Our Guild was set up with two aims:
- encourage fellowship between clergy who are ringers
- promote change-ringing
We do this by arranging an annual five day tour in Low Week (the week after Easter Week) which traditionally has been a time for parish clergy to have a break. We spend the week based in comfortable affordable accommodation, and travel round ringing at nearby towers, usually by coach, in different parts of the country. The programme is relaxed, with time for conversation and friendship, and including some shared worship. It is a safe and refreshing week for clergy, who reflect a wide range of working backgrounds – parish, chaplaincy, business, teaching and retired.
The tours allow us to encourage one another in both confidence and skill, not only in trying new methods but tackling different sorts of bells. The tours often include some adventurous choices of tower, from mini-rings to St Paul’s Cathedral. Members range in ability from learning to manage rounds to spliced surprise, and those who have little opportunity to ring otherwise – all ringers are welcomed and encouraged.
We also meet for occasional peal attempts, bringing the opportunity to ring methods that may elude us at home, and for tours of areas where more travelling is needed to reach the towers there, such as Ireland or Cumbria.
We aim to enjoy ourselves and each other’s company, able to be ourselves, and enjoy ringing!