0. “Igniting the spark”: Some Devon Training Initiatives
Why people ring and how to encourage them to make progress – 3 approaches

1. In this session
Part 1: Using a Members’ Questionnaire to explore ringers’ attitudes and motivations and build a development programme in one branch
Part 2: Catching them young – work with Exeter Cathedral School
Part 3: Catching them young – work with a rural Primary School

2. Setting the Devon Scene
Large rural county with many bells – 375 ringable towers with 4+ bells
Two traditions of ringing – call change and method ringing
Note the physical style and handling is different
Two ringing bodies – Devon Guild (method) & Devon Association (call change)
Some areas one style predominates
My own branch (North East) there are 26 towers – 17 in Guild, 8 in Assoc (7 both), 8 in neither
No strong Association presence in North East (no Deanery Assocn) but a majority of call change ringers

3. North East Branch – before 2015
Programme was traditional
– 4 Quarterly Sat pm meetings,
- monthly 8-bell practices (mostly at the Ringing Centre),
- 3 “Branch Practice Towers” offering weekly 6-bell opportunities
- annual meet with Dunster Branch (Bath & Wells)
- annual dinner & outings
2014 realised we were not catering for the majority of ringers (only about 15 of 100+ members could ring triples or major). Attendances often poor.
2015 started monthly Sat am 6-bell practices
Decided to ask members want they wanted. Hence a questionnaire.

4. The Questionnaire
Designed to tease out members’ attitude to their own ringing –why do they ring, what ringing ambitions do they have.
Questions appear random but build a consistent picture of each ringer
Gave useful background information on age and experience
Identified specific requests for help or ringing opportunities
See copy of the questionnaire

5. Questionnaire – the Results
Good response rate - over 50% (57/110) – personal lobbying to complete
Key findings were:
All ringers over 40; over half 60+
Over half been ringing less than 10 years (older recruits, millennium)
Over half do not want to spend more time ringing
Over half happy to ring what they currently do (though half also happy to learn new things)
About 15 of the 110 members are the keen ones – big part of their life
Majority ring to support the Church or as a village activity
But 16 had specific requests – starting point for Branch officers

6. The Branch’s Response – 2015 & 2016
2015 already decided to start monthly 6-bell practices
August 15 started monthly Wed eve Triples practices (specific request)
Existing 8-bell practice focuses on Major esp Surprise
Day time focused practices started – blocks of 6 fortnightly events
- St Simon’s D group
- Grandsire & Stedman Doubles
- Plain Bob Minor above
- Kaleidoscope work
- Rev. Canterbury above
“Students” sign up – dates chosen to suit to get regular commitment and helpers organized. Avoided tower practice nights where possible

7. A Ringing Development Programme – 2017 & onwards
Further refinement being tried this year
Three “Ringing Development Programmes”:
A: Call change workshop – 12 monthly Sat am sessions
B: Single Hunt Doubles - 2 blocks of practice + consolidation
C: Single Hunt Minor - 2 blocks of practice + consolidation
Helpers arranged for all dedicated practices (inc from Dvn Assocn)
Students asked to sign up for the year and donate £20
Individual practice between sessions and between blocks encouraged – using Branch Practice Towers
BPTs are regular tower practice nights which are sustainable and which welcome visitors

8. Constraints and Issues
Time & Timing – daytime weekdays because Eves and Sats were full – did not want to interfere with tower practices
- but working members complain if it’s all weekday ams!
Large amount of organisation to tailor programme to individual needs
Very dependent on availability and goodwill of helpers – burnout risk
Limited number of more experienced ringers in Branch – majority are call change ringers (cf other Devon branches); only 26/120 P B Minor
Very dependent on the availability of the Troyte Ringing Centre with sound control to allow several sessions per week (8 cwt – 8)
Time to re-visit the questionnaire? (Ringers are progressing & attitudes may change)

9. Evaluation
6- bell Saturday am practices popular, well attended, but can only give individuals limited rope time
Triples practice – varied fortunes, difficult to get reliable help and infrequent opportunities at BPTs so progress slow
Surprise Major dependent on support from East Devon and some experienced ringers now questioning the value/benefit
Focused practices have kept attendances
Very full programme (2017 has 105 Branch/Guild events + 8 TRC training mornings)
Branch seen as active and source of help - more towers affiliated ( towers; 2006 – 13; 2016 – 19 inc 2 outside the deanery)

10. Evaluation [Cont.] Individual Progress:
Ringer A (Doubles) Jan 2015 P Bob D & just starting St Simon’s not very confidently. Jan 2017 Confident is P B Minor & St Clement’s + Rev Cant & St Simon’s Groups
Ringer N (Minor) Jan 2015 unreliable in P Bob Minor & just starting Double Oxford. Now ringing Cambridge Minor
Ringer J (Triples) Jan 2015 struggling with Grandsire Triples. Now ringing Stedman Triples, variety of Plain Minor and treble to S. Major
Issue for the future – sustainability – moving from over-reliance on a few very committed individuals

11. Part 2: Catching them young
Over to Ian!

12. Part 3: Catching them young – a rural Primary School
Proposal to Primary Head Teacher
After School Club
2 accredited Teachers
Own equipment
Insurance in place
Safeguarding, H&S, working with young people, photographing policies
Progressive scheme of work with targets and awards
Links to the Community
DBS checks already in place
Both physical & mental challenges

13. Original Plan First Intention Weekly After School from 3.45-5pm
Limited to 6 Primary age pupils from Yrs 5 & 6
Ringing Teacher involved in supporting & promoting the Club
Charge of £2 per session towards costs (suggested by Head in line with other After School Clubs)
One term initially then open to others who wanted to join
Any pupil showing potential & interest would be encouraged to join the local band once able to ring a bell independently

14. Set-up Using the Bampton practice bell Visit to see the bells
Bellhandling using LtR
Theory activities from Youth Toolkit
Handbells
Simulator
Tea & biscuits on arrival

15. What is happening now Weekly during term time
Max of 4 pupils aged 8-11
Graduates from previous years now join the local band
Holiday ringing which includes other Young Ringers from the Branch
Theory sessions using Youth Toolkit, ART materials run ahead of bellhandling
Handbells with support from other Branch members
Using funds from the weekly subs we have given ‘Ringing books’ to the Young Ringers- which has now been replicated for our adult learners
4 of the 1st two groups are now members of the Guild & attend Branch practices
They all love it!

16. Branch Young Ringers Holiday Ringing in different Towers
This term we plan to join the Guild Young Ringers in Exeter

17. Evaluation Worth all the hard work? Sept 2015 March 2017
Since starting in Jan 2015 we have
2 working towards level 3, ringing for services & weddings
2 just about to achieve level 2, ringing for services
4 working towards level 1, 2 of whom can ring a bell independently and ready to start ringing with others
Sept 2015
March 2017

18. Questions & Comments
Over to you!