One of the very best things to have happened over the past year is the development of the online ringing platform, Ringing Room. In this special Valentine’s podcast, host Cathy Booth interviews Leland and Bryn, the driving force behind this amazing achievement and now one of ringing’s most famous couples.

Of course, for Ringing Room to have happened, Leland and Bryn had to have met. Cathy wastes no time in finding out the details of their burgeoning romance and discovers that going a transatlantic ringing tour just three weeks into dating might well have been a definitive moment!

Although the interview focuses on their relationship, this podcast is also very much a paean to ringing itself. Both Leland and Bryn are so clearly in love with bell ringing and gladly share the joy and fulfilment that it brings to their lives.

Of course, Leland and Bryn are not the only couple to have been brought together by ringing. A study conducted in 1989 assures that simple eye contact could make a person fall in love with you. Remember this the next time you find yourself gazing into the eyes of the conductor during a peal ...


Top 5 takeaways

• Ringing Room is not just for COVID-19 – it’s an amazing resource to meet and ring with people in dispersed areas and for teaching and training.
• When ringing in the tower, once you have pulled off, look around. You’ve already got all you need to know from the bell you are following, so cast your eyes around. This will help you develop your rope sight.
• Although ringing tower bells and handbells is very different, you can link what you know about both to get a deeper understanding about method structures.
• Check out the Bradfield Ringing Course http://www.bradfield-ringing-course.org.uk
• Facing a long journey or commute? It’s the perfect time to get to grips with learning a method.

Photo credits

Mira Whiting https://www.mirawhitingphotography.com/

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