Ringing Forums

By 2030 many of the active ringers keeping ringing alive will be less active. — Ken Webb

I completely agree. Our tower can't wait until whatever initiatives trickle down. We are working on this now, initially to consider which areas need to be addressed and to set priorities; this in conjunction with the PCC, our biggest stakeholder. We have to at least try to sustain our future by developing our team, looking after the installation and looking outward into the community.

I think use of '2030' infers no need to act until 2030 — Ken Webb

From the CCCBR project page:

Ringing 2030 is about considering what we need ringing to be like in 2030, what we need to change in order to get there, and then making sure we effect that change.

But if you look at the Product Roadmap, the earliest entry is dated 1st April 2023 and none of the projects have been delivered yet, with many of the In Progress ones being past their due date. That may be because the plan isn't kept updated, but if it isn't there's not much point in having it.

That may be because the plan isn't kept updated, but if it isn't there's not much point in having it. — John de Overa

The plan published on the website might not be the same as the plan being used by those running the project. Of course in an ideal organisation everything would be kept up to date, and it would be in some employee's job spec to do it. But the CC has no employees, it runs on a shoestring using effort that volunteers spare on their lives, and things that the person involved doesn't consider has to be done now get deferred until there is time to do them.
Lots of ringing websites have update problems, all of them run by volunteers who might stop doing the job if they were nagged about how they chose to do it.

People are being asked to provide input on finance for projects. If the project status information is out of date, how can people form an opinion? It needs to be updated, or removed from view until it has been updated. Either would be fine.

Sounds like we have our first paid employee role - project coordinator.

I completely agree. Our tower can't wait until whatever initiatives trickle down. We are working on this now, initially to consider which areas need to be addressed and to set priorities; this in conjunction with the PCC, our biggest stakeholder. We have to at least try to sustain our future by developing our team, looking after the installation and looking outward into the community. — Phillip George

The Ringing 2030 projects fall into what could be called 'Central Services' and 'Central Resources'. The former is only of use if added on to a fairly strong local base and the latter requires people to choose to use them and put the work in to apply them. Either way, it is down to local people and teams to make use of the Central Council's efforts and work to improve ringing locally. As you say, you need to run and change things locally, and in turn the Central Council will do its best to support you.

Ringing 2030 is like a new crop - it requires a well-run and well-resourced local farm to grow and be harvested successfully. The Central Council can only provide the seeds.

As you say, you need to run and change things locally, and in turn the Central Council will do its best to support you. — Tristan Lockheart

Thank you, it seems that we're on the right track. I might try to encourage a more pro active approach by towers in my area.

I think use of '2030' infers no need to act until 2030 — Ken Webb

To me the 2030 tag recognises that the future of ringing as we know it is under threat and that addressing that is a medium-term project, if not a continous one.

A 'Do nothing' approach that keeps on doing the same old stuff will lead to a further decline in ringing. I don't think that many ringers would disagree with that statement, particularly if we are talking about the bulk of grass roots ringing. There are no quick fixes. The 2030 date is a good head mark. What it says to me that we need to do stuff now to start moving to a better place. The CCCBR Ringing 2030 Product Roadmap shows the planned current workstreams and is much more detailed in the near term than the long. I don't think anyone is suggesting that progress should not be made as soon as possible, but the target cannot be fully achieved overnight and there is no point suggesting otherwise. As other current discussions show limited volunteer effort can only be expected to achieve speed limited progress. Pushing for more speed risks volunteer burn-out.

What is needed to progress Ringing 2030 on a volunteer basis are volunteers with the capability, creativity, commitment and capacity to deliver it. Ringers with even three of these characteristics are rare, those with all four vanishingly so. Of these rare people, those of working age are in demand in the workplace, may have the great responsibility of raising children and are struggling to keep up their continuous professional development. They may even be trying to do some ringing. Those that that are retired can struggle with capacity, I know I do. We need to nurture our volunteers, too many of whom are doing too many volunteer roles in ringing to do all of them as well as they would like. Sorry is not a word that volunteers need to say. They are the ones doing something, general as well and as fast as they can.

(For more on CCCBR plans see my earlier post in the ART related discussion.)

What is needed to progress Ringing 2030 on a volunteer basis are volunteers with the capability, creativity, commitment and capacity to deliver it. Ringers with even three of these characteristics are rare, those with all four vanishingly so. Of these rare people, those of working age are in demand in the workplace, may have the great responsibility of raising children and are struggling to keep up their continuous professional development. They may even be trying to do some ringing. Those that that are retired can struggle with capacity, I know I do. We need to nurture our volunteers, too many of whom are doing too many volunteer roles in ringing to do all of them as well as they would like. — Paul Wotton

Oh dear, if that is true then we are all doomed. It all sounds very depressing.

However, in my experience there are a lot of newer ringers out there with all sorts of useful skills who would be willing to help, if only there was a way of reaching them, before they get ground down by the existing system. Perhaps some articles in Tower Talk would be a start.

I also went along to the RWNYC in London on Saturday and what an excellent day that was. It was great to see well over 300 young ringers participating, plus all their reserves and adult supporters. The ASCY are to be congratulated on the vast amount of imagination and time that they put in to organising the event. It was also great to see all the positive postings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram during and after the event. The Cornish Campanologist’s postings on TikTok were excellent.

Perhaps there are some lessons here too, where so many people not just in London, but also so many Guilds and Associations up and down the country must have put a vast amount of time and effort beforehand into volunteering and doing something so motivational for the young ringers, and to help safeguard the future of ringing. There were also all the organisations that were willing to sponsor and support the event financially. A Ringing 2030 stand at next year’s contest too, perhaps.

It would also help if offers of help were taken up. Late last year I did offer to help the V&L group with aspects of their work which overlap with my current commitments. I have heard nothing since.

“If you want something done, ask a busy person” Benjamin Franklin