Monday 05-12-2022 - 13:26

Between the 19th and 25th September, Bangor University welcomed its new student cohort by hosting its annual freshers’ week events. This was the first new intake of students to join the University since the Bangor Student Society of Change Ringers (BSSCR) had been officially affiliated with the students’ union earlier this year. To take advantage of this occasion, the society planned a wide range of exciting ringing during freshers’ week; with the aim of trying to grow our student group of ringers and expand awareness of bell ringing in North Wales and beyond.

At the heart of these events was the Beverley and District Ringing Society’s (B&D) mini ring. This is a portable peal of eight bells (with a tenor weight of 10 pounds) that can be assembled in almost any location to promote change ringing. The B&D kindly lent us this excellent resource for the duration of Bangor’s freshers’ week. 

After adapting our plans following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we began our outreach events early on Wednesday morning at Serendipity, the University’s freshers’ fair. At the fair we assembled the mini ring for a two-hour slot in the demonstration area outside of the Brailsford Centre. During this session we gave displays of change ringing and quick courses in bell-handling to new students who saw the mini ring and wanted to give it a go. As is often the case with mini rings, many of these students (none of whom had ever touched a bell rope before) were able to handle a bell by themselves, and even join the band to ring rounds, with no more than five minutes of training. Following this demonstration session, we disassembled the mini ring and split into two groups: the smaller group went to staff the society’s freshers’ fair stall, and the other went to assemble the mini ring inside Bangor Cathedral.

Figure 1: Showing students the ropes at Serendipity.

The next evening, after another day of outreach using the society’s Serendipity stall, the BSSCR met at St Tegai’s Church, Llandegai, for the first practice night of the academic year. Attended by twelve people including new students, we rang a good variety of methods from London Surprise Minor to first attempts at Plain Hunt and Grandsire Doubles. An excellent and enjoyable start to the academic year.

Figure 2: First BSSCR practice of the academic year at St Tegai's, Llandegai. 

On Friday evening the BSSCR met at Bangor Cathedral for a practice night on the B&D mini ring, allowing local ringers who could not join us at Serendipity to experience a mini ring for the first time. Following this practice, a quarter peal of Plain Bob Doubles was rung (and scored at the first attempt) on the mini ring. This is believed to be the first known quarter peal at the Cathedral Church of Saint Deiniol in the site’s 1497-year-long history. It was well struck throughout by a band that included local ringers as well as current and former students of the University – a very rewarding experience for all.

On Saturday afternoon a quarter peal of Plain Bob Minor was also rung on the mini ring, this being Liam Barnes’s first minor quarter peal. Our week of ringing was brought to a close the following day when a band of local ringers met at the Cathedral between the Welsh and English language services to provide service ringing for the congregation. Afterwards, the mini ring was disassembled and transported back to the B&D.

On behalf of the BSSCR I’d like to thank: the Beverley and District Ringing Society for the use of their mini ring, Simon Plows for towing the mini ring trailer to Bangor, the North Wales Association of Church Bell Ringers for providing a donation to the B&D, the Association of Ringing Teachers for supplying free training resources, and everyone else who helped to build, staff, assemble and disassemble the mini ring throughout the week – it was a great success thanks to all of you.