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This year the Committee has concentrated on two main factors: firstly bringing to a conclusion the allocation of grants from the £50,000 Benefice made available by the Worshipful Company of Founders; and secondly the first conference of ringing centre representatives.
The original aim was to allocate 25 grants from the £50,000 Benefice. At the conclusion, 32 grants had been allocated. The publicity and advertising since the last report was successful and since then several more ringing centres have become CC Recognised and have received Founders Grants. These are Aston Clinton, Bryanston School, Longwood, Oadby, Prittlewell, St Albans (St Peters), Wolborough and Wolverhampton.
Another aim was to have a network of ringing centres throughout the country with ideally at least one in every guild or association. Reasonable progress has been made towards this though there is still some way to go. There are still far more ringing centres in the south than in the north.
Regular meetings with the Founders will in future be less frequent though they remain keenly interested in ringing and the future of the project.
This was held on 15th November at the superb and conveniently located venue of St Nicholas Church, Warwick. The morning programme included contributions from ringing centres about such varied topics as recruitment, PR, training and retention of ringers and making ringing more attractive. Examples of experience in the areas of working with schools, summer schools and kaleidoscope ringing were expounded, and discussion was lively.
The afternoon focus was about the future direction of ringing centres. It took the form of syndicate groups discussing how much support the Committee should give, what ringing centres should be doing to make an impact, and how ringing centres should measure their performance.
Fifty people were present and 23 ringing centres were represented. This was the first time that ringing centre representatives have had the opportunity to come together to share ideas. The Founders Company funded the event from the £50,000 Benefice and our thanks go to them for giving us this opportunity. Thanks also to Bob Cater for doing much of the arranging, to the Coventry Diocesan Guild Social Committee for the excellent catering and to all the ringing centre representatives who contributed in their various ways. Another conference is likely to be held in the not too distant future.
The annual competition for the Founders prize for achievement by a ringing centre was won by Hailsham. The competition was judged by Derek Sibson (Vice President of the Council), Phil Gay (member of the Ringing Centres Committee and Keele Ringing Centre manager) and Gail Cater (Chairman of the Ringing Centres Committee).
Hailsham is to be congratulated on the successful work that they have done. The £500 prize and commemorative bronze plaque was received by Christine Baldock on behalf of the Hailsham Ringing Centre. It was presented at the Ringing Roadshow at the Lincoln Showground by the Master of the Founders Company, Mr NV Turnbull.
The Founders have generously offered an additional £500 annual prize for the encouragement of young people in ringing. The ringing exercise is most grateful for this timely offer and the Ringing Centres Committee will announce more information about this during 2004.
Roger Booth
Gail Cater (Chairman)
Alan Frost
Phil Gay
David Pope
Ernie Runciman
Jeremy Warren