2025 CCCBR Meeting

I was the only representative from the Ely DA able to attend the meeting in Sheffield. It was useful to network with people and hear informally what’s going on elsewhere, as well as in the meetings.

The programme began on the Saturday morning with the Ringing World AGM. They are doing well, more than covering costs; but the fall in subscribers to the paper version continues year on year, as in society at large. It is only a matter of time until it goes all online. There is a move to get more copies into towers, given to new ringers and given out at the youth contest. The Ringing World are the organisers of the youth contest, and this was celebrated as it grows each year. It is “the most important event in the ringing calendar” said Linda Garton.

The main Central Council meeting was in the afternoon. The progress of ‘Ringing 2030’ is covered in depth for anyone to see on the CC’s website; the challenges we face with falling numbers, and what is being done about it. Updates were given in the meeting: Pillar One (Publicity and Marketing): they are using the mobile belfry with local associations at events, rolling out a social media strategy, sponsoring scout/guide badges and developing primary school lesson plans. Pillar Two (Recruitment and Development): highlighting centres of excellence and places actively recruiting, and building regional young ringers’ networks. Pillar Three (Quality Environment): updating resources and developing a young ringers’ hub. Paid interns have been used by Central Council over the summer, and more part-time paid support will be used for marketing, and for recruitment enquiries. “We have a plan to deliver change, let’s spend our reserves now” said one representative.The council was urged to engage more with Bell Sunday, useful for engagement and recruitment.

A governance review had taken place, feeding into a motion to tidy up the wording of the rules and standing orders, which was passed.

Affiliated societies (like the ElyDA) will be paying £1 per member to Central Council from next January, to fund part-time paid roles and deliver a better future for ringing, especially in recruitment. Some societies (such as universities) don’t collect annual fees from most of their long term members and couldn’t have paid the increase. The second motion was to create a new ‘Associate’ category of membership with much reduced fees, and this was also agreed.

The weekend continued on Sunday with the roadshow (these are now expected to be every two years). Many exhibitors and four mini-rings were present, including Matthew Higby’s brand new ‘Peals on Wheels’ ring, which rang very well.

Learning continued at the roadshow with a series of seminars. I attended Andrew Slade’s seminar on falling membership trends in the Yorkshire association, culminating in a suggestion to remove branches and their committees, and encourage groups of towers to organise their own training/meetings, with support. I also attended Tina Stoecklin’s seminar on Karate and Leadership: everyone in karate is expected to give back in training the levels below them. Can we do this more in ringing?

Altogether a thought-provoking two days.

Lynne Hughes.
Ely DA rep (Cambridge District)