Sarah Dow started learning to ring in Keevil in July 2023 before taking advantage of opportunities to learn alongside the new recruits at Trowbridge the following year. During that time she has applied herself with a determination to succeed and to accomplish each goal to her full satisfaction before allowing anyone to move her on to the next level. During 2025 she went on her first residential courses at Hereford and Bradfield, and she rang her first quarter in February, and her first of triples in November.
In January 2025 Sarah agreed to stand as Vice Chair of the Devizes branch, and it is on the branch committee as a relative novice among life-long ringers that she has really made a difference. Sarah has spearheaded “Soundstart”, a major initiative to “refocus our approach to engaging and developing new and novice ringers”. Sarah led a sub-committee which, through her drive, guidance and hard work, produced detailed reports on their findings, proposed a new handicap system for the branch’s novice striking contest, conducted a survey of branch members to find out what would benefit them and their towers, held brainstorming sessions to consider how best to implement the suggestions, explored the potential benefits of using HawkEar strikeometer as a learning aid, drafted a Welcome Card and Starter Pack to be given to all new recruits on their registration with the branch, formed a cunning plan for a Branch Annual Learners Day with Rounds Competition (BALDRC), and presented it to the branch AGM in January 2026.
Sarah has personally done a great deal of the work, perhaps most notably in the professionalism of her reports, presentations and the poster for the Learners’ Day. Amongst the actions arising from the Sound Start committee, the branch is restarting Tower Captains’ meetings and ensuring that every tower sees a visit from a branch committee member; Service Touches are promoted as an opportunity for novices to hear good ringing; a new post of Learner Engagement Officer (LEO) has been created; the Edington Ringing Centre is acquiring the HawkEar Strikeometer, and the Devizes branch is also acquiring HawkEar with the intention of taking it to events throughout the branch. The Learner Day brings it all together with training in a range of ringing skills followed by an informal Rounds competition to be judged on an individual basis (rather than a band basis) by HawkEar.
The Devizes branch is hoping that other branches and the Guild as a whole will be interested to take on some or all of the Sound Start plans. Sarah is leading the branch in this huge project and has the capability, enthusiasm and support to make it a success. We cannot imagine a more worthy winner of the Adult Ringer of the Year Award for 2025.
Julia Russell
Devizes Branch Secretary
