EDUCATION COMMITTEE

2024 was an experimental year for Guild education activities, departing from the pre-pandemic norm of courses focussing on specific methods. Instead, the Guild education committee offered courses supporting improvement of ringing and teaching skills.

In March, we ran a well-attended course offering tips on teaching bell handling and identifying / correcting handling faults which learners sometimes acquire. Many of the attendees came away having identified some handling faults in their own ringing, as well as being able to identify errors in their learners’ handling.

Holy Week saw two zoom courses being offered. The first was a quick canter through a possible series of steps to take learners from rounds through to Plain Bob Doubles in easy steps. The second course was entitled “the dark art of raising and lowering in peal”, which was followed up the following month with practical raising and lowering in peal sessions in each district for those who had attended the zoom session. This enabled the Education Committee to offer more places on this course, while minimising travel for students and helpers.

During the autumn, we ran the ever-popular Listening Skills course, which was well received by attendees, who particularly liked a mix of classical and rock music, playing with children’s toys, and getting their first experience of handbells. We also ran new courses on calling and conducting, including practical experience.

The previously stated intention of the Education Committee to encourage districts to run more basic courses (up to Plain Bob Doubles and Grandsire Doubles), leaving the Guild to focus on more advanced courses, is starting to become a reality. Most districts are now offering focussed practices or training mornings/days on the more basic method ringing skills, such as Plain Hunt, Plain Bob Doubles and Grandsire Doubles, generally on a monthly basis. The Education Committee is willing to offer training materials to support such sessions.

As we move into 2025, courses will focus on development of listening skills, basic calling and conducting, as well as some more advanced method courses (Stedman in the spring, and Double Oxford (to be confirmed) in the autumn). During Holy Week, we will be running some hands-on sessions for less experienced ringers to get some tips on improving their rope / bell handling, to provide a firm foundation for venturing into change ringing.

Financially, our 2024 end-of-year figure remains very healthy. The Committee remains in a position to continue to operate without any additional call on Guild funds. This is, at least in part, due to some great negotiation by Judy over costs of hiring halls for courses. This is enabling us to reduce prices of courses in 2025.

Andy Ingram

Judy Sparling