Shropshire Association of Church Bellringers

The bells of St Michael and All Angels Church in Lilleshall have been a cherished part of our community for over 200 years. However, they are becoming increasingly difficult to ring and maintain. We are now raising funds to restore the bells, to ensure they continue to ring out for generations to come.

We’re aiming to raise around £60,000 and have already made an excellent start.

As part of our fundraising efforts, a team of bell ringers will be taking on the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge in June 2025. This 24-mile circular route involves 1,585m of ascent and includes the peaks of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough. We’re aiming to complete the challenge in under 12 hours!

We've been training hard - fitting in early Sunday morning circuits of Lilleshall Hill and the Wrekin, as well as full-day hikes in the Shropshire Hills.

If you’d like to support us, please visit our JustGiving page:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/lilleshall-bells?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=015

Thank you for your support!

Bell Sunday this year will be held on Sunday 18 May. Resources are available at https://bellsunday.org/

It is with great sadness that the death of Ann Williams is reported. Ann had been unwell for some time and had spent the last few days of her life at Severn Hospice in Telford. Ann is the leading woman peal ringer for the Shropshire Association, having rung 175 peals for the Association. She had rung more than 500 peals altogether. Ann was one of the Association’s Central Council Representatives and had also led the planning for the centenary of the Association in 2026. She was awarded the St Alkmund’s Canons at the 2025 AGM in recognition of this work.

Funeral details will be available later.

The Association’s April practice and quarterly meeting were held at Oswestry. The ringing was led by Tony Freemont and included Grandsire Triples, Cambridge Surprise Major, Stedman Triples.

The following were elected as new members of the Association: Beatrice Cains (High Ercall), Tom Derrington (Meole Brace), Rowena Pett (Meole Brace), and Isabella Mingaye (Dawley).

The accounts for 2024 had been inspected by Peter Bruty, and found to be accurate.

Eight young ringers had attended a practice at Stanton and Moreton Corbet, with the next practice scheduled for 14 June. There would be a Training Morning at Meole Brace on 17 May.

Vicki Sivess gave an update on the plans for the Centenary of the Association in 2026. It was hoped that as many members as possible would take part.

Madeline Harris said that she had the new Report/Handbooks for distribution, and asked that those present take those ones for towers they belong to or for towers they would be able to deliver to.

Nik Galton ran the raffle, raising £50 for the BRF. The prizes of alcohol, chocolate, and kitchenware were won by Biff Patterson, Tony Freemont, Phil Murphy, Madeline Harris, Si Rice.

Thanks go to the Oswestry ringers for hosting this meeting and providing much appreciated hot drinks and biscuits.

The next practice and Quarterly meeting would be held on Saturday 13 July at Baschurch.

The second Association peal of 2025 has been rung at Worfield.

Shropshire Association

Worfield, Shropshire, at the Church of St Peter the Apostle

on Friday, 11 April 2025 in 2 hours and 57 minutes

A Peal of 5040 Surprise Minor

7 methods: Carlisle, Sandiacre, Northumberland,
Cambridge, Bourne, Ipswich, Norwich

Tenor 15 in F

The April 2025 Newsletter, which includes updated information about Safeguarding training within the Lichfield Diocese, and details of some upcoming Association events, including the April Quarterly Meeting, can be read and downloaded here.

The March 2025 Newsletter, which has a report of the New Members' Morning, and details of some upcoming Association events, including a Young Ringers' Get Together on 5 April, can be read and downloaded here.

Applications are now open for the North West Ringing Course 2025 for both students and helpers.

The Course will be based at Borwick Hall near Carnforth in Lancashire from Thursday 7 August to Sunday 10 August.

All details can be found at https://nwringingcourse.uk or contact enquiries@nwringingcourse.uk

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has now published guidance for the change in arrangements for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, detailing how claims will be handled up to 31 March 2025, and from 1 April 2025 onwards.

The guidance is available here https://listed-places-of-worship-grant.dcms.gov.uk/changes-to-the-Scheme-from-1-April-2025/

The new Association Rules, approved at the 2025 AGM, are now to be found by clicking the link on the left.

We can now offer members a range of items embroidered with the SACBR logo. These are embroidered to order: contact Biff Patterson [ ] for details or to place an order.

COLOUR: burgundy or navy, with embroidered logo and lettering in blue/white/black/gold

PRICES
Short sleeve polo shirt cost £15, long sleeve polo shirt cost £20. Both of these are lightweight cotton pique with cuffed short sleeves, button placket and fold down collar. Sweat shirt costs £20.
T-shirts (cost £10) are also available.

SIZES ARE UNISEX

Some of the items from the Central Council that were avaialble on this page have now moved to the Links page. The items that have been moved are Index of YouTube Videos, "Calling It Round", Tower Access Guidance Notes, and Belfry Upkeep

The Church of England has been working on an updated framework for Safeguarding training within the church. Dave Bassford (CCCBR Safeguarding Officer) and The Ringing World have given the Shropshire Association permission to include on this website an article written by Dave and appearing in the 21 January 2022 issue of The Ringing World.

In this article Dave explains that all ringers must take the Basic Awareness training (formerly C0). This is free, done online, takes about an hour to complete, and must be renewed every three years.

The Lichfield Diocese requires Tower Captains and those ringers in a role which involves work with children, young people or adults at risk, to also take the Foundation training (formerly C1), but not the Leadership training.

The trainings can be accessed by going to https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org/.

The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers has issued three documents about its work, volunteering with the Central Council, and what it means to be a Central Council Representative.

Those documents can be read and downloaded here:
What's the point of the Central Council.pdf,
Volunteering with the Central Council.pdf,
What does being a Central Council Rep mean?

Are you looking for some practical, written help for yourself or your tower but don’t know what is out there? If so, Books for Bellringers may be what you need. It is a small collection of books aimed mostly at beginners but with some material for those learning methods. Towers can borrow the collection for a period of up to two months so that everyone has a chance to see what they might find useful. Individuals or towers can order copies of the books using the details in the catalogue supplied.

If you would like to borrow the collection please contact Gill Glover [] .

The next Association committee meeting will be held on Sunday, 8 June 2025.