We are pleased to announce an initiative to support the ‘300 Firsts’ campaign, tied to the similarly great initiative of the Ringing World National Youth Contest. Many of my ‘generation’ have gained great enjoyment from peal ringing and were given our early opportunities as teenagers. Our teachers or local associations saw the pathway into peal ringing as automatic and essential, and guided us onto it.
However we realise now that many young ringers are not seeing or finding a path into the peal ringing world, and we want to help with that. So here is the deal.
The Audience
Any former, current, or aspiring participant in the RW National Youth Contest.
The Offer
If you want to ring your first peal but don’t know who would fix it up, we will sort it for you.
The Timescale
Offer is open now, with peals before the end of the year.
The Team
Simon Linford, John Loveless, Paul Mounsey, Linda Garton, Stephanie Warboys (Past Masters of the College Youths, Cumberlands, veterans of countless thousands of peals) plus our national networks of peal ringing friends.
The Plan
If you want to ring a peal then do the following:
- Check with the organiser of your RWNYC team whether one could be organised for you by them.
- If ‘yes’, let us know and we will get in touch with them and see if any assistance is needed.
- If ‘no’, let us know, and we will start to work on a plan which will involve talking to like-minded local peal organisers and bands, and arranging that opportunity (after checking with your team leader).
Paul Mounsey has kindly agreed to act as the primary eMail contact point. If you want to go via Facebook then message Simon Linford, and you can also eMail The Ringing World. Safeguarding arrangements are being put in place in consultation with The Ringing World.
The Options
It may be that your group wants to attempt a first peal with a number of you in it, but need a conductor. That is easily done and would be a great way to go.
The intention is not to get in the way of local organisation, or disrupt carefully laid plans, but to mobilise experienced peal ringers and conductors to help with something we are all interested in doing.
SIMON LINFORD
Birmingham