Dear Friends,
As we reflect upon the year past, I would like to thank all involved in taking up the challenges offered by the “Ring in 2000” initiative and bringing it to such a successful conclusion on the day. We are most grateful to the organising Committee which formulated and co-ordinated plans with the Districts and through them our towers, and to our Education Committee in providing training and advice through its activities, and so many more of you who have helped in the recruitment and training of our new and returning ringers.
What is important now is that we continue to offer support and encouragement to those who have recently taken up our ancient art, and even to those perhaps not in the first flush of enthusiasm, whose commitment and interest may have somewhat waned over the years.
The way we make people welcome and encourage them makes a lot of difference. Ringers have traditionally been known to be a welcoming fraternity, with visitors from other towers made to feel at home and given suitable opportunity to ring, and long may it continue.
How welcoming is your tower in greeting visitors, asking their names, home towers, and in helping them to fit into your practice night or service ringing? Some while ago I went to take part in a Patronal Festival Service at a town church in a neighbouring county covered by another guild, and as the bells were being raised, and I had not rung there, I made my way to the ringing chamber of the tower to take part in ringing for the service to follow. I had never been there before, and did not recognise anyone, but surprisingly no one greeted me, asked my name, or what I might ring. I rang with them, and when I left to go and robe, nobody said “goodbye” or “thank you for joining us and making up the numbers”. If it can happen to me, quite clearly a visiting clergyman, it could happen to you, but could it happen to a visitor in your tower?
It is important to cherish and encourage our new ringers, as well as to welcome the casual visitor, and the stranger at our gates. One thing I have noted of late is that many of those we have encouraged to learn to ring in recent times are on the whole more mature, and they may have skills and experience in other fields that may be helpful in your tower or in your District and its activities. If they do, encourage them to be involved and to use them for the good of the exercise. The other thing I note is that we have fewer younger people learning these days then there were in my youth, and that those we have we need to encourage and cherish. What provision does your District make for its younger ringers, and what more can be done to help them feel more a part of it?
Just a few random thoughts as we prepare for the new Millennium!
Barry J Fry