The dates and venue have been announced for the four-day residential Southwest Bellringing course which will be held at Millfield School in Street, Somerset from Friday, 24th to Monday, 27th October.
The course will provide classroom-based theory as well as practical sessions in local towers and is based on the highly successful annual course held in Preston in the northwest. This will be the first year of its establishment in our part of the country and comes to us as a result of the Central Council’s Ringing 2030 initiative.
Applications can be made to one of the following groups each of which will include practical sessions as well as theory and a range of optional activities.
- Call Changes on different bells
- Raising and Lowering
- Plain Hunt
- Plain Bob Doubles
- Plain Bob Minor
- Grandsire Triples
Sessions will span over a long weekend as follows:
Friday – Arrival, check in, welcome and first group tutorial
Saturday – Full day – 3 practical sessions, and 2 optional sessions
Sunday – Service for all, Group tutorial,
2 optional sessions, practical session
Monday – 2 practical sessions
Accommodation and all meals will be provided on site at Millfield school and the cost for students is expected to be £350 (£260 for under 25s). The Guild will be making Education Grants available to part fund the course if required.
There will be a website available which is currently in preparation and applications for a place will be open on 1st May so the purpose of writing this is to give you as much notice as possible so you can mark it in your calendar if it might be something of interest.
This kind of intensive course has proved to be highly effective in other parts of the country and we are delighted that the initiative is coming to our part of the world. It is strongly recommended that anyone who is keen to improve their skills and understanding in ringing gives serious consideration to applying for a place in this course.
Experienced ringers are also encouraged to apply as helpers, as they are vital to the success of the course, and it’s good fun too!
Andy Waring
