Case Study: Bredwardine

Bredwardine tower has a fairly recently re-hung peal of 6, but suffered from a distinct lack of local ringers, the tower captain relying on ringers from neighbouring towers to keep the bells ringing.

A concerted effort to recruit via open tower days in conjunction with events in the church has resulted in 5 new ringers, 4 of them children. Fortunately, two of the regular ringers, Loraine and Diane, have attended the ITTS Module 1 course and between them, have managed to get all the learners as far as ringing unaided without any loss of recruits.

Both teachers have felt the ITTS course gave them a better understanding of different techniques in explaining the way ringing a bell works. By breaking down both handstroke and backstroke actions into smaller sections, the learners are able to master each stroke fairly quickly and smoothly.

The enthusiasm of the children is matched by their energy levels! Some of them come ringing even when they are feeling under the weather, just because they love it so much and wear their bell club and guild badges with pride! There isn’t much problem keeping them motivated, but the ITTS course has given useful tips on this area too. We have one learner who will see learning to lead as “scary-fun” while another will see it as scary-hard and needs lots more encouragement and time (but finds it fun in the end).

Along with other young ringers in the district, the Bredwardine learners went on an outing to the simulated bells at Hopton Heath, where they had a great time and gained much confidence, even ringing rounds on all 10 bells.

They are all enrolled on the ITTS Moodle site and using it – hopefully, it won’t be too long before one or two can begin aiming for their first quarter peal. Aine is already practicing on the tenor behind with Cressie hot on her heels!

Diane Pritchard