“There is lots of work going on and it’s an exciting time that will bring great benefit to ringing”

This was a fabulous quote from Linda Garton during the CCCBR AGM, following the presentations given by the Workgroup Leads.  So much is done by so few for the benefit of so many. 

The CCCBR has eight Workgroups covering everything from Public Relations, Senior Stakeholder Liaison, Historical and Archive, Stewardship and Management, Technical and Taxonomy, Volunteer and Leadership, Youth and Schools and Universities.  Each Workgroup has a leader and a small team of people assisting with the work of the Council on behalf of #bellringers everywhere.  And they (we, me included) are all volunteers.  The Council does not employ anyone.

With around 35-40 thousand bell ringers across the world, the Council has about 200 representatives.  Of that 35-40 thousand, only about 87 people are listed as Workgroup members. Some people are on more than one Workgroup.

What is clear is that the #bellringing community want support, want progress and want information.  There are also a group of people who don’t want the Council to stick their noses into local #bellringing affairs.  You can’t please everyone all the time.

What the Council does though is issue guidance on the major issues that affect everyone.  Over the last year a small group have been looking closely at Covid guidance and showed strong leadership in dealing with fall out of that.  Other groups have been beavering away in the background making sure things continue to run smoothly, to ensure the assets of the Council are kept in good order, and to keep #bellringing active and moving forward. 

The Forward Plan includes initiatives like the Mobile Belfry that could be used in schools and events, launching a Call Change Competition to rival the prestigious national change ringing striking competitions, having a centre to host ringing events and training in collaboration with the Churches Conservation Trust. 

Plans are already underway for organising next year’s AGM which will be held face-to-face for the first time after two years of virtual meetings, and will include seminars, events, ringing and much more.

There is so much going on, and it is an exciting time that will benefit ringing.  It would be good to have a few more people involved to help out though.