Sue Carter, Training Officer West Dorset Branch, led a basic Raising and Lowering course at the Bradpole Training Centre over 2 afternoons for 7 new learners. Ably assisted by 8 experienced trainers, the students benefitted from one to one tuition allowing Sue to oversee progress and keep everyone on track. Wonderful refreshments including cake were organised by Elizabeth who also helped with the pre-course organisation.
Here is what Allison Hawkins from Whitchurch Canonicorum said about day 1:
“With other novices I attended the two afternoon sessions at Bradpole to learn how to raise and lower the bells. The course was taken by Sue Carter and a team of experienced volunteers. (Thank you to them)
Paired with my trainer, Clare, we started ringing the bell up. Clare held the coiled rope and I started to pull on the sally getting the bell to chime, and slowly increasing the pulling so that the clapper hit both sides of the bell. It was important to keep tension on the rope, pulling down firmly. There were a few times when I tried to ‘push the rope up’ and soon learnt that wouldn’t work! Little by little the rope was let out, touching the sally when it started bobbing. Once the bell was fully up I could ring normally. We practised this exercise 4 or 5 times, and by the end I was able to complete this exercise on my own under Clare’s watchful eye. I managed to get one blister from this exercise!
After a break for a cup of tea and delicious home made rocky road and fruit cake the next part of the course was ringing down.
Clare made the coils on the backstroke whilst I was pulling the sally, until the bell was down, keeping the tension on the rope. We practised making coils whilst the bell was stationary, drawing the rope through my left hand and making the coils in my right hand. This will require more practise as it seems a lot to do whilst ringing the bell and controlling the tension. I managed another two blisters on this exercise! Glad to say the blisters healed in time for the second session a week later.”
And here’s Kate Parsons view of the second session, Kate is also from Whitchurch Canonicorum.
“Have I remembered everything Sue and Simon taught me last week? A quick glance at the top tips recorded on the whiteboard by Sue diligently and regularly referred to on my phone during the week and I’m ready to go. Coils, chiming, stretch up, don’t rush…
I have the extraordinary privilege of being coached this week by Tim and Janet Collins, well practiced ringers.
‘You’ve done this before!’ announces Tim warmly encouraging; I feel reassured even though I have only ‘done this before’ a couple of times. Janet observes the minute details of my technique and suggests adjustments, generously sharing subtleties of her own style, patiently allowing me to perform a number of ‘dry-runs’ on the end of the rope.
Soon, I’m lowering the bell with both Janet and Tim advising me when to take in a bit more rope and when it’s time to perform the seemingly magic trick of making a coil. It’s not graceful, but I manage it and all three of us are delighted!
‘Right’, says Janet ‘let’s go again.’ And we do, lots of times. By the end of the afternoon, confidence bolstered and fuelled by tea and excellent cake, we join forces with my husband Rob and his trainer Richard Ellis on an adjacent bell to have a go at following… and so set a foot on the path towards the holy grail of raising and lowering in perfect peal. One day…!
Huge thanks to Sue Carter and the whole team, including Mark Symonds our own Tower Captain for their patience and generosity with both their time and invaluable expertise. You’ll make bellringers of us yet!”
Elizabeth Ferguson
