From ambition to result for the Docklands Ringing Centre

The Docklands Ringing Centre won one of the inaugural ART Awards and have now used their prize money to purchase a simulator system for St John’s Waterloo. Their ambition was to bring the facilities up to a similar standard to others in the Docklands Ringing Centre group – improving the resources available to teach new and existing ringers in the following ways:

  • Teaching handling on single tied bells.
  • Helping the student to understand the point at which the clapper strikes in relation to when the rope is pulled.
  • Teaching students how to ring in rounds or cover to a method with the simulator filling in the other ringers.
  • Helping students progress further by practising methods by ear alone.
  • Used for more advanced training and enable practice sessions at unusual times.
  • Having a simulator sound will keep good neighbourly relations in the area.

Tower Captain, Edmund Wratten, is now in the process of installing the simulator system. Sensors have been fitted to two bells and the cable run discreetly down to the ringing chamber. The components that have been installed so far are working and they have been learning how to operate Abel. He anticipates that the primary benefit will be in helping the ringers develop their listening skills and ability to ring by rhythm, whether that is ringing in rounds, covering behind, or change ringing. A single bell has already been used in a one-to-one session and a definite improvement, in real-world method ringing, evident because of it. The striking analysis produced by Abel enables Edmund to illustrate not just where the ringer's striking needs to be adjusted but gives a tangible way to show the subsequent improvement. Result indeed!!

» Dockland Ringing Centre ART Awards nomination