Graham Nabb takes the reins at ART

At the ART Annual General Meeting today, Graham Nabb succeded Pip Penney as the next Chairman of the Association of Ringing Teachers.

The ART constitution requires Management Committee Members to serve no longer than a maximum term in order that fresh people with new ideas help to ensure that ART continues to be an energetic, creative and imaginative organisation. Pip has decided now is the right time to retire from the Management Committee, having been Chair since the inception of the Association of Ringing Teachers in March 2012.

Pip has achieved a huge amount during her 4 year tenure as ART Chairman, growing the organisation from the start to the vibrant, active and leading body today. Pip has, of course, been involved for much longer though, as she says “I first started working on the Integrated Teacher Training Scheme (now ART Teaching Scheme) in 2007. The road has certainly not been a smooth one but delegates liked the scheme, experienced teachers liked the scheme and things took off in a big way”.

Over the last few years ART has developed a number of leading initiatives and products that are now an established part of ringing teaching in many areas. In addition to our courses aimed at teachers, the structured ‘Learning the Ropes’ scheme is clearly showing benefits for new ringers and their progression. The ART Awards scheme is providing worthwhile prizes and rewards excellence which can be used as good practice by others.

On her retirement from the Committee, Pip said “After 9 years of hard and sometimes challenging work I am now happy to be standing down as Chairman of ART. However, I will still be working with the ART team as I have masses of things I want to do – keep watching this space! Progress since 2007 has exceeded all my expectations and the ART Management Committee today is a really strong, skilled, committed and extremely hard working team of people.”

Each year ART Members present at the AGM are required to elect, or re-elect, their Mangement Committee and the Committee then allocates the officer positions of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Prior to the AGM, the Management Committee had chosen Graham as Chairman pending his successful re-election to the Committee. The change in office officially took place at the conclusion of the ART AGM and Conference today.

Having been welcomed as Chairman by ART Members, Graham Nabb said, “I am delighted to have been elected Chairman in succession to Pip and am keen to ensure that ART continues its rapid development as a charity supporting trainers and new ringers. I will be keen to ensure that ART’s products are widely used whilst at the same time ensuring centres of good practice are supported as they develop and we aid that development with quality materials.”

Commenting on the legacy Pip has left for ART, Graham said, “Pip’s research and tireless enthusiasm over several years has been tremendous and changed the landscape for ringing teaching. I think we must all thank her for the time and effort she has put in, and be grateful that she will be continuing to actively support us with new material.”

Concluding the handover, Pip closed with “Graham is energetic and an excellent manager, I am very pleased to be able to pass the role of Chairman over to him. ART will remain in good hands.”