band of ‘robot’ ringers will keep you in place
• Want to help your band to get to grips with call changes? There are some great resources in the ART toolbox 
• Interested in finding out more about Devon Call Change ringing? Check out Cathy’s earlier interview with Ryan Trout

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

What should you do if the number of ringers is falling, your towers are in dire straits, and you need emergency measures to give ringing any kind of future in your area? 

This was the problem faced in the Lizard in Cornwall prior to COVID lockdown, and in this episode, podcast host Cathy Booth talks to the team who, against all the odds, have turned the situation around. 

The first step, is seems, is to find a Hayley, Miranda, Andy, and someone called Bob who has lots of mojo! By coming together as a tightknit team with the right set of skills, the Lizard ringers have created a successful hub for ringing recovery, recruitment and teaching. 

Once you have someone to work on the spreadsheets and strategy, someone who seems to know everyone in the local community, someone who wants to teach and someone who wants to learn to teach, then everything else falls into place. 

Add Facebook, fun and cake into the mix and local ringing will not only recover but may even experience a resurgence! A very inspiring yet practical podcast for all those struggling with empty towers and cancelled practice nights. 

Top 5 Takeaways

• Don’t forget the church organist, they’re musical after all! Lure them up the tower and they’ll get hooked. 
• If you have a group of learners, why not set up a Facebook group where you can update them weekly, and share news, learning tips and celebrate their successes? 
• What are the success factors of a teaching hub? Find a church that’s central to where your learners are, remote enough not to bother the neighbours, with easy bells, a ground floor ring, plenty of parking and electricity for refreshments. Oh, and add cake! 
• If you have ringers who would make good teachers, then get them signed up to an Association of Ringing Teachers course.https://events.bellringing.org/courses-for-teachers 
• Think strategically – work with your deanery to focus your recruitment efforts on churches with healthy congregations to protect against church closures.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

In this month’s fascinating episode, Simon Aves takes host Cathy Booth on an entertaining romp through Scotland’s bell ringing history. You may be surprised to learn it is very different to England’s.

Who knew the Scots were so fond of peace and quiet? Cathy learns that in the past the best way to annoy people in Dundee was to travel up there and ring all their bells. And beware of the constable waiting at the bottom of the tower to arrest you for that very noisy peal you just rang. Or worse still, the constable might well follow you to the pub and then ban you from ringing, perish the thought!

Of course, all of this is history - very colourful history and brilliantly told at that. First bells, first peals, first women ringers, colourful characters, court cases and ringers being sick after their eight pints, this podcast has it all.


Top 5 Takeaways

• Read Simon’s book ‘A History of Change Ringing in Scotland’ on Amazon Kindle
• Are you up for the Inveraray challenge? Find out more about the bell tower and its fascinating history http://inveraraybelltower.co.uk/index.shtml
• Discover more about bell ringing in Scotland https://www.sacr.org
• Why not research and write the history of your tower or association
• For something completely different, why not plan a tower outing to a Worbey and Farrell performance! http://www.worbeyandfarrell.com

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

In this inspiring show, podcast host Cathy Booth meets Tim Sunter and hears about his amazing seven-year ringing journey from learner to teacher and Association of Ringing Teachers committee member.

Who could have imagined that a thought-proving tweet in the middle of a field could have such a domino effect, propelling Tim on a path to both individual fulfilment and a new way to reach out to his local community? But such is the power of bell ringing.

Tim shares the deep satisfaction that ringing can bring, both from the sense of achievement of learning to ring and bringing a tower back to life to introducing local schoolchildren to the joy of bells and encouraging the local community to celebrate its heritage.

Tim’s enthusiasm is clearly infectious and no doubt this podcast will set off yet another exciting chain of events and ringing adventures for him, and possibly for you.

Top 5 takeaways

• Check out the wide range of online ringing courses at https://onlinelearning.bellringing.org
• Why not get involved in Heritage Open Days to both recruit new ringers and engage with the wider community
• Thinking of ways to get your local schoolchildren interested in ringing? Dust off your set of handbells and get in touch with your local school and suggest they make music with them
• Why stop at learning to ring? Why not learn to teach bell ringing and share your hobby with others
• Close to Birmingham? Take a look at what’s on offer at the Birmingham School of Bell Ringing https://birminghambells.com

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

In this special Anniversary episode, podcast host Cathy Booth has two special guests discussing both the beginnings and the future of ART. No, Cathy’s not exploring painting or sculpting, but a landmark development in the teaching of bell ringing. ART stands for the Association of Ringing Teachers, currently marking it’s tenth year. Founder member Pip Penney and current Chair, Lesley Belcher, celebrate the success of the scheme and its plans for the next three years.

Pip, a physiotherapist, combined her understanding of learning a physical movement with her experience of learning to ring, to help develop an innovative approach to teaching bell ringing. Ten year’s down the line, Pip’s fundamental training approach remains the same and new ART chair, Lesley, is focused on delivering these skills in new and exciting ways.

Not deterred by the pandemic, ART’s courses are very much in demand as new generations of ringing teachers make the grade and learners pass through ART’s Learning the Ropes scheme.

Find out what’s next in the story of ART and watch out for an explosion of new teachers, new ringers and celebratory ringing festivals coming soon!

Top 5 takeaways

• Want to learn to ring with an ART teacher? Contact Rose who will help you find a teacher near you http://ringingteachers.org/people/directory/contact/0
• Why not share the teaching in your tower – as well as sharing the load, learners get input from different teachers
• Interested in learning to teach ringing the ART way? Check out the courses on their website http://ringingteachers.org/
• Look out for the Learning the Ropes Festival in Norwich on 20 August – more information coming soon
• There are some great resources available on YouTube – for a start, check out ART’s channel at   https://youtube.com/c/ringingteachers

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

‘Unique’ is often overused as a word, but host Cathy Booth’s guests on this wonderful episode, John, and Debbie, can certainly claim it for their ringing experience. That’s because they ring at St Thomas’s Church, Kilifi in Kenya which is one of the remotest rings of bells in the world, with the nearest bells hung for change ringing being at Harare in Zimbabwe over 1,000 miles away.

Cathy learns about the fascinating history of the church and the bells, as well as hearing how John and Debbie became ringers, their learning experience, and their amazing ringing trips to the UK.

Although much will be familiar to other ringers, such as the ringing room with its set of handbells, cabinet of ringing books and bottomless sweet tin, there are also some eye-opening challenges of ringing in a tower that is, well, unique!

If you are beginning to take ringing a little bit for granted, this podcast will stop you in your tracks and possibly rekindle your romance.

Top takeaways

• Read all about the Kilifi ringers 2015 adventures in the UK The Whiting Society of Ringers - Kilifi
• Check out the bells on DOVE Tower details (cccbr.org.uk)
• Struggling to ring or explain plain hunt to a learner? Try thinking about it being like using the stairs – slowly up and faster down!
• Inspired by John and Debbie’s charity work? Is there anything more your church or tower could do to support struggling families in your local area? Or contact John to hear more about John and Debbie's work: mukedy@gmail.com
• Looking for some new ringing recruits? Members of the church choir are often a fruitful hunting ground.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

This month, show host, Cathy Booth meets with three frank and formidable female ringers to understand the reasons why, although women make up about half of all ringers, they are greatly underrepresented in positions of responsibility and peal ringing, and conducting.

Elva Ainsworth, Julia Cater and Tessa Simpson - who have all participated in ‘groundbreaking, record breaking and point breaking’ ringing - talk freely about their own experiences and the self-fulfilling prophecy where lack of opportunity leads to a lack of confidence.

Yes, women can ring heavier bells. Yes, women can conduct (and may choose to do this from either the back or the front). And yes, some small girls are just itching to have a go on the tenor, but the boys always seem to get first dibs.

Rather than focusing on the negatives, though, this inspiring podcast offers some thoughtful suggestions about how to encourage greater equality of opportunity and how all bands can flourish with the greater participation of their women ringers.


Top 5 takeaways

• Find out more about the working group for gender balance in ringing at https://www.womeninringing.info
• If you’re a tower captain, don’t assume what the women in your tower want to do – be proactive, ask for feedback, and set-reflect. Could you do things differently to bring on your female talent?
• Watch Julia Cater’s master class on ringing big bells https://stmartinsguild.org/teaching/training-and-resources/how-to-ring-big-bells/
• If you are a woman ringer, ask yourself what skills you have that you could bring to your tower, or to your district association
• Catch up the Ringing World’s special issue on women in ringing from November 2020 –  you can buy and download a PDF copy https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/issues/5716

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Fingers on buzzers, or perhaps that should be “look to”, as host Cathy Booth resumes the role of quizmaster in this latest Fun with Bells podcast quiz.

This time the focus is on the bells themselves, so tune in, listen up and get set for a different sort of hearing test. 

Everyone can play along, whatever their level, with straightforward questions for those new to ringing, alongside more obscure challenges for seasoned bell fans.

However, if you’re a regular listener to the show you may very well have a slight home advantage with the questions connected to previous episodes!

With its quirky questions, ringing recordings and fascinating facts, this episode is a perfect example of how you don’t need to be in the tower to have fun with bells.


Original recordings used in the quiz

The YouTube or other original recordings for each quiz answer can be found on the following page.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Show host, and adulty adult, Cathy Booth meets three more young ringers in this month’s episode, this time all founder members of the Young Change Ringers Association.

Josephine, Emily and Matt share the aims behind the new association, discuss the support that enables young ringers to become tower captains of the future and reveal the power of pizza.

There can be no better advert for YCRA membership than listening to these engaging, enthusiastic, and insightful leaders talk about how the association is meeting the needs of young ringers. And yes, as well as inspiring, it’s fun!

What more could you possibly want from a podcast? Well, a Fun with Bells pin-badge, for a start …


Top 5 takeaways

• If you’re an adult in a local ringing association, why not sign up all your young ringers in one go at https://ycra.org.uk 
• Looking for a new role that will look great on your CV? The YCRA are looking for a membership secretary, get in touch contact@ycra.org.uk 
• Ask your young ringers what they would like to do and listen – encourage them to conduct, or to lead a practice night and help them to become the tower captains of the future
• If someone is new to ringing don’t forget to explain tower etiquette to them, it can all be a bit baffling to a newcomer
• Forget about a quiz, if you need more fun at your next association meeting just wrap up your best ringers in toilet roll

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

What’s got 40 members, stretches across a large part of the country and is a brilliant way to have fun, improve your ringing and make friends? Well, if you are a young bell ringer, the answer must surely be the Liliputters.

Not, as host Cathy Booth discovers, a group from the fictional kingdom of tiny people, but an exciting national Guild for young ringers.

In this upbeat podcast, three Lilliputters - Simon, Molly and Euan - talk enthusiastically about the Guild, what it means to them and the joys of going on tour.

Sounds inspiring? Well if you’re between the ages of 10 and 30 and don’t want to miss out, why not join up now!


About the Lilliputters Guild

The Lilliputters Guild started life in August 2015 as a group of friends going away on a week’s ringing holiday. The accommodation for the week was The Lilliput Sea Scout Hut in Poole, Dorset – the closest Scout hut to Brownsea Island, incidentally – and it was from there that they took their name! The week, whose towers included Bournemouth, Poole, Winchester Cathedral and, naturally, Brownsea Island, was a roaring success. This prompted the formation of “The Guild” in April 2016, and another Tour that Summer, also based in Poole.

Since then, The Lilliputters Guild has grown, with new members and more events happening year on year. At the time of writing, it has some 40 members on the books, hailing from across the UK, with ages ranging from 13 to 35. In a “normal” year, they hold 3-4 main events, as well as other ad-hoc outings and quarter peal days, and even the occasional peal! The repertoire in The Guild ranges from call-changes to Surprise, and many Lilliputters have benefitted from ringing something new or different for the first time on a Guild event.

Equally important to the ringing is the social aspect of Lilliputters, be that evening activities (including the popular talent show) back at base during Summer Tours, pub or picnic lunches during days out, and even a theatre trip if an event is based in London!

Top 5 Takeaways

• The Lilliputters are a friendly group and welcome new members. Anyone interested in joining should email Simon Edwards on lilliputtersguild@gmail.com.
• Check out YouTube if you’d like to see the Lilliputters in action – catch up on their Guild Outing to London https://youtu.be/Ix61yHKDOvA
• Why not set up a group chat at your tower to keep in touch and help set up tours and quarter peals
• Make sure to listen to next month’s podcast to find out more about the new Young Change Ringers Association YCRA
• Encourage young ringers at your tower or in your association to help stand behind or mentor other young ringers

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Avoid all ladders, black cats and don’t whatever you do break a mirror in your rush to listen to this month’s Fun with Bells podcast on bells and superstition.

From birth, through to death and beyond, bells have had played a fascinating role in the customs around our key rites of passage. Amongst the many special powers of bells include making the devil flee, warding off plague and pestilence, and easing childbirth. It’s curious to note that none of these warrant a footnote on Bell Board these days!

From bells marking executions, to bells themselves being executed, this podcast has all the grisly and gory details.

Finally, discover the role of bells in warning of the approach of the unclean, untrustworthy and morally corrupt. And no, that’s not the bell ringers!

For further details see www.funwithbells.com

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Just as change ringing on handbells requires each ringer to have two bells, this perfectly formed podcast on the subject has two guests. Host Cathy Booth chats with Tina and Simon, authors of the latest must-have handbell manual.

As always, this podcast asks all the right questions. What is best, tower or hand bells? Will online ringing last post lock-down? Is bell ringing music? And should you start with hand bells and then move onto tower bells, or vice versa?

As well as addressing the big issues Cathy also finds out the fascinating process behind writing and publishing their book, discovers the joy of e-bells and gets insider information on the progress of Volume 2 and likely publication date.

Think handbells aren’t for you? Then listen to this podcast and think again.


Top 5 takeaways

• Tina and Simon’s book ‘Change-Ringing on Handbells Volume 1:Basic Techniques’ is available from their website www.handbellringing.co.uk That’s also where you can read their blog
• Give handbell ringing a go at ringingroom.co.uk Alternatively, grab yourself some e-bells at https://ebells.co.uk and give handbell stadium a go https://handbellstadium.org
• Why not incorporate handbells into your tower bell practice night? It might keep your learners extra motivated whilst they are getting to grips with their bell handling
• Check out the survival and recovery toolbox from the Association of Ringing Teachers for some great resources to help your ringers return post-lockdown https://ringingteachers.org/survival-and-recovery-toolbox
• Take a leaf out of the book and consider building conducting in to standard training and development, rather than leaving until later or seeing it as a different skill

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

You may not have given ringing simulators a second thought before, but this episode will definitely get you scrambling up your belfry, with some sensors in hand.

Steve Farmer, tells host Cathy Booth the fascinating story of Simbell. Wanting an easy way to get get extra rope time without annoying the church neighbours with his noisy novice ringing, Steve took the unusual step of inventing his own ringing simulator.

Now simulators are not new, having been a thing since the advent of The Seague Silent Ringing Apparatus in the 1870s. However, Steve had the very clever idea of making his simulator wireless. And what is the advantage of a wireless simulator? Listen to the podcast to find out!

With technology moving so fast it’s hard to say what will come next? Steve looks into his crystal ball and gets us to imagine a future where we might all be ringing in virtual reality headsets. Sounds amazing - just as long as the ‘bong’ is in the right place.


Top 5 takeaways

• Want to attract more ringers? Hold an open day as part of the Heritage Open Days. Once you’ve go them up the tower. They’ll be hooked!
• There’s a wide choice of ringing software to choose from – have a look at Abel http://www.abelsim.co.uk/ , Virtual Belfry https://www.belfryware.com/ and Beltower http://www.beltower.co.uk
• Check out all the super simulator resources, including links to Simbell https://simbell.co.uk on the Association of Ringing Teachers website http://ringingteachers.org/resource-centre/simulator-resources
• If there’s something that would help you to ring but it doesn’t yet exist, then why not invent it yourself. If it would help you it’s bound to help others too!
• Trying to motivate young ringers? Use a simulator to score their striking rates. And if more intensive training is needed, think about running a summer simulator boot camp with hours of (silent) practice.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Take a few deep breaths, relax, and tune into this month’s episode where host Cathy Booth meets ringer, counsellor, hypnotherapist and trauma care practitioner, Nicky Carling to talk about building up confidence for returning to the tower.

Yes, it’s probably time you changed out of your pyjamas, dragged yourself momentarily away from Ringing Room and ventured out to the exciting world of real-life bell ringing.

However, if this thought makes you at all anxious then Nicky offers lots of helpful tips and tools gained from her extensive experience as a professional therapist. 

From techniques like mindfulness and Emotional Freedom Technique, to alternative remedies like Bach Flower Rescue Remedy, there’s a wide range of help to boost your confidence, whatever your needs and ringing level. And if you’re planning to get back into practice for the National 12 Bell competition, then hypnotherapy might just help give you the competitive edge ...


Top 5 takeaways

• If you’re feeling anxious about returning to ringing, then talk to someone in your tower who will understand and can look out for you
• Read Nicky’s ART article for more information about the tips and techniques shared in this podcast https://ringingteachers.org/survival-and-recovery-toolbox/confidence-building-techniques 
• Interested in find out more about Bach Flower Remedies? Check out https://www.bachcentre.com/en/
• If you’re more concerned about getting back in physical shape for your ringing then ART also has some helpful advice for that http://ringingteachers.org/survival-and-recovery-toolbox/fit-to-ring and Lucy Gwynne, who is a physiotherapist, has recorded a complementary talk given to the St Martin’s guild: see https://youtu.be/AxCZcVDHq9w
• Also see Nicky’s therapy website: http://www.mayflowertherapies.co.uk/

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Cathy Booth’s special guest this month is ringer and project manager par excellence Tim Keyes who gives us the inside scoop of Ledbury’s rather exciting bell restoration and augmentation project.

Tim very helpfully talks through all the different stages of the project, step by step, with plenty of top tips for those of you planning your own bell project.

Cathy hears about the challenges faced, exacerbated by Brexit and COVID-19, but also the enormous highs that come with engaging the whole community in innovative ways.

However, this podcast is much more than the story of a successful project, as the interview takes a surprising literary turn. But then again, we always knew that bell ringing is poetry in motion ...


Top 5 takeaways

• Embarking on a bell project? Make sure you have a really good core team with skills in communications, technical issues and finance. Don’t forget to also work closely with the church.
• Struggling to find the big donations? You may have to diversify your funding to reach your target.
• There are so many tales to tell about every tower – why not turn your stories into a drama or musical performance for a fun, fundraising evening!
• Go out into schools and engage with children and young people – years seven and eight are a great age to start with.
• So much to see and do, and a national poetry festival! Put Ledbury on the list of places to visit (and ring in) when everything opens up again https://www.visitherefordshire.co.uk/see-do/city-towns/ledbury

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

In this fast-paced episode, podcast host Cathy Booth meets 20-year-old ringer, Oliver Lee, and discovers his passion for ringing and ringing history.

Oliver is clearly fascinated by all aspects of ringing and takes Cathy on whistle-stop tour of a huge range of ringing-related subjects, ranging from Ellacombe chimes, through belfry reform and on to John Warner and Sons bell founders.

Oliver also talks about his autism and the support he has had from the ringing community, reliving his positive experiences of the striking competitions he’s taken part in. Good times make great memories.

And just like any other ringer, he vents at the inaccurate depictions of bell ringing in the mainstream media. Did somebody mention Midsomer Murders?

Finally, on the question of Cumberland or College Youths? Looks like the verdict is still out ...

Top 5 takeaways

• If you had an extra million pounds to spend on ringing, how would you spend it and why? Just asking in case you win the lottery …
• Want a new challenge after lockdown? Why not check out the anti-clockwise towers in your area for something different.
• If you’ve not already dusted down your Ellacombe chimes because of Covid-19 now might be a good time to give them a go.
• Fancy a little history project? Why not use family history site Ancestry to look up the history of the ringers on the peal boards in your tower.
• Why not take a look at the books of Ernest Morris at https://whitingsociety.org.uk/old-ringing-books/morris-history-and-art-of-change-ringing.html

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

• Access many of the resources mentioned in this episode at the CCCBR website History & Archive (cccbr.org.uk)
• Interested in finding out more and the working groups and getting involved? Check out the webpage Historical and Archive – CCCBR or email halead@cccbr.org.uk
• Intrigued by the illuminated peal books? Take a closer look at the St Martin’s Guild SMG Peal Books | (stmartinsguild.org) and College Youths Peal & Name books · Ancient Society of College Youths digital archive · Ringing Archive (ascy.org.uk) websites
• Why not take photos of your own local peal boards and send them in? Help especially needed in Norfolk, Kent and Scotland – see which peal boards are already included at History & Archive (cccbr.org.uk)
• Why not do a bit of research about your tower and ringers, and share with your local community as part of the Heritage Open Days Homepage (heritageopendays.org.uk)

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

In this month’s show, podcast host Cathy Booth transforms into the next Anne Robinson as she joins the ringers of St John’s in New Alresford for their fortnightly Zoom quiz.

Fingers on buzzers as the ringers introduce each other and ask their two allotted quiz questions. There’s one point for each correct answer, so why not play along at home and see if you can beat their top score.

Test out both your bell ringing and general knowledge in some great company, whilst getting to know each ringer’s background, interests and talents. As you move round the tower you’ll discover just what an accomplished bunch they are.

And if you’re in need of a tie-break, you can always try working out the band’s combined peal tally!

The ringers setting the questions and taking part in this quiz were:

• Tony Ayres
• Roger Booth
• Hamish Corfield
• Andrew Johnson
• Elizabeth Johnson
• Windy Ling
• Rodney Skinner

Photograph credits for the banner photograph and the left of the 3 gallery photos:

Stephen Morley / Arle Images (available to view on Flickr)

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

One of the very best things to have happened over the past year is the development of the online ringing platform, Ringing Room. In this special Valentine’s podcast, host Cathy Booth interviews Leland and Bryn, the driving force behind this amazing achievement and now one of ringing’s most famous couples.

Of course, for Ringing Room to have happened, Leland and Bryn had to have met. Cathy wastes no time in finding out the details of their burgeoning romance and discovers that going a transatlantic ringing tour just three weeks into dating might well have been a definitive moment!

Although the interview focuses on their relationship, this podcast is also very much a paean to ringing itself. Both Leland and Bryn are so clearly in love with bell ringing and gladly share the joy and fulfilment that it brings to their lives.

Of course, Leland and Bryn are not the only couple to have been brought together by ringing. A study conducted in 1989 assures that simple eye contact could make a person fall in love with you. Remember this the next time you find yourself gazing into the eyes of the conductor during a peal ...


Top 5 takeaways

• Ringing Room is not just for COVID-19 – it’s an amazing resource to meet and ring with people in dispersed areas and for teaching and training.
• When ringing in the tower, once you have pulled off, look around. You’ve already got all you need to know from the bell you are following, so cast your eyes around. This will help you develop your rope sight.
• Although ringing tower bells and handbells is very different, you can link what you know about both to get a deeper understanding about method structures.
• Check out the Bradfield Ringing Course http://www.bradfield-ringing-course.org.uk
• Facing a long journey or commute? It’s the perfect time to get to grips with learning a method.

Photo credits

Mira Whiting https://www.mirawhitingphotography.com/

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Love is very definitely in the air at the Fun with Bells Podcast this Valentine’s Day, as host Cathy Booth explores ringing’s tender side.

First, we hear the heart-warming story of Jo and Graham, whose romance continues to deepen from Ringing Remembers, through Ringing Room, and to a very memorable lockdown proposal. Be warned, if you get invited to an unexpected Saturday practice, there might well be something afoot ...

Cathy also reveals the results of her special Valentine’s survey. Are bell ringers romantic or not? Listen in for all to be revealed. It won’t be giving too much away to say that there might well be a market for a ringing dating app. You too could find love through Dove!

Finally, we hear a Valentine’s message from one ringer to another - there is one very lucky Guy out there. 

Whether you are a romantic ringer or not, you’re sure to be whisked off your feet by this episode.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

For Don McLean over in Ireland, one of the joys of bell ringing is teaching others and delighting in their achievements. In this charming episode, Cathy Booth, podcast host, shines a light on Don’s motivation and his own considerable achievements, including masterminding the training of 17 new recruits at St Mary’s Kilmood on ‘The Peace Bells’.

Don is passionate about teaching and, as Cathy discovers, he has spent a great deal of time out and about supporting bell ringing teachers across Ireland. As Cathy and Don chat, we get a fantastic overview of the structure and culture of bell ringing over Ireland’s 37 towers.

And what does Don do when he is not teaching others to ring, organising training sessions, or working hard to get cancer patients the priority treatment they need? Well, he sits down in his garage with the doors open and the mini-ring in action, hoping to lure in new recruits. What about the neighbours? Well of course they would be most welcome to take a seat and join in!

The neighbours are not the only ones to be invited in. Just like towers around the world, Irish ringers would welcome you with open arms and gladly give you a rope. COVID can’t be over soon enough so that Don can get on with his latest ambitious training initiative and we can all book our ringing tour over to Ireland. Get your name down on the waiting list at Kilmood now!


Top 5 Takeaways

• Find out more about ringing in Ireland at http://bellringingireland.org
• Sometimes seeing is believing – a mini-ring is a great recruitment tool
• As well as a stream of new recruits you need to have the teachers in place – need support, then visit http://ringingteachers.org
• When it’s time to look for new recruits, why not reach out to your church community? There may be someone secretly wanting to have a go
• Intensive training is a good way of keeping learners interested as they can quickly see the progress they are making

Special credit in this episode goes to Vaughan Jones for the violin music. For more details see Vaughan Jones from Manor House Music.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

What do ringers do when they are not ringing? Well, judging by this latest episode they write, film, podcast and blog about it!

Podcast host Cathy Booth chats to no fewer than six leading lights in the ringing community who are all doing their bit to share and support the hobby they are all so passionate about.

From Mancroft to Minecraft and from the Ringing World to the virtual world, this bumper podcast can’t fail to inspire. Ringers are a resilient bunch and many have taken the challenge of Covid-19 to learn something new or put their long dreamt-about projects into action. There’s now more need to communicate than ever before.

As 2020 is obviously the year to try something new, why not check out some of these fascinating blogs, YouTube channels, podcasts and publications? Or better still, create one of your own! Think big and aim high - I bet Cathy can’t wait to interview the world's first bell ringing TikTok influencer ...


Top 5 Takeaways

• If there’s not a video of your tower up on YouTube pop one up as soon as you can.
• You may already have had a go at Ringing Room and Zoom, but why not explore other virtual tools like Virtual Belfry, Handbell Stadium, Minecraft and Discord?
• If you’re not already a subscriber, check out the Ringing World. You can just buy a single issue just to see what it’s like.
• Why not make a recording of all the towers that you ring at and create your own audio diary of your outings?
• Ringing is a social activity – use all the channels available to keep in touch with your band during the pandemic, and to attract new recruits when it’s safe to get back in the tower.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Home of the first true peal, St Peter Mancroft in Norwich is now home to the brilliant Mancroft Ringing Discovery Centre. Podcast host Cathy Booth catches up with Simon Rudd and Nikki Thomas to find out what’s been happening.

Well, there’s been so much going on it’s hard to know where to start! Training courses at all levels, lunchtime pay as you go sessions, band visits, junior ringing and ringing festivals all feature. That’s when the team is not out and about taking ringing into schools and letting hordes of excited novice ringers have a go on 12 bells at Great Yarmouth.

But what of lockdown? Cathy discovers that both Simon and Nikki have actually been doing more ringing in lockdown than ever before - extending their handbell repertoire, honing their conducting skills and setting themselves ever more complex challenges in Ringing Room.

For those of you who are more advanced, you might want to learn to ring Cambridge Suprise. Or maybe that's not the best place to start! How about starting with Cornwall first? This podcast also includes an excerpt from Matt Austin's conversation with Don Marrison about less traditional steps to learning surprise methods, first broadcast in our North American sister podcast, Treble's Going.

Whatever your level and whatever your pathway, once everything is safe, take yourself and your band for a weekend in Norwich and try out your new skills on the MRDC training bells. You know you want to.


Top takeaways

• Check out the Mancroft Ringing Discovery Centre www.mrdc.org.uk and get ready to book a visit once it’s safe to get out and about
• Not tried Ringing Room yet? Go on, give it a go! If you need some help to get started pop into the Ringing Room Take Hold lounge on Facebook
• Interested in St Peter Mancroft’s bell ringing heritage? Listen to Nikki’s talk for Heritage Open Days 
• If you’ve got a suitable 12 bell tower in your area, have a think about letting your novice ringers loose – they’ll love every minute
• Don’t just print off the blue line to learn it – why not write out the method by hand from place notation and really get inside it
• Catch up with the rest of the Don Morrison ‘Cornwall first’ interview at treblesgoing.com

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

For this episode, we have provided a Transcript with photos

Ringing can be spooky at the best of times – you may get shivers down your spine with a nicely struck touch of Stedman, or perhaps an eerie sensation of being watched when you’re on the treble.

However, for Halloween, Fun with Bells turns up the terror with this chilling collection of ghostly goings-on. Yes, this episode is even scarier than the ringing cage at Pershore Abbey.

This petrifying podcast is full of ominous, deathly warnings and the mournful sound of drowned, lost or buried bells ringing without the help of human hands. We also discover that not only has the Devil got the best tunes, he has also stolen the best bells!

Scare yourself silly with stories of bells that ring by themselves or bells that don’t ring at all. If you’ve not heard your church bells for some time don’t blame coronavirus restrictions. It’s much more likely that pixies have kidnapped your ringers and are holding them captive in a cave. Pixies just hate the sound of the bells – a bit like some newcomers to the village then.

Turn off the lights, turn up the volume and be afraid, be very afraid …

Credits

The ‘Ringers’ Arms’ image used for our Halloween special episode is a fake pub sign created by Maggie Willans.

Our violinist was Vaughan Jones from Manor House Music.

For all other credits – see the transcript

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

The ‘Ringers’ Arms’ image used for our Halloween special episode is a fake pub sign created by Maggie Willans.

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Following on from last month’s edition, podcast host Cathy Booth reveals another dodgy dozen or so weird and wonderful towers. WARNING - this podcast contains details of hair-raising ringing environments, definitely not for the nervous ringers amongst you! 

Enjoy another litany of trapdoors, spiral staircases, beam scrambling, comedy pulleys and 17th-century ladders.

We now have a whole new list of things to watch out for – bizarre ringing circles, ropes arranged around the organist, and, erm, falling concrete!  And as lovely as weddings are, Cathy discovers these can be the source of much distraction. Please do be careful not to lasso a bridesmaid!

Lastly, and most importantly, always be EXTREMELY cautious if you accept an invitation to ring a quarter peal at a church whose bells are described as “rung from cage above chancel crossing”.

Featured towers:

St Mary Magdalene, Cottingham, Northamptonshire

• Simon Head read to us about Cottingham
• For more information see : http://cottinghamhistory.co.uk/Churches%20-%20St%20Mary.htm

St George’s, Great Bromley

• David Sparling reads to us about Great Bromley
• For more information see https://www.greatbromley.org.uk/st-georges-church-great-bromley?fbclid=IwAR0QwFFqHiL_J0jwQSXXcM04_0qRAk5MDHHnWlCb3y0KlapdjK4hr0F7q3I

Pershore Abbey

• Pershore Abbey where ringers ring from the square platform that you can see suspended in the top centre of this photo
• Stuart Piper told us about Pershore Abbey
• For more information see
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN0AyqSl9gI
• http://www.merrix.eu/BellRinging/towers/worcs/Pershore-Abbey.htm
• http://www.archive.pershoreabbey.org.uk/bells.html

St Peter, Great Livermere

• Neil Dodge read to us about the tower at Great Livermere
• For more information about this church see http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gliver.htm

Crowland Abbey

• Alison Davies read to us about Crowland Abbey
• For more information see:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8DHfZ5y2oo
• https://meanderingthroughtime.weebly.com/history-blog/bells-of-croyland-abbey-in-lincolnshire
• https://ldgcb.org.uk/news/news2014/crowland_radio4.php

Inveraray

• Steve Johnson read a story recalled by Roy Le Marechal about a failed

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

These tales of weird and wonderful towers are definitely not for the faint-hearted ringers among you.   Podshow host, Cathy Booth, invites us behind the scenes of 15 of the most outlandish ringing environments from across the world, featuring trap doors, vaults, ventilator shafts, crawlways and external ladders. Clock cases also play a starring role, along with gas lamps and one particularly chilling occupant!

Some helpful tips here, though, should you find yourself faced with one of these terrifying towers. Need more ventilation as the ringing room is turning into a sauna? Just take the door off its hinges! 

And it seems that a whole new set of skills is needed to ring in these peculiar places. Ropesight won’t hold you in much stead in many of these challenging ringing environments, and listening will be difficult too, underneath the headphones you’ll need to use to preserve your hearing. Extra kudos, however, if you have the skills to get a barrel of beer up an external ladder – maybe a new module is needed for this in the ART ‘learning the ropes’ scheme … 

Featured towers:

St James, Garlickhythe, City of London

• Dickon Love read about the bells of Garlickhythe

The Waterloo Tower, Quex Park, Kent

• Simon Davies contributed the reading about Quex Park
• For more information see: http://www.quexringers.org.uk/pages/change-ringers.htm and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ3nKr1aNXo

St Mary, Launton, Oxfordshire

• Rose Nightingale – who reads information about Launton. Rose also instigated and compiled the material for the Weird and Wonderful episodes of Fun with Bells.
• For more information see: https://www.facebook.com/stmaryschurchlaunton/

St Mary the Virgin, Cottingham, Riding of East Yorkshire

• Steve Johnson read to us about Cottingham. For more information see: https://www.stmaryscottingham.org/

St Patrick’s, Patrington, Yorkshire

• Chris de Cordova tells us about Patrington …. and the Patrington crawl
• For more information see: http://www.stpatrickspatrington.org.uk/the-church-building/the-bells/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb1Fh8q2XNM

St Cuthbert’s, Cotherstone, County Durham

• Gordon Gray tells us about St Cuthbert’s church, Cotherstone. For more information see: https://northeastbells.co.uk/cotherstone/

East Bergholt

• Johnathan Williamson who tells us about East Bergholt
• For more information see: http://www.constablecountrychurches.co.uk/bells, http://

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

• The Joy of Bells: New Ringers Reflect on Their New Obsession: funwithbells.com/ep69
• Remarkable PhD Study of Cambridge Bellringers Pay and Habits: funwithbells.com/ep23
• Recording Your Bells: funwithbells.com/ep15
• What Ringers Wear: funwithbells.com/ep53
• Thirty Voices, Seventy-five Years, One Story: funwithbells.com/ep26
• Young Autistic Bell Ringer and Historian: funwithbells.com/ep38
• 15 Tips to Improve Your Striking: funwithbells.com/ep24

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

This episode sees host Cathy Booth in conversation with Andrew Wilby for a fascinating insight into the Taylor Bell Foundry's past, present and future.

Based in Loughborough, we hear all about the history behind the foundry and some of the exciting attractions on site. The foundry has its own museum, 12 bell tower renowned for being the site of the world's longest peal and even a carillon. Plan your visit now for when lockdown is over!

You'll also discover what JS Bach has got to do with bell ringing, the ins and outs of harmonics and what equal temperament is - and no it's not an easy-going tower captain!

Andrew then gets into some heavy stuff, bells that is, before regaling Cathy with some hair-raising stories of his bell ringing travels abroad. Brilliant stuff!


Top 5 takeaways

• Find out more about the Taylor bell foundry on its website http://taylorbells.co.uk/
• A carillon is a musical instrument.  where a set of bells is played by a keyboard and pedals. The keys mechanically activate levers and wires connected to metal clappers which strike the bells. You can find out more about the Loughborough Carillon on its website https://www.carillontower.org.uk/index.htm
• Try listening to some bells cast by different methods and see which you think sounds best!
• Why not watch the bells of St Pauls in action on this YouTube clip Bells of St Pauls Cathedral, London 2
• And if you want to do your bit to ensure that the last remaining major bell foundry in Britain isn’t lost, visit  https://loughboroughbellfoundry.org/

NB. The photo for this episode was taken by Tommy Pengilley.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Can one ever have too many belfries? In this fascinating podcast, show host Cathy Booth finds the answer to this is no, as she quizes Helen McGregor about the amazing ringing centres at Tulloch and Alderney.

Helen’s bell ringing started as an excuse not to commit to babysitting for a neighbour but quickly turned into a lifetime’s addiction. What’s more, together with husband Peter, bell ringing has inspired what can only be termed a “belfry creation scheme”.

If developing two ringing centres isn’t enough, Helen also has ambitious plans for her hand bell ringing. She is confident that she could teach you, and possibly your dog, handbells too, if either of you have rhythm.

Whatever your interest is, be it tower bells or hand bells, there’s plenty to interest you in this wide-ranging podcast. And if It gets you thinking about your own ring of bells, there’s always the garage ...


Top 5 takeaways

• Your hands are stronger together, so don’t ring more with one hand than the other, keep them together
• It’s a rope, not a rod, so you can’t try and push it up! Keep a gentle tension in the rope at all times
• Fancy a trip to Tulloch or Alderney? Find out more at www.tullochbells.com  and http://alderneybells.com . If that’s too far to travel, look for a ringing centre nearer to you.
• Don’t just get stuck on one bell, or pair of bells if you or are ringing handbells. Moving around will help improve your ringing
• Set yourself some ringing goals. You may not want to ring a quarter peal in each quarter of the British Isles like Helen, but be ambitious and have fun!

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Originally timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE day, this unique episode sees host Cathy Booth, joined by a whole cast of ringers, bust the myths about ringing during World War II. This is the abridged version of ‘thirty voices, seventy-five years, one story’ aimed at non-ringers. And what a story!

For more information, including photographs and the biographies of the 2 interviewees, Dennis Brock and Eric Hitchins, see the show notes behind the full version.

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

Originally timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE day, this unique episode sees host Cathy Booth, joined by a whole cast of ringers, bust the myths about ringing during World War II. This is the full version of ‘thirty voices, seventy-five years, one story’. And what a story!

Bell towers across the country are currently silent due to the coronavirus pandemic. Unprecedented is currently a much-used word, but in this case not warranted, as we discover that 2020 is not the first time in living memory that ringing has had to stop.

Cathy discovers the true story of this earlier ban on ringing, brought to life from archived letters and articles, and the amazing true-life experiences of people who were there, including Dennis Brock, Britain’s oldest bell ringer and Eric Hitchins who rang his first peal on VE Day 1945.

The parallels with the current situation are striking. We discover that ringers’ concerns echo down the years, with their distress at the prospect of not being able to ring at Easter felt as keenly then as now. And, it appears, they were just as resourceful when locked out of their towers. Oh, and not much has changed with the locals either – always complaining about the noise of the bells, until, of course, there’s a ban!

We obviously all know end of the story as we wouldn’t all be here today had the ringers not got back to their towers, rolled out their recruitment plans and shared their passion for ringing. This is a hopeful, positive and inspiring tale – truly a story for our times.


Story behind the story

Harry Badger sent a letter to the Ringing World about the ringing at Thame for the victory at El Alamein

Knowing bell ringers were missing their ringing due to the Coronavirus ban, Cathy wanted to produce an episode of Fun with Bells that looked back at the time when bell ringers endured a similar ban – in World War II.  Believing, as many historians do, that the ban was only lifted on VE Day, she asked Alan Regin to help her find bell ringers who had lived through the ban and could tell her about not being able to ring and what it was like being able to ring again.

Alan replied to Cathy, by return email, with suggestions of who Cathy could talk to and also sent 41 attachments, mostly scans of articles and letters published in the Ringing World  during the war.

Cathy enjoyed reading the eloquent language in the Ringing World and realised that, as well as the original idea of interviewing those that were there, there was a story portrayed in these Ringing World passages that was not widely known.  She then pondered how to put this across in the podcast until she hit on the idea of having current day bell ringers reading the passages. 

As she only thought of the idea on the 23rd April and wanted the podcast to be published on 7th May, to coincide with VE day, there was only 2 weeks to get everything done.

Some of the people doing the recordings had links to their predecessors including Stephen Hoare from Thame who read the letter from Harry Badger.  Stephen sent in a photograph of a peal board with Harry’s name on it.

And there were laughs as somebody sent in the wrong recording which contained frustrated expletives!!

Fortunately bell ringers are great at teamwork and with many people’s input, most notably Rose Nightingale and Steve Johnson the project was completed in time.

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

In this episode you’ll get three for the price of one as a panel of the country’s top strikers discuss their top tips. And no, it’s not football we’re talking about, but bell ringing!

Colin Newman, Lesley Boyle and Stephanie Warboys join podcast host Cathy Booth at the Association of Ringing Teachers conference to chat about the holy grail of bell ringing, which is good striking.

What starts off with a simple explanation of what striking is and its importance to performance, then turns in into a frank discussion of an issue at the very heart of bell ringing. Do ringers focus too much on methods at the expense of good striking? And if so, how do you tackle this taboo subject if poor striking is happening in your tower? You’re all bound to have an opinion and so do our panel members!

So tune in now for some top tips for how to achieve Nirvana of ringing but first things first, work out if your bell goes ‘ding’ or goes ‘dong’.

Top 5 takeaways

We’ve a high scoring list of  top takeaways this week as instead of just five, we’ve over 15 top tips for better striking.

Also see www.funwithbells.com

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org