A week in the life of a bellringer

Sunday : Ring for morning service. Back again for evening service if I’m not too busy/tired/lethargic.

Thursday : Hemel practice at 8:00. Make sure I’m there before 8:30. Go to pub afterwards.

Saturday : Ring for wedding. Is the District meeting today? Maybe pop along to it later.

A week in the life of a Tower Captain

Sunday : Make sure I’m at the church by 9 o’clock when we’re supposed to start. Unlock door, chivvy ringers upstairs. Get ropes down, secure chiming rope, ring 4th up. Try to get ringers on bells for most of the ½ hour before the service, stop them chatting for too long between spells of ringing. Secure ropes, check ringing chamber, chivvy ringers downstairs again, lock door.

11:00 District committee meeting

6 o’clock – repeat of morning performance.

Thursday: Be there by 8 o’clock. Unlock door and let waiting ringers (I wish!) in. Check Vestry for Wedding ringing requirements or messages from above. Back up to ringing chamber, await quorum. Assess capabilities of the ringers currently present and their learning requirements (as I see them).

(x) Suggest what to ring and who to take part. Handle grumbles. Delegate command for this piece of ringing and sit back & watch or stand behind learners to lend a hand or brain. More ringers eventually arrive, re-assess requirements, repeat from (x) until 9:30. Think about who to select for upcoming competition and what to say to the unselected.

Ask all ringers if they’re coming to the District meeting on Saturday and would like to stay for tea. Repeat more loudly.

Ring up contact to submit numbers for tea. Nag ringers to volunteer for wedding ringing on Saturday. Fail to get enough, even talking loudly.

Secure ringing chamber.

Go to pub.

Friday: Ring up ringers from other towers to get enough for wedding.

Saturday: Ring for wedding(s) at 12:30. Go to District meeting at 3:00; someone else in charge for a change! Get home at 10:30.