Being a bell ringer opens up a community of over 30,000 friends across the world and a lifetime of fun experiences no matter what your ability.
Once gained, bellringing is a skill for life you’ll never forget, and it can open up a lifetime of experiences and enjoyment.
Social
From the earliest days of bell ringing history, when ringing the bells was much harder work, the bell ringers would always retire to the pub. This tradition continues today, and you can often find a band of bell ringers visiting the local pub after an evening ringing session.
But bell ringers also do far more, with often monthly gatherings and social events including meals, quizzes and more; plus many ringers take a short break away each year to ring on different bells across the country – or even as far a field as Australia!
Young people in ringing
Join thousands of young ringers up and down the country.
It’s fun, challenging, active and has the opportunity to visit loads of new places with lots of new people.
Most bell ringers learn as young people, and many have continued their whole life. In most bell towers you can learn to ring from age 11, as it is much more about technique than strength.
Once you can ring the basics, there are local young ringers groups to join which have social trips and events to meet friends and have fun.
Bell ringing for fitness
You’ve heard of workouts with dumbbells? Now try church bells!
Bells are the largest and loudest instrument in the world. But they are also the perfect way to get gentle physical exercise and increase active living for people who are looking for alternatives to conventional sport.
What’s even better is that bell ringing is open to everyone – young and old – and with any level of existing fitness. Whilst bells can weigh up to 4,500kg, most are much lighter and are rung using mainly technique rather than strength. The movement of bell ringing often helps many people to stay active longer and increase agility.
Professional trainers and health experts now recommend bell ringing to
- improve agility, co-ordination, and reaction times
- tone core abdominal muscles and glutes
- work biceps, quads and calves with minimal force
- develop muscle endurance
If you’re interested in learning to ring, then it’s time to find a bellringing teacher.
Find a ringing teacher
Physical and lifestyle benefits
Research commissioned by The Churches Conservation Trust asked experts from fitness and training provider YMCAfit to observe the process of bell ringing. They found that bell ringers could look forward to improved agility, co-ordination, reaction time and balance, plus improved muscle endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
The study also identified that as a gentle and inherently sociable pastime, bell-ringing was an ideal ‘gateway’ to improved fitness and healthy living. Bell ringing requires you to think and use your memory, which is great for keeping the mind as well as the body active. And the fact it’s a social activity means it’s an ideal way for everyone to feel part of a group and embedded in their own communities.