Ringing Forums

Hello,

Hereford Diocesan Guild of Bellringers would like to keep in touch, I hope you already have our details.

Hello Angela,
Welcome to your new role and thank you for stepping up to the PRO role, which is massively important as part of Ringing 2030. I don’t suppose that you were expecting lots of replies to your post of over three weeks ago, or I hope not, otherwise you would be sorely disappointed? It was of course more of an announcement, and I hope you have plenty of direct contact made through your email, and warning, you will be from me, but don’t worry, it is merely a request for some assistance.

But in the meantime, I am going to mention something that I hope a wider audience may be able to help with. I have brought it to the Executives notice, via an email to Ernie on the 5th June, to which I still haven’t had a response to, that there was a CCCBR Publication from 1994, titled ‘Striking the right note’, that was produced by the then Public Relations Advisory Group, led by Alison Hodge. It doesn’t seem to be available any longer, and if it was, it would no doubt need some updating. Is it going to be updated and re published, as although so often it is often thought that we do not need printed copies, it can be available on line, I am probably considered old fashioned, but I still prefer to have something that I can instantly refer to when working on screen with something that I need that information for?
What do others think, do we need an up to date guide on Public Relations?
Do we need a printed version, or an online reference point on the CCCBR website?

What do others think, do we need an up to date guide on Public Relations?
Do we need a printed version, or an online reference point on the CCCBR website?

I think an up to date guide would be useful.
I even think it could be a curated collection of best practice examples from the many tower activities which have made use of social media, local print media and so on for recruitment and general awareness of bellringing over the last three years.

A great idea, and a lot of work, but that's what the workgroup is for! We have a meeting next week and we'll discuss this and many other issues and find a way to make marketing and PR work for all.

As an addition to Guidance, best practice examples are always a good way of highlighting what works, so great suggestion.

Angela, been trying to establish who is on the Marketing WG by searching CCCBR Website, to no avail. Seems likely to be overlap with Recruitment and Development WG, so would it be useful to have a link between the two?

It doesn’t seem to be available any longer — Bob Blanden

That happens with a lot of CC resources, and not just in print. The second time the website was reinvented a lot of resources were lost, including the advice I produced in 2012 for the PR Committee. The content is still on the archived version of the old website, but the way it was archived broke all the links between pages. There's an early version at: http://jaharrison.me.uk/New/Articles/PRAdvice.pdf . There were some changes after that version, but as Bob says, anything that old would need updating anyway.

Another thing I remembered when digging out the Guidance was a series of articles I wrote for the PR Committee, that didn't find favour with the powers that be and so were never published. Form your own view: http://jaharrison.me.uk/New/Articles/ReporterCalled.pdf

I like this overall message, and the examples of how to give yourself time to think and how to create positive answers.
In recent years we have caused our own general problem with Ringing Remembers and Ring for the King both starting with the premise that we need more bellringers to be able to ring all the bells (rather than ‘we have an exciting opportunity for more people to join us’).
The natural and authentic stories which come from ringers themselves, like the recent Guardian article on a new hobby after 60, tend to have a much more positive outlook and with the rise in social media it is easier for individuals to present what ringing means for them in a quick and visual way which, hopefully, shows the variety of ringers and reasons to ring so raises awareness for more of the public.

First, thank you to Bob Blanden for your comment about 'Striking the Right Note' that I produced a long time ago, before the days of on line information.

Like Bob, I would like to see a new and updated set of information on the same topic; it is desperately needed and I am also surprised that nothing has been produced by the CCCBR since the 1990s.

As Leader of the CCCBR Stewardship and Management Workgroup until last September, we produced our set of 3 online documents on Belfry Upkeep, Running a Tower and Belfry Projects. For the latter, we included some information on PR necessarily, simply because there was nothing else available from the CCCBR.

Regarding on line or printed, the Workgroup discussed at length, the question of on line or paper printed or both. Each approach has merits and drawbacks, but we decided the online approach was the optimum, even thought not everyone agrees. There were many reasons for our decision but the merits can be summarised as:
- readily updated or corrected
- easily expanded
- direct links to other sources
- latest information always available
- no printing, storage or distribution costs (time and financial)
- accessible to all freely (no cost, at any time, anywhere - almost)
- the medium used by virtually everyone nowadays and certainly preferred by the younger generations

Having had the experience of producing this set for the CCCBR, I agree that it would be very useful, and is actually essential, for the new PR Group along with the CCCBR Publications Group, to generate online information about PR for us all. PR is a fast moving and complex area that we all need now so online is by far the best medium. I am no longer up to date with PR matters but saw the need (and also mentioned it to the CCCBR) while producing the documents with SM Workgroup. I look forward to seeing it soon (and further online documents from the CCCBR) - thank you.

... and for those who are wondering, here are the links to our online documents:

Belfry Upkeep

Belfry Projects

Running a Tower

I am also surprised that nothing has been produced by the CCCBR since the 1990s. — A M Hodge

That’s not true. I don’t have a copy of the 1990s publication, so can’t directly compare them, but the online resource produced by the PR Committee in 2012 was definitely advice. It would still be available had the latest revamp of the website not thrown away so much content.
The pages are still on the archive site, but not really usable because as I explained the links were broken by the move.
For anyone interested, the move added ‘archive.’ before ‘cccbr’ in their URL but the links embedded in the still refer to ‘cccbr …’.
(And for anyone who wonders why the site used absolute links rather than relative links, which wouldn’t break - I can’t understand why they did that either.)
See: https://archive.cccbr.org.uk/services/pr/advice/

Thanks John. I don't recall ever seeing the PR Committee material, and presumably, neither had Bob Blanden. Even though newer, it surely needs updating, even if it could be retrieved and made available.

even if it could be retrieved and made available. — A M Hodge

That would be easy. If the pages were moved out of the ‘archive’ directory to their original location then the links woukd automatically work again.

Something for Angel Elliot and the Marketing WG to get their teeth into and discuss at their meeting this week, hopefully. Better involve a website techy also.

I hadn’t until John kindly pointed it out to me, now it it needs to be available in an updated version, for everyone.

Better involve a website techy also — Bob Blanden

Decide what you want first. Words and pictures aren’t high tech.

It is sometimes dangerous to presume, but was with regarding moving something from an ‘archived’ website to the current one, but I am prepared to acknowledge that my ability isn’t possibly sufficient to even assess the technical requirement to carry that out. Appreciate that words and pictures are not rocket science, and we do not need the screen to be whirling around.

I wrote, and illustrated, 'Engaging with the Public' in 2018 because I saw a gap in helping and encouraging ringers and towers to do their own publicity, including the use of social media.
It's still available here: https://cccbr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CCCBR_Engaging_with_the_Public_1-1.pdf

Lots of good ideas there, but my reaction was the same as when I first read it. So many bullet points can be overwhelming.
I wonder whether it’s the ‘what to do’ that holds most people back or the lack of a passion to engage with non ringers.
You have that passion and it shows in many of the things you’ve done, but a lot of ringers don’t seem to. Mostly it is passive lack of interest but I’ve been in meetings where people have vehemently said there is no point investing in PR that doesn’t get (immediate) recruits. It’s a transactional mindset that wants to take recruits from the community but is unwilling to engage with the majority who will not become ringers.

Thanks John. Yes, I agree, too many bullet points for nowadays. I might revamp it sometime.
Indeed, it's very difficult encouraging motivation to do publicity - why I try to provide simple ideas and resources to make it easier, although it's not easy keeping them all up-to-date!
The most recent DerbyDA resource is the Bellringing Derbyshire portal, and business cards with its URL and QR code. I'm always heartened when I see a ringer carrying one in their wallet, ready for interested non-ringers wherever they come from (not just Derbyshire).
We also have matching vinyl outdoor banners, which are very versatile and extremely easy to transport and store, and Instagram (young people!) as well as Facebook, and use Nextdoor. More info.

business cards with its URL ... in their wallet, ready for interested non-ringers wherever they come from ( — Susan Hall

I introduced them for our tower over a decade ago, and I've given them to all manner of people I've met on my travels because although it's our tower website much of the content is generic and aimed at non-ringers, including someone who walked into a tower while we were ringing near Birmingham a few days ago. I'm not sure how many of the rest of the band use them though.
BTW did you know they are called Push Cards? I discovered that when I was sponsor for the Reading University post grad branding project.

Gosh! Well done. I had no idea that ringing promotional cards (as opposed to flyers) were already being used elsewhere until someone recently mentioned that they use them locally. The Bellringing Derbyshire portal is also mostly generic.
I hadn't heard the term 'Push Cards' before, so googled it. It appears to be used mostly for political business cards. Business cards can also be called 'Palm Cards'. So perhaps the name differs depending on use and country (and what people are used to)?

I introduced them for our tower over a decade ago, and I've given them to all manner of people I've met on my travels because although it's our tower website much of the content is generic and aimed at non-ringers — John Harrison

Likewise. I have our tower 'business card' (inc QR code) in my wallet and in the ringing room which I hand out when the opportunity arises. Similarly, although it is for our tower website there is a lot of general information too.
We also have QR codes on our notices on the church notice boards which links to the website and a recording of the bells.
Emails to the village email group about our ringing also include a link to the website.