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Roger Booth

I wonder if others are having the same experience? The Ring for the King publicity has been excellent. Since the beginning of the year we have recruited a large group of new ringers, who are very keen and making excellent progress. They are willing to travel to other towers to learn, and making friends with the new learners in our neighbouring bands, who are similarly enthusiastic. However, this enthusiasm does not seem to be matched by some of the other towers.

As District officers we are trying to make sure that all the bells in our District are rung for the Coronation. There seem to be three distinct groups of towers. Around a third with more ringers than bells, who are all going to ring on 6th May. Then a second third who are one or two ringers short. Last, another third who have none or just one, two or three active ringers. Over the last four weeks we have been encouraging those in the last two groups to work with us and stagger their ringing times so that we can provide the extra ringers needed.

We’ve been chasing quite a few towers for a while, asking if they need help, but it seems that those towers that are under strength often have an inexperienced ringer in charge, left over from a once active band. We note from our mailing system that some don’t even bother to open our e-mails or newsletters. The traditional cascade system falls down, and the local ringers are not engaged with the District or the Guild. The response below, received yesterday, is typical of the reaction to our offers of help that we have experienced.

“…Sorry but no - it's not decided yet as we don't know who's available and when. Some people are away and others don't want to miss any of the lead-up or post-ceremony shenanigans on the box. I think we're likely to ring at (tower#1) at 8.45 for 15 minutes or so, and possibly go on to (tower#2) if we have the numbers.(tower#3) may be ringable as well depending on the state in which the electricians have left the tower. I will let the Guild know afterwards what was done, of course…”

It’s a shame as the keen new ringers who can now ring rounds unaided would love to ring at more than one tower on the big day. Some have been turning up to two or three practices a week for a couple of months, often at different towers. Teaching them has stretched the resources of those of us with active bands, yet it’s the towers in the other two categories that need new ringers the most.

Lucy Chandhial

We have a similar-ish experience. Having contacted all tower contacts to ask when they plan to ring and whether they need support the ones who are most likely to need support are the least likely to have responded. I think there is a natural alignment in this and not a huge amount can be done to change it except gradually growing the available and active ringers in any geographical area and encouraging them to visit other towers locally and start to strengthen the bands which can only currently ring three for Sunday service or only ring once a month for Sunday service. We are looking at the complete Coronation weekend to aim to get every tower to ring, with support where needed and are focusing the learners on the long term, beyond the Coronation, for opportunities to ring at more and more towers.

Jan

Is there any way of finding out if anyone needs help locally other than contacting them individually? I’m a keen learner and like to try other towers.

John Harrison

↪Jan

try asking your district secretary, who probably has a pretty good idea of which towers would welcome help, and may already know what local towers are planning.

Jan

Thanks John.

Tristan Lockheart

We’ve been chasing quite a few towers for a while, asking if they need help, but it seems that those towers that are under strength often have an inexperienced ringer in charge, left over from a once active band. We note from our mailing system that some don’t even bother to open our e-mails or newsletters. The traditional cascade system falls down, and the local ringers are not engaged with the District or the Guild. The response below, received yesterday, is typical of the reaction to our offers of help that we have experienced.

It’s a shame as the keen new ringers who can now ring rounds unaided would love to ring at more than one tower on the big day. Some have been turning up to two or three practices a week for a couple of months, often at different towers. Teaching them has stretched the resources of those of us with active bands, yet it’s the towers in the other two categories that need new ringers the most. — Roger Booth

There's a sort of inevitability in that some ringers just want to do their own thing. In most areas, we are not short of towers, so we have no need to worry about an unproductive band 'hogging' a tower. And given that these sorts of bands are not often willing/able to recruit, there isn't much of an opportunity for them to spread an ethos which doesn't involve visiting and working with other towers. I suspect there is little more to be done if active branch leaders are still not able to effectively get through to these certain towers; too much time can be spent trying to save bands which don't really want to be saved which could instead be invested into those who are willing to engage and accept the help that is being offered.

Roger Booth

↪Tristan Lockheart

We are able to recruit elsewhere in the District without a problem, and we have not wasted time trying to save the bands that are reluctant to engage with us. It's just a shame that these villages are just the same as the others where we have plenty of recruits. We've noticed that RFK enquiries passed on to these bands are either not followed up, or there is a very high drop out rate compared with elsewhere. When these bands cease to exist, hopefully some of our enthusiastic ringers can step in a recruit and train up a new band.

I would also argue that before embarking on another national PR and recruitment campaign, we first need to carry out an internal PR campaign to make sure that any influx of new recruits can be handled properly. It's interesting that ART has received around 2,000 RFK enquiries in recent months, and although the number of fresh enquiries has slowed right down, there are now a significant number coming back to ART asking if there is somewhere else where they can be taught to ring. They are keen to learn but only making very slow progress at the tower where they are learning.

Alison Hodge

I seem to recall that initially 'Ring for the King' was for the week from 1st - 8th May. We are arranging ringing on 6th but also on 8th and other days when bands can get together.

Martyn Bristow

Sorry to also be a dampener but I had the same.
I asked if they’d like me to help elsewhere and the branch leadership weren’t all that aware of what was going on.
I’m supporting my own tower but it seems like we need to collaborate and communicate more.
A lot of problems appear to be long standing bands who don’t have email. We also don’t get much input to the branch level either

J Martin Rushton

Locally three towers are ringing before the service. One is attempting a quarter starting at 10:00 with the hope that they will be back in time for the service. The fourth tower has a deficit of ringers, and we are "open ringing" from 15:00 with ringers from other towers coming along. I intend to take along some snacks and make it a bit of a party.

John de Overa

I would also argue that before embarking on another national PR and recruitment campaign, we first need to carry out an internal PR campaign to make sure that any influx of new recruits can be handled properly. It's interesting that ART has received around 2,000 RFK enquiries in recent months, and although the number of fresh enquiries has slowed right down, there are now a significant number coming back to ART asking if there is somewhere else where they can be taught to ring. They are keen to learn but only making very slow progress at the tower where they are learning. — Roger Booth

Well, you certainly don't need to argue as far as I'm concerned, I think you are absolutely right! Your comments about struggling to keep progressing exactly mirrors my experience when I started - the issue is not a new one. Getting people through the door is easy in comparison to keeping them coming back. That needs internal PR and coordination to be done first, not after we have a queue.

There's a tower in the association who has taken on 10 new ringers as part of RFTK. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but how are they going to deliver a quality experience, how are the learners going to get the amount of rope time they need to keep progressing, what's the drop out rate going to be, and what's that number of new people going to do to the dynamics of the existing band?

We've deliberately not gone "all in" recruiting, including not recruiting for RFTK because we realised we didn't have the ability to cope with a big influx of learners. Instead we've concentrated on steady organic growth via people who really, really want to learn. A very keen adult learner who started a year go has rapidly caught up with the rest of the band (we are mainly CC & simple methods) because we concentrated on getting her up to speed as quickly as we could and she's now a "core" member. We are doing the same with the 10 & 12 year olds who started recently (not as part RFTK), again the plan is to give them the best possible learning experience so they keep coming. And I've had two more people ask today during our tower open day, although we didn't say anything about recruitment during the day.

Learning to ring is a big investment in time on all sides, and in the case of teaching, investment of a scarce resource. From Ringing 2030:

"The pipeline needs strengthening."
"We need a steady supply of people wanting to learn."

Yes, and yes!

Alan C

Any organisation that wants to perpetuate itself needs to be recruiting constantly, I hope that’s not a revelation.

Phillip George

Any organisation that wants to perpetuate itself needs to — Alan C

accept change!!

Rosalind Martin

2 issues have been raised in this thread - local coordination to make best use of the existing skills and enthusiasm, and developing new recruits as effectively as possible. I think Roger's District is probably completely typical, that so many ringers would rather do their own thing than aim for something less parochial. This has also played out locally. It isn't just new recruits that have struggled for ropes - I'm not good enough to be involved in my own band's (12 bell) peal, but I put the word out and am delighted to be included in a local 6-bell peal, and quarter, for another band. Some sort of "ringers' bank" for special occasions would be brilliant, I would definitely sign up. After all, one's competence is pretty easily judged by a quick glance at Bellboard!

John de Overa

Any organisation that wants to perpetuate itself needs to be recruiting constantly, I hope that’s not a revelation. — Alan C

You'd think so, wouldn't you? But the "demographic deficit" that's now causing so many problems for ringing seems to show that it isn't obvious, unfortunately.

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