Who better to quiz about the future of ringing than the President of the CCCBR, the chair of the Association of Ringing Teachers, and an ordained ringer and co-author of a book about ringing and the church? Show host Cathy Booth puts this esteemed panel through its paces, posing some vital questions on what needs to happen to keep change ringing alive, and to recruit and retain young ringers.

It turns out that most of the answers lie with young people themselves, and that the ringing community has a lot to learn from the way young ringers organise, communicate, and socialise.

So, tune in for a free-ranging and thought-provoking discussion that might end up with you questioning some of the current values, beliefs, and rituals of ringing culture …

Top five takeaways

• Make the most of the relationship you have with your church – they may well have skills and expertise that can help with your recruitment
• Listen to the views of your young ringers
• Don’t forget the role of parents in encouraging their children’s hobbies. They might even take up ringing themselves
• Make the most of all technologies available to your tower. To find out more about improving your striking through Hawkear check out www.12bell.org.uk/hawkear
• Ringing can link to many parts of the primary curriculum, such as history, maths, music, and PE. A visit to a bell foundry might make for a perfect school trip! Schools | Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust (belltrust.co.uk)

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org