Bellringing

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The Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers

Our main diocesan organisation.
Click here for the main SDGR website, and here for the calendar. All Guild Officers are listed here.

Main contacts

 Vicki Rowse
guild.secretary@sdgr.org.uk, 01722 714877 or 07565 396928

Robert Wellen, Publicity Officer: robertwellen@btinternet.com

Events

About SDGR

The Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers was founded on 14th September 1882 under the patronage of the Bishop and the presidency of the Right Honorable the Earl Nelson. The Guild is very active, encouraging ringing of all standards, from call-changes to methods. Ringers of all standards and inclination are very welcome. sdgr.org.uk 

Click the screen at top right for a teaching session from the 'Ringing Roadshow 2014'.

Official resources:

The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers offers a number of resources to help maintain and develop both the ring of bells and the band of ringers, including the Bells in Your Care leaflet, which contains details on where to find information on tower management, maintenance, insurance, health and safety and safeguarding. It also has a series of Frequently Asked Questions on church bell ringing. More here; main diocesan contacts here.

There is an easy-to-read explanation of bells and ringing, designed for clergy, church wardens and PCC members, here.

The September CCCBR Safeguarding update is here.

There are links to safeguarding advice here.

Other bellringing sites

(click a purple name to go to a site):
'Bellringers' Facebook Group 
'Bell Ringing Centres' Facebook Group 
Bradpole Ringing Centre has a new site and is also on Facebook
Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR) 
Change Ringing Resources
Dorset Towers
Dorset County Association of Church Bellringers 
Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers 
Trebles Going

LOST?

If you don't know how to find a tower, Rosalind has some advice.

Ideas and advice

Networking
'Using Twitter and Facebook to Publicise Bellringing' 

In summertime Long evenings, eating al fresco, windows wide open, too much vino: this is the time of year that people who don't like the sound of bells are likely to make a fuss. If you encounter a problem, please follow the advice of the CCCBR:

• Whenever a complaint is received it is important that the clergy, churchwardens and the ringers all work together to agree the actions to be taken. Confusion can be avoided if it is AGREED at the outset that one person should act as spokesperson.
• Memories can be very unreliable. Keep written records of conversations, dates and times of events; agreements reached with a complainant will be particularly helpful.
• Reactions along the lines that "the church was here first" and "we have been doing this for hundreds of years" are not helpful.
• Even if complainants simply do not like the sound of bells, most have a genuine concern which needs to be dealt with quickly, professionally and sympathetically.
• Often the problem can be resolved amicably at first contact but sometimes more information is required before proper consideration can be given.
• Irate telephone calls, hearsay and distorted press reports are not a sound basis on which to make decisions which could have a serious impact on future ringing activities.
• Wherever possible discuss the matter with the complainant face to face (an invitation to see the ringing and meet the ringers is often beneficial here) or at least try to obtain details of the complaint in writing.
• Once the problem is defined, clergy, churchwardens and ringers should decide whether or not the complaint is reasonable.
• Much hinges on the definition of reasonable. What is reasonable in one situation may be wholly unreasonable in another. To help decision making and advise on all matters relating to complaints the Central Council has established a national network of Complaints Advisers.
• If you accept that the complaint is reasonable, take action to remedy the situation. This is best done in consultation with the complainant.
• If you believe that the complaint is unreasonable, write to the complainant giving your reasons. The complainant will either accept your reasoning and drop the matter or escalate the issue through a higher church authority or by complaining to the local authority. Either way, if you have been reasonable there is nothing to fear.
• See also http://cccbr.org.uk/complaints