2025 saw the Guild education activities settling into a new norm of courses focussing on specific methods. Instead, the Guild education committee offered courses supporting improvement of ringing and teaching skills. We are pleased that some district providing training in more basic skills has enabled this shift in focus.
In March, we ran a course on Stedman Doubles / Triples. During Holy Week we offered some bell handling tuition, with limited take up. April saw us repeat 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. In October we offered a new course on Double Oxford, and in November we offered a course for those wanting to start calling call changes.
As we move into 2026, courses offered will cover an introduction to method splicing, ringing on higher numbers, how to learn methods (Holy Week theory course), listening skills and Stedman.
Financially, our 2025 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 2026. We are hoping to use some of our funds to install an additional simulator within the Guild area to provide more flexibility over times and dates of courses.
Andy Ingram
| Income | Expenditure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance b/f | 1,267.14 | Labels and ink | 32.99 |
| Course fees | 747.50 | Refreshments | 163.18 |
| Hire of Halls | 196.00 | ||
| Tower donations | 410.00 | ||
| Refund | 10.00 | ||
| Balance c/f | 1,202.47 | ||
| £2,014.64 | £2,014.64 | ||
Judy Sparling