Ringing Centres Committee

A Ringing Centre is a tower or organisation which is a recognised centre of good practice in the promotion and teaching of bell ringing, the teaching of ringing tutors, and of leadership in bell ringing, and to spreading good practice to other towers.

A Ringing Centre will usually be based at a tower or group of towers, but it is envisaged that a centre may also be based on a mobile installation in the nature of a travelling education facility.

Ringing Centres may be run by their local Central Council affiliated territorial society, by a non-affiliated local Society, or may be independently managed, but in any case there will normally be a small management committee with specific responsibilities for the Ringing Centre and its activities.

An independently managed Ringing Centre will normally serve ringers from the surrounding area, which may include towers from more than one territorial society. Where a Ringing Centre is situated near society boundaries it can encourage co-operation between adjacent territorial Guilds and Associations.

Please see the Map and the Directory for details of existing Ringing Centres.

What do Ringing Centres do?

Examples of activities undertaken by Ringing Centres include: /p>

Use of mini rings and mobile belfries in public places or at public events to promote ringing.
Exhibitions, posters, open-days and the distribution of publicity material.
Teaching bell handling to new recruits through dedicated weekly practices.
Intensive handling lessons (e.g. learn to ring in a week).
One to one lessons on a simulator and a tied bell or dumb bell.
Use of video equipment or CCTV to improve bell handling, and the workings of a bell.
Short courses (e.g. six Saturday mornings concentrating on a particular method or topic).
One day, weekend, three day and week long courses.
Teaching people how to teach bell handling, and more advanced skills.
Campaigns to get a silent tower ringing again
Work to promote ringing in local schools and young people�s groups.

Why become a Recognised Ringing Centre?

There are very many towers which teach ringing to an excellent standard using modern techniques and facilities. The essential difference between such towers and a Ringing Centre is that Ringing Centres are committed to teaching ringers, and the teachers of ringing, for more than one tower. Recognition as a Central Council Ringing Centre is a statement of intention to the wider ringing community to this effect.

It is the experience of existing Centres that Recognised Ringing Centre status, which demonstrates a clear intention to teach and encourage the spreading of good and safe practice, is extremely helpful when dealing with church and diocesan authorities in the promotion of ringing projects.

Recognised Ringing Centre status has been found to be important in securing funds from outside sources. Funders appear to give considerable weight to applications from ringing projects that have a wider range of beneficiaries than just the normal members of, and visitors to a traditional local band.

Recognised Ringing Centre status also gives the opportunity to share experience and ideas with other ringing centres, through an e-mail network. The Ringing Centres Committee plans to hold a conference for Recognised Centres every 2 to 3 years.

As the Central Council and its committees will be promoting Ringing Centres quite heavily, new recruits and trainees will be given information about Recognised Ringing Centres operating in their area.

If you would like to set up a ringing centre and become Central Council Recognised, please download the following documents:

The Committee

The Ringing Centres Committee was formed in 1993 to support existing ringing centres and to encourage the creation of new ringing centres. More recently the Committee has administered the allocation of a £50,000 benefice given by The Worshipful Company of Founders to assist in the setting up of ringing centres. To date there are in excess of 40 ringing centres of which over 30 have received a grant from the Worshipful Company of Founders benefice.

Current activities

Currently the Committee's work consists mainly of promoting the setting up of ringing centres and formally recognising those who meet its standards. Increasingly the Committee is becoming orientated towards supporting ringing centres in their activities.

The Committee oversees the awarding of an annual prize, provided by the Worshipful Company of Founders, for the ringing centre which is judged to make the greatest contribution to the teaching of ringing during the year. The Committee is also managing the introduction of a new £500 prize, also provided by the Worshipful Company of Founders, for the encouragement of young people in ringing.

The Committee works closely with the Education Committee to create new ways of training the ringers of the future.

Annual reports

Further information

For further information, please contact the committee chairman:

Mrs Gail Cater

5 Jubilee Croft, Long Preston, Skipton, N. Yorkshire BD23 4QZ, UK
01729 840806