Fun With Bells - Bell And Handbell Ringing Interviews

Ever wondered what it was like to learn how to ring? Or have forgotten what it was like when you first started out?Discover, or rediscover, in this podcast, as host Cathy Booth talks to not one, but to two new ringers currently following the ART Learning The Ropes scheme.Linda simply answered an advertisement in village magazine posted by a fellow dog-walker. As for Annie, well two years sailing around the world obviously wasn’t challenging enough and so has now found her land legs and a new passion for bells.Both ringers talk enthusiastically about their newly found hobby, the patience of their teachers and the friendliness of the other ringers. Find out how ringing is good for your both your mind and your body and also what mischief you can causeTop five takeawaysWant to learn to ring with an ART teacher? Go to http://ringingteachers.org and Rose can help!Learning the Ropes is a progressive learning scheme for bell ringers. It uses milestones to enable ringers to progress faster and further. Find out more a

Most Ringing Remembers recruits were thrilled to have rung at their tower for last year’s Remembrance Day but enthusiastic new ringer and amateur film maker Chris Richmond rang at seven!Podcast host, Cathy Booth, finds out that Chris’s enthusiasm initially stemmed from his interest in sound recording. His desire to record the sound of the bells led him up into a local tower, but it was the sound of the bells ringing down in peal was the final push he needed to take hold of a rope and learn to ring. From then on he’s been hooked.Top 5 takeawaysDon’t underestimate the impact that ringing up and down well in peal can have, non-ringers can be amazed by the soundIf you’re keen to hear a range of different church bells why not tune into BBC Radio 4’s ‘Bells on Sunday’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006sgshWhy not plan a visit to the Mancroft Ringing Discovery Centre and ring your way across Norfolk. Find out more at www.mrdc.org.uk or email info@mrdc.org.ukInterested in Chris’ You Tube videos? Take a peek here:

Having worked at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry for 40 years, Nigel Taylor is the perfect guide to how to tune a bell, talking podcast host Cathy Booth through the whole process from design to casting and tuning. And if you’ve never considered the actual sound a bell makes before, this podcast will be a revelation.You might never use the word ‘dong’ again after you discover that a tower bell is inharmonic, which means although a bell appears to have a single distinct pitch, the sound is made up of a variety of different tones.As Nigel describes how this all works, Cathy gets the answers to a host of fascinating questions, such as why new bells sound different to old bells, how the shape of old bells makes a difference to how you retune them and which bells are the hardest to tune.Be warned though, after listening to this podcast you may well wish to scramble up a ladder into the tower to look at the bells, just as Nigel did as a boy.Top 5 takeawaysFind out more about the campaign to save the Whitechapel Bell Fo

The world of 12 bell ringing on enormous bells is indeed a rarefied one, but that there is an overriding sense of outreach and community in Mark Regan’s in-depth and wide-ranging conversation with podshow host Cathy Booth. Being ringing master at Worcester Cathedral, having rung about 2,400 peals, helping set up the first bell ringing training centre in the country and being involved in an amazing number of bell rehanging projects there is a lot to get through!According to Mark, the secret to all successful bell projects is having a strong purpose and good communications, especially getting the Church and PCC on your side. Enthusiasm helps too and this interview may just well inspire you to aim higher with your own projects. Or even just to get to grips with routine tower maintenance.One of the highlights of this show is where Mark talks about the people that that both encouraged him and inspired him to become the ringer that he is today. And by the sounds of it, Mark has himself become a role model for a new

Find out more about the CCCBR, with its long history, ambitious vision for the future and huge raft of essential services in this wide ranging interview with the CCCBR President.Christopher O’Mahoney, President of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringing,  says that the good thing about ringing is that there is something for everyone.  Find out more about the CCCBR. Now you’ll know exactly where to turn to for help when the neighbours come knocking on the tower complaining about the noise! And you’ll definitely be making a beeline for the Council weekend in September once you hear Christopher reel off the wonderful line-up of activities that are going to be on offer. The message from Christopher comes out clear and loud – by getting involved, striving to do our best and contributing our skills, together we can transform bell ringing. Just look what he’s already achieved by stepping forward and giving something back. Not bad for a boy from Sydney who took up ringing to supplement the income he was getting as

Bonus episode:This short episode is a trailer for the YouTube coverage of the national 12 bell striking competition to be held in Exeter on Saturday 22nd June 2019.YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtgohlpICbnCPm0vig3H_oANational 12 bell Striking Competition website: http://www.12bell.org.uk/Podcast team:Anne Tansley ThomasEmily Roderick John GwynneEmily WattsCathy BoothRinging by:The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org

The first Fun with Bells Podcast Season ends with a generous double helping as show host Cathy Booth interviews young ringer Charlie Linford and audio engineer David Richards.Charlie (11) explains to Cathy that bell ringing is a rewarding hobby for all ages as she throws light on some of the theory behind ringing, including some tips on how to start learning methods.With seven quarter peals under her belt already and an impressive list of towers she has rang at it seems only a matter of time before Charlie is ringing at the National 12 Bell Competition. Talking of which, if you’ve ever been interested in recordings are made to help judge a striking competition, or indeed the best way to record any bell ringing, then the interview with David will fascinate you.Packed full of practical tips and suggestions, David talks Cathy through making detailed recording of bells for analysis, ambient recordings of bells to remember a special occasion and spur of the moment recordings when you just happen to be passing a to

'Recruit 1400 new ringers to remember those who lost their lives in the first World War' – this was the mission that Vicki Chapman chose to accept and the rest, as they say, is history.Vicki talks podcast host Cathy Booth through her involvement in the overwhelmingly successful Ringing Remembers campaign -  from that fateful telephone call one evening to the bells ringing out across the world on 11 November 2018 with the help of over 2800 new ringers. Stirring stuff!And if you’re wondering what’s next, Vicki reveals some of the exciting plans ahead, so listen in for news of ringing for Versailles, the 75th anniversary of the D Day Landings and a mini bellringing roadshow.Of course, there’s so much more to Vicki’s ringing story than Ringing Remembers so tune in for a podcast packed with activity - just like Vicki’s life.LinksCentral Council of Church Bell Ringers: https://cccbr.org.uk/The Essex Association of Change Ringers: https://eacr.org.uk/Top five takeawaysFancy some intensive bell ringing trai

Ever wondered what the attraction of handbell ringing is? Well, Judy Vale gives Fun with Bells Podcast host, Cathy Both, a whole raft of reasons to take up this absorbing and musical hobby.Handbells are part of our history and tradition, you can take your handbells out to places like care homes and really connect with your audience and you don’t need to be able to read music to play a tune.And just like tower bell ringing, Judy explains, handbell ringing is a team endeavour, needs commitment and a great deal of technique. There is also cake involved.What do you do if you want bells at a wedding in a church that doesn’t have a tower? Just bring your own.Finally, you can forget about freezing cold church towers in the middle of winter, one of the perks of handbell ringing that Judy reveals is the pleasure of ringing in a medieval banqueting hall of a stately home with a roaring fire.LinksHandbell Ringers of Great Britain: https://www.hrgb.org.uk/Glossary of bellringing terms: http://www.jaharrison.me.uk/Ringing

In this episode Graham Nabb introduces Fun with Bells podcast host Cathy Booth to one of the most English of pursuits - tower grabbing. Graham is the ideal guide to the uninitiated, having notched up the amazing total of 5785 towers to date.Rather like the twitchers of the bird watching world, keen tower grabbers are always on the look out for the openings of rare towers that they’ve never rung at. If you’re the collecting type then this is the podcast for you as Graham is full of tips on the best way to plan and record your tower grabs.However, it’s not all about the thrill of the chase for Graham as he also tells Cathy all about the development of the Association of Ringing Teachers and the huge satisfaction that comes from teaching and developing new ringers.Whatever your stage of ringing this is the perfect podcast for you - you won’t help but smile at Graham’s huge enthusiasm, great advice and his fantastic ringing stories.LinksDove’s guide: https://dove.cccbr.org.ukThe ART website http://ringingteachers

You may have heard of rope-sight but have you heard of rope-sense? Podcast host Cathy Booth discovers that this highly developed sense of rhythm is just one of the many tools and techniques that has helped Rebecca Legowski on her ringing journey.Rebecca, who has been blind from birth, is learning to ring on both tower bells and hand bells, and is already lighting up Bell Board, scoring her first handbell peal in March 2019. Rebecca talks to Cathy about both the extra pressures she faces to perform, given that peals by blind ringers are so rare, and the emotional highs, such as ringing for the Armistice celebrations in November 2018.Although ringing presents some specific challenges to blind people, some of the secrets to Rebecca’s success are things that every ringer can learn from - great technique, good listening and lots of practice on a ringing simulator.So, if you want to give ringing a go don’t be afraid – as Rebecca says, just go for it!LinksTad Hill http://tadhill.com/ringing/,Abel, Mabel and Mobil ht

The Fun with Bells cream tea debate rages on in this episode as host Cathy Booth’s quizzes Cornish ringer Owen Borlase -  but there’s much more to this interview than cream and jam.Call change ringing in Cornwall is seen as an art in its own right and Owen is clearly championing the cause through his promotion of call change peals, the book he co-wrote and his success in getting this unique style of ringing recorded.How does a call change peal work? Helpfully Owen describes the maths involved in very simple terms and explains to Cathy how he goes about composing some of the call change peals that feature in the book.And if you’re the competitive kind they have it all in Cornwall  – rounds competitions, call change competitions and method ringing competitions. So if you’re an up-country ringer why not travel south to find out more!LinksTruro Diocesan Guild of Ringers Ringing Down ‘ere’ by John A Purdey and Owen J BorlaseTop five takeawaysThere’s room in bell ringing for all sorts of skills – if maths is your t

In this episode, host Cathy Booth catches up with Bruce Butler in the USA and teases out some top tips to arranging a successful ringing tour. Bruce has been organising ringing tours to the UK since the 1990s - the logistics of arranging transatlantic ringing tours in the days before the internet are mind-blowing.Having rung in almost 4,000 towers you might imagine the Bruce has some great stories to tell, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Hear about inaccessible spaces, strange ringing attire and some rather unusual furniture in the ringing chamber. And just watch out for the flowers around the font!Bruce gives a brilliant overview of the towers of North America, their various merits and the differences between ringing over there and in the UK. Loving the sound of a Cathedral with two elevators to take you up to the top.As Bruce says, American ringers are a welcoming bunch and love to have visitors - so what’s stopping you from planning your tour across the pond ...February 2022 update: We were sorry to hear of the

In this fascinating podcast, Cathy Booth catches up with top bellringer and inspirational driving force behind the recent Ringing Remembers campaign, Alan Regin MBE. This is a must-listen interview for any new ringing recruit as Alan reveals the origins of his idea for this amazingly successful initiative. A prolific ringer, Alan confesses to having rung over over 5,900 peals, with nine of those being in the last seven days! Don’t worry if you’re not sure what a peal is though, as Alan enthusiastically guides Cathy through both the history and technicalities of change ringing, ringing methods and peals.Not only has Alan’s ringing career resulted in an MBE for services to campanology and heritage, it has also taken him all over the world. Find out what it’s like to go on a bell-ringing tour from listening to Alan’s terrific tales - and why wait for hours at an airport, when you can nip off with your friends to ring a peal at the nearest church instead?Peals and Ringing Remembers aside, one of Alan’s greatest a

Hand bells, bell plates, hand chimes and boomwhackers - who knew there was so much variety!?! In this podcast Cat Nettles talks Cathy Booth through the wonderful world of handbell ringing, filling her in on the history, range of instruments and styles of ringing,Cathy discovers that hand bellringing allegedly began when church bell ringers, unable to get into their towers for one reason or another, asked manufacturers to make small bells so that they could practice in the pub - smart move. With the addition of some extra bells they found they could join in with the hymns and hand bell ringing became an art in its own right.How do handbells work? How much do they cost? Can you fit them all into your car?Cathy asks Cat all the questions that you’re dying to ask, and more. Yes, handbell ringers do occasionally let go of them and yes, they’re insured.The different style of bells means that all ages can learn to ring - from toddlers up to people in their nineties, and Cat is justifiably proud of her all-age ringin

What’s different about ringing in Australia to ringing in the UK? How is ringing on eight similar to rowing in an eight? How does it feel to be involved in the inner workings of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers?David Smith’s amazingly diverse and wide-ranging ringing CV means he can give fantastic answers to all of these questions, and many more, put to him by podcast host Cathy Booth.In this thoroughly entertaining episode, David also explains the benefits of ringing simulators, the fun of photo-bombing weddings at Brisbane Cathedral and how the Association of Ringing Teachers’ courses can transform able ringers into confident teachers. It’s heartening to hear that teachers can start off just as nervous as their learners!Bell ringing is on the increase in Australia and New Zealand, and with such enthusiastic advocates as David one can understand why, so stay tuned to the very end - especially as the interview takes a dramatic and unexpected turn ...LinksCentral Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR

Sparked originally from her interest in family history, the national Ringing Remembers campaign inspired Diane Smith to step forward to learn bellringing to honour the 1,400 ringers that lost their lives during the First World War. But what does it feel like to learn a new skill in order to take part in such a high profile event?In this episode, Cathy Booth catches up with Diane after the big day to find out how it all went and hear about all the fun and hard work that’s gone on behind the scenes to becoming a novice bellringer.Diane went from not really knowing anything about bells at all, to proudly ringing in Sheffield Cathedral as part of the armistice day celebrations - an emotional journey helped along the way by her fellow learners, helpful bellringers and proud friends.It’s brilliant to hear how far Diane has come as she helps answer some of Cathy’s questions about the basics of bellringing, like rounds and call changes. This podcast is the ideal introduction to what to expect when you decide to take

Church bells are an integral part of our everyday life. We all hear the bells ringing on Sunday and other special occasions but do you know what goes on in a church tower and what it feels like to be a bell ringer? Have you ever really thought about who is ringing them and how they learnt. In this podcast, Cathy Booth chats to Nic Boyd about Nic’s exciting journey of discovery since taking up bell ringing four years ago. Hear why Nic started ringing and why she loves it so much; the highs and lows, the joys and the challenges and how it feels to ring, both as an individual and as part of a team. According to Nic, learning is effective when you take small steps and celebrate achievements along the way. Luckily, there’s an innovative new scheme called ‘Learning the Ropes’, developed by the Association for Ringing Teachers (ART) which does just this - using milestones to help new ringers learn faster and further. This scheme has certainly been a great to support to Nic, who talks Cathy though the five levels of

This interview smashes any pre-conceptions that bellringing is something that only older people do, with an inspirational interview with a ringer in her twenties, Emily Hall. Emily started learning to ring at the age of seven and then, when aged just nine, set up the Derbyshire Young Ringers so that she could spend time in the tower with people of her own age.In conversation with Cathy Booth, Emily reveals what it’s like to be a young ringer and the huge benefits ringing can give to young people growing up, going to university and beginning their adult lives.As well as having fun with her family, making friends for life and the fantastic social life, Emily explains that there’s a competitive side to ringing too and describes what happens at a striking competition when bands of ringers compete to be the best.And if you’re one of the people Emily has come across that thinks the University Bellringing Society is full of weirdos, Emily’s heartwarming tales of travelling across the country, making new friends, dri

They do things differently in Devon, so Cathy Booth discovers in this interview with Devon call change ringer Ryan Trout. Not only do they have a distinctive cream tea, Devon also has its very own unique style of bell ringing.With a great sense of regional pride, Ryan fills Cathy in about this fast and furious ringing style which has it’s own terms and traditions. Listen in to discover more about cartwheeling, Sixties on Thirds, which is also known as the Queen’s Peal, and when to employ a strapper.Although Ryan’s been ringing since about the age of nine this podcast is evidence that he still gets a huge buzz from ringing, visiting other towers, going up into the bell chamber and, of course, visiting the pub afterwards. And keen to encourage others, he generously shares some great tips on places to ring both in Devon and further afield.Ryan is passionate about ringing and spreading the word about Devon call changing, and although you can hear it second hand on You Tube, he urges people to come to Devon and ex