Fun with Bells
Cathy Booth
1 Creator
1 Creator
Explore the world of bell ringing with insightful interviews, captivating histories, and challenging quizzes. Join us on this monthly podcast as we journey into the lives of multifarious bell ringers, uncovering their passions, favourite towers, and the essence of quintessential English change ringing. Tune in for a unique and comprehensive perspective on this timeless tradition.
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Top 10 Fun with Bells Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Fun with Bells episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Fun with Bells for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Fun with Bells episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Take a deep breath...
Fun with Bells
06/10/21 • 31 min
Take a few deep breaths, relax, and tune into this month’s episode where host Cathy Booth meets ringer, counsellor, hypnotherapist and trauma care practitioner, Nicky Carling to talk about building up confidence for returning to the tower.
Yes, it’s probably time you changed out of your pyjamas, dragged yourself momentarily away from Ringing Room and ventured out to the exciting world of real-life bell ringing.
However, if this thought makes you at all anxious then Nicky offers lots of helpful tips and tools gained from her extensive experience as a professional therapist.
From techniques like mindfulness and Emotional Freedom Technique, to alternative remedies like Bach Flower Rescue Remedy, there’s a wide range of help to boost your confidence, whatever your needs and ringing level. And if you’re planning to get back into practice for the National 12 Bell competition, then hypnotherapy might just help give you the competitive edge ...
Top 5 takeaways
- If you’re feeling anxious about returning to ringing, then talk to someone in your tower who will understand and can look out for you
- Read Nicky’s ART article for more information about the tips and techniques shared in this podcast https://ringingteachers.org/survival-and-recovery-toolbox/confidence-building-techniques
- Interested in find out more about Bach Flower Remedies? Check out https://www.bachcentre.com/en/
- If you’re more concerned about getting back in physical shape for your ringing then ART also has some helpful advice for that http://ringingteachers.org/survival-and-recovery-toolbox/fit-to-ring and Lucy Gwynne, who is a physiotherapist, has recorded a complementary talk given to the St Martin’s guild: see https://youtu.be/AxCZcVDHq9w
- Also see Nicky’s therapy website: http://www.mayflowertherapies.co.uk/
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
10 ways to use a simulator
Fun with Bells
07/08/21 • 37 min
You may not have given ringing simulators a second thought before, but this episode will definitely get you scrambling up your belfry, with some sensors in hand.
Steve Farmer, tells host Cathy Booth the fascinating story of Simbell. Wanting an easy way to get get extra rope time without annoying the church neighbours with his noisy novice ringing, Steve took the unusual step of inventing his own ringing simulator.
Now simulators are not new, having been a thing since the advent of The Seague Silent Ringing Apparatus in the 1870s. However, Steve had the very clever idea of making his simulator wireless. And what is the advantage of a wireless simulator? Listen to the podcast to find out!
With technology moving so fast it’s hard to say what will come next? Steve looks into his crystal ball and gets us to imagine a future where we might all be ringing in virtual reality headsets. Sounds amazing - just as long as the ‘bong’ is in the right place.
Top 5 takeaways
- Want to attract more ringers? Hold an open day as part of the Heritage Open Days. Once you’ve go them up the tower. They’ll be hooked!
- There’s a wide choice of ringing software to choose from – have a look at Abel http://www.abelsim.co.uk/ , Virtual Belfry https://www.belfryware.com/ and Beltower http://www.beltower.co.uk
- Check out all the super simulator resources, including links to Simbell https://simbell.co.uk on the Association of Ringing Teachers website http://ringingteachers.org/resource-centre/simulator-resources
- If there’s something that would help you to ring but it doesn’t yet exist, then why not invent it yourself. If it would help you it’s bound to help others too!
- Trying to motivate young ringers? Use a simulator to score their striking rates. And if more intensive training is needed, think about running a summer simulator boot camp with hours of (silent) practice.
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
Weird and wonderful bell towers (2 of 2)
Fun with Bells
09/10/20 • 25 min
Following on from last month’s edition, podcast host Cathy Booth reveals another dodgy dozen or so weird and wonderful towers. WARNING - this podcast contains details of hair-raising ringing environments, definitely not for the nervous ringers amongst you!
Enjoy another litany of trapdoors, spiral staircases, beam scrambling, comedy pulleys and 17th-century ladders.
We now have a whole new list of things to watch out for – bizarre ringing circles, ropes arranged around the organist, and, erm, falling concrete! And as lovely as weddings are, Cathy discovers these can be the source of much distraction. Please do be careful not to lasso a bridesmaid!
Lastly, and most importantly, always be EXTREMELY cautious if you accept an invitation to ring a quarter peal at a church whose bells are described as “rung from cage above chancel crossing”.
Featured towers:
St Mary Magdalene, Cottingham, Northamptonshire
- Simon Head read to us about Cottingham
- For more information see : http://cottinghamhistory.co.uk/Churches%20-%20St%20Mary.htm
St George’s, Great Bromley
- David Sparling reads to us about Great Bromley
- For more information see https://www.greatbromley.org.uk/st-georges-church-great-bromley?fbclid=IwAR0QwFFqHiL_J0jwQSXXcM04_0qRAk5MDHHnWlCb3y0KlapdjK4hr0F7q3I
Pershore Abbey
- Pershore Abbey where ringers ring from the square platform that you can see suspended in the top centre of this photo
- Stuart Piper told us about Pershore Abbey
- For more information see
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN0AyqSl9gI
- http://www.merrix.eu/BellRinging/towers/worcs/Pershore-Abbey.htm
- http://www.archive.pershoreabbey.org.uk/bells.html
St Peter, Great Livermere
- Neil Dodge read to us about the tower at Great Livermere
- For more information about this church see http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gliver.htm
Crowland Abbey
- Alison Davies read to us about Crowland Abbey
- For more information see:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8DHfZ5y2oo
- https://meanderingthroughtime.weebly.com/history-blog/bells-of-croyland-abbey-in-lincolnshire
- https://ldgcb.org.uk/news/news2014/crowland_radio4.php
Inveraray
- Steve Johnson read a story recalled by Roy Le Marechal about a failed
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
11/09/23 • 50 min
The debate around ringing and music is taken to an entirely new level in this fascinating conversation between show host Cathy Booth and composer Helen Ottaway.
Deeply inspired by the sound of bells, Helen’s passion for this shared soundscape has led from the creation of individual musical works to an entire bell-inspired festival! It’s amazing to hear what can happen when composers and ringers come together to exchange knowledge and enthusiasm across different art forms, contexts and places.
Be inspired, listen to the recordings and maybe even download the ringtone - but don’t get so carried away that you forget to turn your mobile off before that peal ...
Top Five Takeaways
- Why not get in touch with existing festivals to see if there’s a way your tower could get involved
- Given the heritage aspect of ringing, the National Lottery is a good source of funding for creative projects www.heritagefund.org.uk
- Check out the Ring Out Festival website for more inspiration https://www.rooklanearts.org.uk/ringout/
- Interested in finding out more about Helen’s work? Here are some good links to start with https://soundcloud.com/helen-ottaway/sets/ring-ring-bell-1 , https://helenottaway.bandcamp.com/album/ring-ring-bell , https://www.artmusic.org.uk/projects/ring-ring-bell/ and https://helenottaway.blog/
- If you’ve not already got a bell related ringtone, why not try one of these out https://www.zedge.net/find/ringtones/Artmusic or https://www.zedge.net/find/ringtones/Frome%20Carillon
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
President of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers
Fun with Bells
08/08/19 • 31 min
Find out more about the CCCBR, with its long history, ambitious vision for the future and huge raft of essential services in this wide ranging interview with the CCCBR President.
Christopher O’Mahoney, President of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringing, says that the good thing about ringing is that there is something for everyone.
Find out more about the CCCBR. Now you’ll know exactly where to turn to for help when the neighbours come knocking on the tower complaining about the noise!
And you’ll definitely be making a beeline for the Council weekend in September once you hear Christopher reel off the wonderful line-up of activities that are going to be on offer.
The message from Christopher comes out clear and loud – by getting involved, striving to do our best and contributing our skills, together we can transform bell ringing. Just look what he’s already achieved by stepping forward and giving something back. Not bad for a boy from Sydney who took up ringing to supplement the income he was getting as a choir boy.
Links
- Central Council of Church Bell Ringers: https://cccbr.org.uk/
- Council weekend https://cccbr.org.uk/about/annual-meetings/2019-meeting/
Top five takeaways
- Don’t miss the Central Council meeting weekend, 6-8 September at Goldsmith’s College in London.
- Need advice and guidance on insurance, risk assessment, fire risk, tower safety, safeguarding, child protection or more? Go straight to the CCBR.
- Think about using the skills you have in your day job to support your tower and the wider ringing community.
- The key themes for the CCBR are to recruit and develop new learners and leaders, engage more maturely with the church and stakeholders, raise positive public awareness, celebrate and promote historical legacy, promote excellence in standards and increase participation in the work of the council.
- Ringing is a great privilege and if you want to give something back there are great opportunities for leadership, teaching and service.
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
Ringing Remembers champion
Fun with Bells
03/28/19 • 41 min
In this fascinating podcast, Cathy Booth catches up with top bellringer and inspirational driving force behind the recent Ringing Remembers campaign, Alan Regin MBE. This is a must-listen interview for any new ringing recruit as Alan reveals the origins of his idea for this amazingly successful initiative.
A prolific ringer, Alan confesses to having rung over over 5,900 peals, with nine of those being in the last seven days! Don’t worry if you’re not sure what a peal is though, as Alan enthusiastically guides Cathy through both the history and technicalities of change ringing, ringing methods and peals.
Not only has Alan’s ringing career resulted in an MBE for services to campanology and heritage, it has also taken him all over the world. Find out what it’s like to go on a bell-ringing tour from listening to Alan’s terrific tales - and why wait for hours at an airport, when you can nip off with your friends to ring a peal at the nearest church instead?
Peals and Ringing Remembers aside, one of Alan’s greatest achievements has been his involvement in installing bells in the church at Ypres to provide a lasting memorial to the fallen, a project so very clearly close to his heart.
Cathy asks Alan about his own bellringing heroes - well, we don’t know about you, but after listening to this amazing interview, Alan is certainly one of ours.
Links
- The Ringing World – ringingworld.co.uk
- CCCBR Rolls of Honour – cccbr.org.uk/rolls-of-honour/
- St George’s memorial church, Ypres – stgeorgesmemorialchurchypres.com/
Top five takeaways
- Ringing can take you further afield than just the UK – there are towers in countries like Australia, South Africa and the USA.
- As a bellringer, wherever you travel you will find friends who share your hobby and enthusiasm.
- All sorts of people from different ages and backgrounds ring – once you’re in the tower you’re all equal and so it’s a great example of teamwork.
- Peal boards in churches record historic feats of ringing – look out for them when you visit a tower.
- Bellringing has had its own weekly newsletter since the 1800s and still has one today called The Ringing World
Ask the Expert
Pip Penney answered the following questions in this episode:
- Maddie: “I’ve heard the people in my tower talk about ringing methods. How long does it take to get to the stage where you can ring methods?”
- Katie: “Apart from practice in the tower, what else could I be doing to help me progress my learning to ring?”
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
Ringing in Redundant Churches - part 2
Fun with Bells
12/08/22 • 23 min
This second sojourn into ringing in redundant churches sees show host Cathy Booth discovering two more exciting projects where ringers have joined forces with the Churches Conservation Trust.
When someone suggests you take the keys and check on the bells in a redundant church, big things can happen. Such an invitation proved inspiring to Andy Cope and his partner who have transformed All Souls in Bolton into a community ringing centre with a winning recruitment strategy.
Meanwhile, the vision for a national centre of ringing in Northampton is coming together beautifully, as Simon Linford updates on progress. Close your eyes and imagine the perfect place - nice ring of eight next door, set of training bells, state of the art simulator, a ringing library and a real ale pub. Yes, you heard that correctly, a pub! Is it too early to book an outing?
Top 5 Takeaways
- Find out more about The Churches Conservation Trust, including how to get involved and support your local historic church at www.visitchurches.org.uk
- Keep track of progress at the National Ringing Centre https://www.pdg.org.uk/latest-news/national-ringing-centre-at-st-peter-s-and-the-old-black-lions
- Discover All Souls, Bolton https://allsoulsbolton.org.uk/home/about-us/, check out all the community activities on offer https://issuu.com/allsoulsbolton/docs/asb_community_brochure_2019 and watch this short introduction to the bells (2) Watch | Facebook
- Fancy a couple of nights sleeping under the nave? Go Champing, for your next ringing outing https://champing.co.uk
- Take some tips from All Souls ringers’ recruitment. Tower tours, taster sessions and a sixth-form feed into university ringing societies are all great tactics
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
The Loughborough Bell Foundry
Fun with Bells
07/09/20 • 32 min
This episode sees host Cathy Booth in conversation with Andrew Wilby for a fascinating insight into the Taylor Bell Foundry's past, present and future.
Based in Loughborough, we hear all about the history behind the foundry and some of the exciting attractions on site. The foundry has its own museum, 12 bell tower renowned for being the site of the world's longest peal and even a carillon. Plan your visit now for when lockdown is over!
You'll also discover what JS Bach has got to do with bell ringing, the ins and outs of harmonics and what equal temperament is - and no it's not an easy-going tower captain!
Andrew then gets into some heavy stuff, bells that is, before regaling Cathy with some hair-raising stories of his bell ringing travels abroad. Brilliant stuff!
Top 5 takeaways
- Find out more about the Taylor bell foundry on its website http://taylorbells.co.uk/
- A carillon is a musical instrument. where a set of bells is played by a keyboard and pedals. The keys mechanically activate levers and wires connected to metal clappers which strike the bells. You can find out more about the Loughborough Carillon on its website https://www.carillontower.org.uk/index.htm
- Try listening to some bells cast by different methods and see which you think sounds best!
- Why not watch the bells of St Pauls in action on this YouTube clip Bells of St Pauls Cathedral, London 2
- And if you want to do your bit to ensure that the last remaining major bell foundry in Britain isn’t lost, visit https://loughboroughbellfoundry.org/
NB. The photo for this episode was taken by Tommy Pengilley.
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
11/12/20 • 32 min
Home of the first true peal, St Peter Mancroft in Norwich is now home to the brilliant Mancroft Ringing Discovery Centre. Podcast host Cathy Booth catches up with Simon Rudd and Nikki Thomas to find out what’s been happening.
Well, there’s been so much going on it’s hard to know where to start! Training courses at all levels, lunchtime pay as you go sessions, band visits, junior ringing and ringing festivals all feature. That’s when the team is not out and about taking ringing into schools and letting hordes of excited novice ringers have a go on 12 bells at Great Yarmouth.
But what of lockdown? Cathy discovers that both Simon and Nikki have actually been doing more ringing in lockdown than ever before - extending their handbell repertoire, honing their conducting skills and setting themselves ever more complex challenges in Ringing Room.
For those of you who are more advanced, you might want to learn to ring Cambridge Suprise. Or maybe that's not the best place to start! How about starting with Cornwall first? This podcast also includes an excerpt from Matt Austin's conversation with Don Marrison about less traditional steps to learning surprise methods, first broadcast in our North American sister podcast, Treble's Going.
Whatever your level and whatever your pathway, once everything is safe, take yourself and your band for a weekend in Norwich and try out your new skills on the MRDC training bells. You know you want to.
Top takeaways
- Check out the Mancroft Ringing Discovery Centre www.mrdc.org.uk and get ready to book a visit once it’s safe to get out and about
- Not tried Ringing Room yet? Go on, give it a go! If you need some help to get started pop into the Ringing Room Take Hold lounge on Facebook
- Interested in St Peter Mancroft’s bell ringing heritage? Listen to Nikki’s talk for Heritage Open Days
- If you’ve got a suitable 12 bell tower in your area, have a think about letting your novice ringers loose – they’ll love every minute
- Don’t just print off the blue line to learn it – why not write out the method by hand from place notation and really get inside it
- Catch up with the rest of the Don Morrison ‘Cornwall first’ interview at treblesgoing.com
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
Bell ringing on your CV
Fun with Bells
02/28/19 • 42 min
This interview smashes any pre-conceptions that bellringing is something that only older people do, with an inspirational interview with a ringer in her twenties, Emily Hall. Emily started learning to ring at the age of seven and then, when aged just nine, set up the Derbyshire Young Ringers so that she could spend time in the tower with people of her own age.
In conversation with Cathy Booth, Emily reveals what it’s like to be a young ringer and the huge benefits ringing can give to young people growing up, going to university and beginning their adult lives.
As well as having fun with her family, making friends for life and the fantastic social life, Emily explains that there’s a competitive side to ringing too and describes what happens at a striking competition when bands of ringers compete to be the best.
And if you’re one of the people Emily has come across that thinks the University Bellringing Society is full of weirdos, Emily’s heartwarming tales of travelling across the country, making new friends, drinking, dancing and discovering love will definitely make you think again - and also make you want to sign your children up for bellringing lessons straight away!
Links
- www.bellringing.org
- www.cccbr.org.uk
- www.universtityringing.org if you’re at uni.
- Nottingham Bellringing – an Android app
Top five takeaways
- All the maths you need in order to ring at most of the towers in the country is to be able to count up to 8 and back down again!
- When you start out, try visiting as many towers as possible so you get to experience different bells – this will improve your bell handling no end.
- Ringing can help with your concentration, confidence and looks great on your CV.
- If you’re looking for the perfect family activity, then ringing could be it! Spend quality time with your loved ones (without necessarily having to speak to them!).
- There are lots of great websites to find out more – see the links.
Ask the Expert
In this episode, Pip Penney answered the following question:
- Charlie: “There are often a lot of people at my practice night, is there anything I can do to improve my ringing whilst I’m sitting out?”
Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org
Podcast team :
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth
Ringing by :
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).
For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org
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FAQ
How many episodes does Fun with Bells have?
Fun with Bells currently has 82 episodes available.
What topics does Fun with Bells cover?
The podcast is about Leisure, Hobbies, History and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Fun with Bells?
The episode title 'Two ringing centres and a passion for hand bells' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Fun with Bells?
The average episode length on Fun with Bells is 31 minutes.
How often are episodes of Fun with Bells released?
Episodes of Fun with Bells are typically released every 28 days.
When was the first episode of Fun with Bells?
The first episode of Fun with Bells was released on Feb 14, 2019.
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