Can one ever have too many belfries? In this fascinating podcast, show host Cathy Booth finds the answer to this is no, as she quizes Helen McGregor about the amazing ringing centres at Tulloch and Alderney.

Helen’s bell ringing started as an excuse not to commit to babysitting for a neighbour but quickly turned into a lifetime’s addiction. What’s more, together with husband Peter, bell ringing has inspired what can only be termed a “belfry creation scheme”.

If developing two ringing centres isn’t enough, Helen also has ambitious plans for her hand bell ringing. She is confident that she could teach you, and possibly your dog, handbells too, if either of you have rhythm.

Whatever your interest is, be it tower bells or hand bells, there’s plenty to interest you in this wide-ranging podcast. And if It gets you thinking about your own ring of bells, there’s always the garage ...


Top 5 takeaways

• Your hands are stronger together, so don’t ring more with one hand than the other, keep them together
• It’s a rope, not a rod, so you can’t try and push it up! Keep a gentle tension in the rope at all times
• Fancy a trip to Tulloch or Alderney? Find out more at www.tullochbells.com  and http://alderneybells.com . If that’s too far to travel, look for a ringing centre nearer to you.
• Don’t just get stuck on one bell, or pair of bells if you or are ringing handbells. Moving around will help improve your ringing
• Set yourself some ringing goals. You may not want to ring a quarter peal in each quarter of the British Isles like Helen, but be ambitious and have fun!

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