Group A (this was for anyone who's called a peal, plus people with reasonable ringing repertoire and experience; tutor was Mike Henshaw)
We had been slightly apprehensive on our way to Leeds but the five of us who travelled from Lyminge felt incredibly elated on our homeward journey, having taken part in three different groups. Despite Ro's severe apprehension that she would be totally inadequate in the group she actually found that she understood what he was on about. He was an excellent teacher and very perceptive of the needs of his group.
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Mike Henshaw enthusing Group A |
Each of us invested in a Steve Coleman book. Ro is excited by the fact that having already read the first 120 pages on conducting she easily understands every little bit of it and that is thanks to the basic grounding of the day. She looks forward to the section on coursing orders which she feels she will understand for the first time in her life!! Apart from the conducting aspect, we were all aware of the many useful tips we picked up, whether relating to bellhandling, timing, leading or etiquette.
Ro Edmond
PS: Since writing the above have returned from morning ringing and experienced amazing enthusiasm from the rest of the band. I feel it is up to me now, as tower captain, to try to keep this going.
Group B (for anyone with some but not necessarily wide calling experience - a look beyond Plain Bob would be in order; tutor was Neil Donovan)
Wondering what on earth we'd let ourselves in for, we began the day by looking at how touches are written out, and discussed lead end notation and how to work out what each of the bells are (should be!!) doing at a call. The Ringing World Diary shows most touches as if called from the tenor but some tenors can be very demanding, so our first task was to work out how to call Diary touches from the working/non-observation bells. We then set about ringing 108 changes of Plain Bob Minor (BBPx3) with everyone calling the bobs together. Great fun, but not many instances of synchronised calling!
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Neil Donovan at the Group B theory session |
Lunch included observations that practice nights can easily fall into a routine. The same few methods rung, and the same ringers asked to call a touch. The conclusion was that aspiring conductors/ringers should be more assertive (making the tower captain's life even easier!) or create their own opportunities.
Revived by lunch we set about a second brief theory session on coursing order and the effect of bobs and singles. A yawn was spotted, so we swiftly moved into a practical exercise where the helpers rang Plain Bob Minor and cunningly changed the order of the bells (purposely!). The students were asked to call out when a change in the coursing order was spotted. A very useful exercise, and sincere thanks to the helpers for getting it wrong for us without any apparent effort! We then called various touches of Plain Bob Major and a touch of Grandsire Triples.
One of the key messages of the day for those of us starting out in conducting is to keep it simple. As Steve Coleman writes in The Bob Caller's Companion "the great majority of ringers would far rather ring a simple touch that comes round than a complex one that doesn't". It was a long day but very stimulating, and I'm sure that I speak for everyone when I say that we all felt a huge benefit from attending the course.
Ray Taylor
Group C1 (anyone needing to sort out Doubles - and probably Minor. No one who's called a quarter; tutor for both the C groups was Steve Coleman, with Catherine Lewis running the practical sessions for C2)
Groups C1 and C2 assembled in the nave with Steve Coleman for tutorial, some of us nervously trying to find the best area for our name badges to clip onto, but Steve soon settled us down into a discussion on the manner in which touches should be conducted, our attitude towards the other members of the band and the way in which we could correct mistakes by others or even ourselves when calling a touch.
The first practical of the day was at Bearsted, a very friendly six where Steve gave each of us a choice of method to conduct with pointers and help during the touch. The other members of the band also had work to do by whispering in the ear of the assistance tutors when the respective bob or single would be called. Bob Doubles, Grandsire, and Bob Minor were the preferred methods of the morning.
Lunch at the Plough at Langley for groups C1 and C2 was excellent and was followed by another tutorial from Steve based on what we had gained from the morning session and pointers for the afternoon.
The six at Chart Sutton were rather heavy for some of our group when ringing the two back bells but the striking was good at all times. More touches of Plain Bob, Grandsire and Stedman Doubles, plus Bob Minor all successfully came round (although the Reverse Canterbury had some of us in trouble). The one thing that remains with me about this afternoon session is the beaming smiles from each of the conductors when the touches came round.
Our county ringing is stronger because of this training day. More please.
Alan Driver
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| Steve does his thing with the combined Group C at the opening session |
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| Group C at lunch at the Plough |
Group C2 (anyone who's hardly, if ever, called before)
In his very clever way, Steve Coleman started the morning with an introduction which talked us into a trance of relaxation and confidence and then sent us off to "have a go". Unfortunately we could not have more of Steve's encouragement because we were split into two groups and he went with the other group. However Catherine and Frank Lewis did an admirable job on his behalf.
Before the day I had never called more than call changes but miraculously I have now called simple touches of Bob Doubles with myself both affected and unaffected (I understand that some of these were false, but who cares!) and I have all the tools in place to call other touches - and I even know the mechanics of calling a quarter peal. The mist has lifted for all of us in different ways. Liz commented that she now has enough self-confidence to call and that some of the mystery has been taken out of it. She realises that it is now achievable.
My hopes for the day were that, by the end, I might be able to call "Go plain hunt" and "That's all" after. Instead, I am excited to have achieved so much and to have lost the mystique which, for me, surrounded the technicalities of Plain Bob Doubles. I have had loads of practice in the method and my confidence has increased hugely.
It is still a bit difficult for me to call "That's all" in the right place though: perhaps the KCACR would like to run a Training Day especially for that! Do all counties run such excellent Training Days? I do hope so.
Bobbie Fairclough
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Mike Henshaw chats with Eric during the tea break |
Auntie C checks the facts |
It was then back to Leeds for very welcome tea/coffee, cake and things and the closing session which was chaired by Mike Henshaw. The basic message from the day was that it had been a great success, but we needed to realise that we would have to build on our newly gained skills. A suggestion was made that some of the day's groups might meet again to consolidate for the future. As mentioned in the first sentence, there were about 50 on the various groups, and in reality we owe very grateful thanks to all of them for the parts they played, the time they gave, the patience and understanding they showed - and above all for their enthusiasm. However, there are four people who really deserve Oscars - tutors Steve Coleman, Neil Donovan and Mike Henshaw (who between them travelled nearly 1300 miles to be with us), and Catherine Lewis, KCACR Training Officer, who dreamt up the idea and persuaded everyone else to make it happen.
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