Christine Richardson – our newest ART Tutor

We are pleased to welcome Christine Richardson from Sunderland to the ART Tutor team.

In her own words ...

I learned to ring as an adult in the early 1980s at Christ Church, North Shields, moving house shortly afterwards to Sunderland where I joined the local ringers. After joining the Durham & Newcastle DACBR (the D&N), I held the offices of Assistant & Editorial Secretary, and Peal Secretary, for ten years; at district level I published newsletters twice yearly as the District PRO for about the same length of time.

My introduction to teaching bell-handling came only a couple of years after I learned to ring, when two sisters arrived in the tower and the Tower Captain invited me to teach the younger one while he taught the elder. Since then I've taught many ringers and had two stints of being Tower Captain.

My home tower is St. Andrew, Roker, Sunderland, where I am currently Tower Captain and am rebuilding the band after almost a year when there was no ringing due to the tower roof being replaced.

I enjoy ringing quarter peals and peals, as well as attending local practice nights, District and Association events. I also have non-ringing hobbies!

When ART and Learning the Ropes first came to my attention, it seemed to be focused a long way from the north-east of England - well beyond my radar. However, a Module 1 course at Hexham in 2013 brought it into sharp focus and I was hooked. M2 (before it was split into M2F & M2C) followed soon afterwards, and, after a few years of little ART activity due to health problems, I am now working hard as an Assessor, mentor and teacher. Having recently retired I have more time to devote to my various hobbies (not to mention grandchildren) and look forward to the challenge of being an ART Tutor.

Author: Christine Richardson