Such projects take time to plan and organise, however they do achieve results. Projects fall into two broad categories. Either a single large event with follow-up or lots of small local events, supported and publicised centrally. People (both ringers and new recruits) really enjoy taking part in something “big”. A belief that they can make a difference is a strong motivator.
The Big Ring Pull in Milton Keynes was successful in recruiting 38 new ringers and teaching them intensively to Learning the Ropes Level 1. Of these new ringers 55% are still ringing two years later.
Following a recruitment campaign in 2011, the Taunton Branch was successful in recruiting 75 new recruits and teaching 51 of them to reach the stage where they could ring rounds and ring up and down, so that they could join the Association. Most of there are still ringing two years later, and there is a steady stream of further recruits coming forward.
It started with a ringing census and a working party pulling together lots of examples of successful recruitment exercises. A presentation and discussion at the AGM seemed to go down well. Then everyone started recruiting! Within six months three silent towers were ringing again with brand new bands and other towers had augmented their existing bands with new recruits! Now a second generation of recruitment activity is taking place with those who observed the success of the first round replicating what they saw at new towers.
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