Education

The Education Committee consists of 2 representatives elected by each District, and a representative from the Gordon Halls Ringing Centre. Our main remit is to promote the recruitment and training of bell ringers, and to extend the appreciation of bell ringing among the public (See Association Objectives No 2).

Members of the committee can provide assistance to towers:

• Offering our Wombel and other resources to aid recruitment
• Advising on techniques for training of ringers
• Training teachers by promoting the Association of Ringing Teachers’  Integrated Teacher Training Scheme
• Providing workshops and/or resources – please contact the Chairman for  details.
• Helping to set up Abel and Ringing Room for home and online practice
• NEW – through our Training Support Scheme

The committee organises courses and workshops for improving ringing skills at a more advanced level. Courses we have run recently include:

• Learning Methods. This is an online workshop which we can run any time. It lasts about 90 minutes. You don’t need to be able to ring a bell (yet) to learn a method.  More information and booking form here.
• Theory of Everything for Beginners. Well not quite – we only have a few hours. The idea behind this course is to explain some of the jargon to recent recruits to ringing, along with exercises to explain things and improve bell control. Come along with your questions and we will try to answer them.
• Ringing Up and Down in Peal. You can ring a bell up and down, but get out of place when ringing with others? We will provide a team of experts, and give you the chance to practice with them – or maybe you want to try leading up or down?
• Basic Change Ringing. Ready to move from rounds & calls – would you like to try plain hunt. Or maybe you would like to advance your skills?
• Heavier Bell Workshop. Do you always ring round the front, and avoid the back bells. Would you like to try them out or improve your technique? You don’t need to be made of steel to ring round the back – we can show you how to ring the tenors with skill rather than of brute force. Please note. You will need good bell control and handling to get the most out of this course.
• Striking Improvement. We have two courses to offer. One is based on call changes and listening skills, the other based on ringing simple methods.
• Conducting. We explain how bobs and singles work, and how this affects coursing order. If you can ring touches of bob doubles inside, you are ready for this course.
• Belfry Maintenance. Led by our Bell Consultants we will show you the things you can fix yourself, and when to call in the experts. We usually run this course in October alternately with
• Rope Splicing. How to make the tattered bits of rope go further. We take you through making a short splice and (time permitting) a long splice. Bring a rope to mend.