The upcoming Ringing Census 2026, taking place from 16 to 22 November 2026, aims to provide the most comprehensive picture of bell ringing for nearly forty years. Organised by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR), the census is a key part of the wider Ringing 2030 initiative and will help the ringing community understand its current strengths, challenges and opportunities.
For the initiative to be a success the Central Council needs to recruit volunteer Enumerators.
To become a Ringing Census 2026 Enumerator, you need to volunteer through the census project and attend one of the briefing sessions provided by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR).
What does an Enumerator do?
Each Enumerator is allocated a small group of towers and, after Census Week (16-22 November 2026), will:
- Contact tower captains or nominated tower contacts.
- Encourage completion of the Tower Headcount Survey.
- Answer straightforward questions and provide practical support.
- Follow up towers that have not responded.
- Record outcomes accurately.
- Establish the status of towers that are inactive or unable to provide a return.
The role is important because it helps ensure every tower in the sample is accounted for, improving the accuracy of the census and helping estimate the true number of active ringers and towers.
How to sign up
Visit the census page:
👉 https://cccbr.org.uk/census/
The page includes a volunteer registration form for people interested in becoming Enumerators and supporting the project.
Enumerator briefing sessions
The CCCBR is running online briefing sessions to explain the role and provide guidance. You only need to book onto one session. Current sessions include:
- 21 September 2026, 6:00pm
- 4 October 2026, 12:30pm
- 15 October 2026, 8:00pm
- 24 October 2026, 10:00am
- 6 November 2026, 7:30pm
- 15 November 2026, 8:00pm
All timings are UK time. Guidance, templates and training materials will be provided.
Why volunteer?
The census is the first comprehensive ringing census for nearly 40 years and is a key part of the Ringing 2030 programme. The results will help the ringing community understand recruitment, retention, age profiles, participation levels and the overall health of ringing across the country.
As a fellow ringer, you’d be making a direct contribution to building the evidence needed to support the future growth of ringing.
What Skills do Enumerators Need?
The good news is that you do not need to be a statistician or census expert to become an Enumerator. The role is primarily about communication, organisation and follow-up. The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers says that Enumerators will be the first point of contact with tower captains and clergy, helping to ensure that every allocated tower is accounted for.
Essential skills
Good communication
- Comfortable contacting tower captains and clergy.
- Able to explain the purpose of the census clearly.
- Able to answer straightforward questions and direct more complex queries to the census team.
Organisation and record keeping
- Keeping track of allocated towers.
- Following up non-responses.
- Recording outcomes accurately and consistently.
Reliability and attention to detail
- Ensuring every tower assigned to you is accounted for.
- Accurately recording whether a tower has responded, is inactive, has no regular band, or is unable to participate.
Basic digital skills
- Using email and online forms.
- Working with guidance documents and templates provided by the census team.
Desirable skills
While not essential, the following would be helpful:
- Familiarity with local towers and ringing organisations.
- Experience as a tower captain, secretary, recruitment officer or association officer.
- Understanding of common ringing terminology and tower administration.
- Confidence speaking with a wide range of people.
Personal qualities
Successful Enumerators are likely to be:
- Friendly and approachable.
- Patient when chasing up responses.
- Persistent without being pushy.
- Comfortable working independently.
- Interested in supporting the future of ringing.
Julian Newman
Guild Secretary
