How many new recruits do you want?

Do you want a low-level steady flow of new recruits?

Need an injection of new recruits?

Starting a band from scratch?

Looking at something bigger for multiple towers?

Is there a maximum number you can take on?

What are the aspirations and values of your tower and your band? Be honest!

Are you interested mainly in keeping the bells ringing on a Sunday?

Are you looking for ringers who can extend your method ringing repertoire?

Are you a band with strong links to the Church?

Is the active social life outside the tower most important to you?

Will the band welcome the new ringers or resent the time they take to train up?

Do you have the required skills and people to transform new recruits into fully developed ringers?

If not, can you can undertake more teacher training?

Is your local ringing society able to help?

Can you pull in ringing friends from outside to help?

How is this going to work in the long term?

How are you going to provide a stimulating programme for your new ringers for the 2½ or more years it will take to train them up?

How are these new ringers going to impact on the rest of the band?

Can you work with other towers to provide more opportunities for your new ringers or your more experienced ones?

Is there a maximum number you can take on?

I found this to be a very big issue to start with, as I had loads of recruits but not enough teaching capacity. I have now learnt we can only take on one recruit at a time.

Is the band willing to sacrifice their practice time?

Initially, everyone was delighted with such a positive response from the recruitment campaign and eager to help. But after six months of ringing mostly Plain Bob Doubles (with perhaps just a quick touch of something more advanced now and again) it became obvious that the ringing abilities of the original band had declined and some people didn’t come that regularly any more. The band wasn't happy!