Ringing Forums

This is something I am particularly interested in in Birmingham. As was reported in the 2021 Census that has just been published, Birmingham is now majority 'ethnic minority'. We therefore miss out on half the population if we don't address ringing's lack of diversity.

When the new Mobile Belfry is ready I am planning to take it into a Muslim school. I spoke to the Imam about taking it to the Central Mosque but he advised schools would be better. It will be interesting to see what happens.

It is also one of the drivers for the proposed secular 'Birmingham University of Bell Ringing' which will take ringing out of a church environment, which I think will help.

I think this is difficult because most towers are based in C of E churches and it is hard to separate the ringing from the institution (and some ringers would say you shouldn’t). Many of the ethnic minorities in the UK are Christians, but they are less likely to be C of E so they may not be able to ring for service at their local tower and join their church service (although some can and do). It’s even harder for someone with an alternative religion to ring for a service which calls people to prayer for a religion they don’t agree with (as an atheist I sometimes struggle with this!). I’d say it easier to start with the wider Christian community and find the diversity here first.
Many new ringers still say they did not know how to get into ringing, that they thought it was an invited skill rather than open to new interested people so the first task is to make it more widely known that ringers are wanted and to make ringing accessible to come and see and learn a bit about it.

This is a matter of great concern for me. As Simon says, we are chasing a shrinking market.

Amongst the university societies, I would be surprised if they overall have double figures of ethnic minority ringers. Given that universities and university societies are the most fertile ground for recruiting ringers from ethnic minorities, we clearly have a way to go.

When we were recruiting at our freshers' fair back in September, it was noticeable how many girls came forward to talk to us when we had girls on the stall, rather than just two stocky lads. Representation is important, and when people see people like them in promotional materials and on the ground, they are more likely to step forward. Once we break the initial barrier, then the increase in diversity is self-perpetuating.

The question is, how? Maybe any diversity we already have needs to be promoted, along with targeted outreach to community groups.

Many of the ethnic minorities in the UK are Christians — Lucy Chandhial

this was probably where I was coming from...but if I am being honest, I am not sure I have ever rung in 29 years with anyone who is not white...

It’s even harder for someone with an alternative religion to ring for a service which calls people to prayer for a religion they don’t agree with (as an atheist I sometimes struggle with this!) — Lucy Chandhial

Whilst I agree with this, there are probably plenty of diverse atheists out there too. No reason why they couldn't join in, in the same way that you can.

Many new ringers still say they did not know how to get into ringing, that they thought it was an invited skill rather than open to new interested people so the first task is to make it more widely known that ringers are wanted and to make ringing accessible to come and see and learn a bit about it — Lucy Chandhial

is Ringing 2030 going to take this on, because it always comes up?

this was probably where I was coming from...but if I am being honest, I am not sure I have ever rung in 29 years with anyone who is not white... — Jason Carter

One of my home tower's two latest recruits is of mixed race, under 10 and she asked the tower captain if she could learn herself. Oh, and came from the congregation.

Publicise what you do (and keep doing it) and they will come! Recruitment never stops.

awesome! Hope she sticks with it :-)

awesome! Hope she sticks with it :-) — Jason Carter

Me too :smile:

She's threatening to bring half her class along to learn (the optimism of youth), which caused the tower captain to blanche and suggest she bring a few special friends :wink:

Yes inclusivity is going to be a pillar

Interestingly to this thread, we have a ringer who learned at the Birmingham School of Bell Ringing and is now a member of the core team who is an atheist who does not feel comfortable calling people to worship, so they do not ring on a Sunday. That was a challenge for us at first, but then someone making a positive decision like that is in some way better than someone who just doesn't bother to turn up, and their contribution to ringing is valuable in other ways.

She's threatening to bring half her class along to learn — Alan C

doubles and triples awesome...!

we have a ringer who learned at the Birmingham School of Bell Ringing and is now a member of the core team who is an atheist who does not feel comfortable calling people to worship — Simon Linford

I know of a few ringers who don't regularly ring on a Sunday. But they will come out occasionally when they are specifically asked, and they do help develop their band in other ways.

Look at Walworth in SE London, a large number of young ringers from the congregation who aren't white and middle class. They were taught to ring in between two Sunday morning Services, however, there is little interest or support from their parents to go to any other ringing events and integrate with Surrey young ringers, both their leaders are white and from outside the area; they were represented at the CCCBR roadshow in 2019 at Goldsmiths which was right on their doorstep.

That picture is a Chesterfield District meeting at Old Brampton a few years ago. There were in fact 6 youngsters present. I took the photo because it represented the diversity of ringers in our local area at the time.

That picture is a Chesterfield District meeting at Old Brampton a few years ago. There were in fact 6 youngsters present. I took the photo because it represented the diversity of ringers in our local area at the time. — Susan Hall

awesome, wish we were the same...

Look at Walworth in SE London, a large number of young ringers from the congregation who aren't white and middle class. They were taught to ring in between two Sunday morning Services, however, there is little interest or support from their parents to go to any other ringing events and integrate with Surrey young ringers, both their leaders are white and from outside the area; they were represented at the CCCBR roadshow in 2019 at Goldsmiths which was right on their doorstep. — David Kirkcaldy

what is the average age of those learners? Take the ringing to them between those two services...When they are old enough they can branch out on their own.

It’s even harder for someone with an alternative religion to ring for a service which calls people to prayer for a religion they don’t agree with (as an atheist I sometimes struggle with this!) — Lucy Chandhial — Jason Carter

Lucy, I'm a bit late responding as I have have just picked up on this. We have at least one atheist and one agnostic amongst our ringers. They are there to ring every Sunday. The bells don't call people to worship as such, they simply announce that a service is about to start. People will still go to church whether or not the bells are rung although some people rely on them for timekeeping and others take comfort on hearing them - including non church goers.

Yes, I understand the point but I still think it is hard for someone of a different religion to feel comfortable with the extent to which ringing relates to the Christian church. Relatively easy for an atheist or agnostic, harder for someone who actively believes in a different religion. And most Associations and Guilds have wording about Christianity in their ‘purpose’ (as does the CCCBR) so diversity will always be limited to some extent (although there are plenty of other aspects of diversity in age, ethnicity and ability/ disability, neurodiversity etc where bellringing can do well.

wording about Christianity in their ‘purpose’ (as does the CCCBR) — Lucy Chandhial

Sorry, you are several years out of date. The CC's purpose is about ringing, see: https://cccbr.org.uk/about/ [/u]

Jason....your original post asks the simple question as to how we can increase diversity in ringing. Such a simple question, such complex answers! We need only review the work undertaken by the Women in Ringing group to appreciate the challenge of broadening the accessibility of ringing to more people.....and relative to other forms of diversity that should be an easy one! We are going to discuss this very issue at the ART Conference on Saturday 11th March.

Do we need more pictures like the one of the band in this performance?

https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1541656