Ringing Forums

John de Overa

Prompted by a conversation in one of the Facebook ringing learner's groups, I splashed out and bought an online copy of Ringing World to read @Simon Linford's "The Death of the Red Zone" article :grin:

The article mentions a future one to follow, has that been published yet, and if so, which issue?

For what it's worth, the Facebook discussion pretty much underlines Simon's article, with a number of frustrated people desperate to get into method ringing and struggling to find opportunities and a number of the "old guard" saying (paraphrased) "Get on your bike", which isn't exactly helpful - it never seems to occur to them that people might already be trying to do just that.

I think the article is right in what it says and some parts particularly struck home to me:

I am aware of complete branches of associations ... that would need every capable ringer in the branch to be present to ring Cambridge Major, and of an entire county that can only number three practices at which surprise is regularly rung. ... Although there will be some exceptions, branch or district practices don’t tend to be attended by the ‘great and the good’ as they once were. The people who would have been supporting association ringing when I was benefitting from it either go off ringing peals with their friends or just don’t ring at all.

I was at a branch practice on Saturday where the "special method" was Yorkshire and a call had gone out beforehand for anyone who could ring it to attend. I identified myself as a "learner" but I had to ring in as otherwise we wouldn't have had enough. We didn't get more than half way through a half course even after multiple attempts, and I still at least knew where I was supposed to be, long after others had drifted off into the weeds. As our TC pointed out, 25% of the people attempting Yorkshire were from our tower and we aren't even a method tower at the moment, although we are fighting our way towards it.

Lucy Chandhial

The next article has not been published yet…. I can post here once it is.

Simon Linford

You're absolutely right John. You haven't missed it because I haven't written it yet! Been quite busy unfortunately. I often write the first part of a series before I have thought about the rest of it, unlike other authors who will have written a multi part series in advance. When I wrote the Zone articles all those years ago I had now idea where they were headed!

I also wanted to respond to any subsequent correspondence that followed, and of course Lucy added to the debate with her letter. There has been other discussion but I think you're also right in saying that in terms of the discussion in this Forum it's probably been done.

So yes I'll work on it, without promising that you'll like the answer.

John de Overa

You're absolutely right John. You haven't missed it because I haven't written it yet! — Simon Linford

Thanks Simon, I looked at the online contents and there's a "Great Expectations" article also by you in the current issue and I didn't know if that was the followup or not :smile:

As for liking the answer or not, I'm just happy that you are talking about the issues, much of the ringing community seem to be sleepwalking towards the abyss. As I said, I agree with your assessment of the current situation and although there perhaps might be disagreement about steps forward, without acceptance of the issues there can't even be that. So thank you, and Lucy, for using your voices to make it more visible, I for one appreciate it,

Phillip George

I'm just happy that you are talking about the issues, much of the ringing community seem to be sleepwalking towards the abyss. — John de Overa

Yes, I agree. I think that we are in an 'information vacuum'! I haven't heard anything about Ringing 2030 through my association except from the report of our only CC rep who attending the meeting in Sheffiled. (some absences due to work comittments.) There is no energy or interest!
I have been trying to champion Ringing 2030 in my district, posting articles in the newsltter and talking about it at every opportunity, but sadly no-one is listening.
Simon's Red Zone article in the RW is spot on. I mentioned this at our business meeting last Saturday. Many ringers are loyal SS ringers but don't necessarilly have ambition (or time and commitment, or interest) to advance into ringing other than basic methods.
New ringers coming in see call changes and plain bob rung badly and think thats this is what ringing is about. They have few opportunitities or encouragement to see and hear good ringing! Of course I'm speaking generally but overall I think this is where we are.
I'm a Red Zone ringer (or was!) with 60 years ringing experience, and would dearly love to give away my knowledge. But its experience too that makes ringers and that takes time, and time is something we haven't got.
I risk assessed my tower. We are all over mid-60s and into our 70s. Under current cisrcumstances I've given our tower 5 years of ringing remaining!! Let's hope it much longer!

John de Overa

I risk assessed my tower. We are all over mid-60s and into our 70s. Under current cisrcumstances I've given our tower 5 years of ringing remaining!! Let's hope it much longer! — Phillip George

We've grown from 4 to 8 service ringers over the last couple of years (not counting COVID), plus a couple of regular practice visitors. That's all adults, the majority between 50 & 70. A couple are returning ringers who hadn't rung for decades, the rest are new ringers. We are seriously thinking about how the tower band could ring a QP, for the first time in at least 50 years. Will the current ringers ever be a Red Zone band? Perhaps not, but if we can keep the band moving forwards and provide a good "seed bed", perhaps the next generation will be.

We haven't done anything special - no huge recruitment drives etc. But we have agreed as a band that we want to learn and get better together, which we have. That's developed a virtuous circle where people have a sense of achievement, increased enjoyment, broadened horizons and a desire for more of the same.

Phillip George

That's developed a virtuous circle where people have a sense of achievement, increased enjoyment, broadened horizons and a desire for more of the same. — John de Overa

Well done, a very positive approach. Good luck.

John Harrison

we have agreed as a band that we want to learn and get better together, — John de Overa

I think that’s is fundamental. One of the commonest reasons I hear for why bands don’t achieve much is that they aren’t interested in progressing. That’s normally couched in terms of not wanting to learn fancy methods but in practice i think it imbues everything, including even ringing simple methods well. And once the collective mindset is established it affects new ringers who either adopt it themselves or leave.

John de Overa

That’s normally couched in terms of not wanting to learn fancy methods but in practice i think it imbues everything, including even ringing simple methods well. And once the collective mindset is established it affects new ringers who either adopt it themselves or leave. — John Harrison

Yes, I've rung in such towers. People who were asked help, not to take over but just to quietly support the band, were pushed aside.

I think there's another potential reason, but it can be difficult to distinguish from the scenario you describe. It's a combination of lack of knowledge, fear of failure and of being made to look inadequate.

When I started ringing my home tower the remaining handful of ringers, who were in their 70s & 80s, had been ringing CCs for decades and had never been exposed to "quality" ringing. To the then-TCs credit, his attitude was if he could at least keep the bells ringing there was the opportunity for things improve. He was a major force behind our rehang and when the time came he stood aside gracefully for the new TC. He still comes to all our social events and has an occasional ring with us, along with the other ringer who helped keep the bells going for decades. We owe them both an immense debt of gratitude and I think it's a good illustration of how people can make a significant contribution to ringing, whatever level they are at.

Ringing Forums

The Death of the Red Zone

Welcome to your Ringing Forums!

Categories