Fun with Bells
Explore the world of bell ringing with insightful interviews, captivating histories, and challenging quizzes. Join us on this monthly podcast as we journey into the lives of multifarious bell ringers, uncovering their passions, favourite towers, and the essence of quintessential English change ringing. Tune in for a unique and comprehensive perspective on this timeless tradition.
Episodes
In a fitting finale to the Fun with Bells Podcast, show host Cathy Booth gives the fondest of farewells by foraging through all 75 episodes, to figure out the answer to the second biggest question of our time - why do we ring?
Cathy riffs on six themes using some of the most memorable quotes from the 163 amazing guests she has interviewed over the past six years. In the end, it doesn’t really seem to matter whether someone’s at the ...
Want to know the secret to successfully setting up a competition-winning young ringers’ group while also securing the long-term future of ringing? Then listen up!
In this episode, host Cathy Booth talks to Neil Jones, Jen Thomas, and Steph Runting from the Kent Young Ringers, who appear to have cracked the code!
Recorded before the 2024 Ringing World National Youth Contest, this inspirational interview provides the recipe for success...
In this delightful episode, host Cathy Booth chats with Martin Mansley, AKA Helen’s Dad, about his lifelong journey in ringing.
Born into a ringing family, Martin attended his first practice at just six weeks old and has never looked back! This engaging episode explores a variety of topics, from the Devon Guild’s 150th anniversary celebrations to the intricacies of Ellacombe Chimes and the distinctions between The Guild of...
In this lively and engaging episode, host Cathy Booth catches up with Kent young ringers Oscar, Lottie and Flo, and Flo’s mum, Hannah.
Although young in years, the ringers have a wealth of experience to share, having already notched up numerous quarter peals and having several striking competitions under their belts. Their unique perspective also means they offer the absolute best ringing tips!
Cathy finds out how...
It’s time to catch up with part two of the wide-ranging conversation on the future of ringing hosted by Cathy Booth at the recent Art Conference. Just like part one, the panel of Tina Stoecklin, Andrew Slade and Max Drinkwater don’t hold back from tackling the tricky questions! What does the CCCBR do for ringers? How can associations work with Diocese to target bell funds in churches that have a future? How do we empower younger ri...
Who better to quiz about the future of ringing than the President of the CCCBR, the chair of the Association of Ringing Teachers, and an ordained ringer and co-author of a book about ringing and the church? Show host Cathy Booth puts this esteemed panel through its paces, posing some vital questions on what needs to happen to keep change ringing alive, and to recruit and retain young ringers.
It turns out that most of the ...
‘Unique’ is often overused as a word, but host Cathy Booth’s guests on this wonderful episode, John, and Debbie, can certainly claim it for their ringing experience. That’s because they ring at St Thomas’s Church, Kilifi in Kenya which is one of the remotest rings of bells in the world, with the nearest bells hung for change ringing being at Harare in Zimbabwe over 1,000 miles away.
Cathy learns about the fascinating histo...
Host Cathy Booth quizzes knowledgeable guests Chris Ridley and Gareth Davies about the amazing range of historical sources at your fingertips to help answer these questions and more.
Thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of Chris and t...
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In this episode, David Smith makes a much-welcome return to the podcast for another conversation with host Cathy Booth that’s brimming with insight.
Find out about about the differences between ringing associations in the UK and those in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. With David’s global ringing teaching experience there are plenty of anecdotes and observations, on all things teaching, learning and mentoring.
It’s also a...
This episode sees host Cathy Booth catching up with three Ring for King recruits to find out what their first year of ringing has been like. And what a year it’s been!
Jessica, Lindsey and Andy have notched up an amazing collection of ‘firsts’ since starting their ringing adventure. First tower tour, first wedding ringing, first quarter peal and first striking competition have all been ticked off the list. Also worthy of n...
The debate around ringing and music is taken to an entirely new level in this fascinating conversation between show host Cathy Booth and composer Helen Ottaway.
Deeply inspired by the sound of bells, Helen’s passion for this shared soundscape has led from the creation of individual musical works to an entire bell-inspired festival! It’s amazing to hear what can happen when composers and ringers come together to exchange knowledge an...
Show host Cathy Booth aims high this month in conversation with accomplished ringer and leading light Linda Garton.
Linda strongly believes that “success breeds success” and, as you’ll hear, this is amply illustrated in both her own ringing career and the winning bands that her leadership has inspired.
So muster your motivation, make a plan and put some of Linda’s practical ideas on training and development into action. You...
How many bells are enough? Six, eight, ten? As show host Cathy Booth discovers from Peter Heard, once the offers of help and support came rolling in to Nevern Restoration Project, it was easy for their ambitious plan to grow and grow!
There’s something for everyone in this engaging episode, whatever your interests. Church history, restoration projects, epic fundraising, setting up a band from scratch and the ups and downs of special...
Terrified of Twitter, hesitant about hashtags, tentative about TikTok? This practical podcast sees host Cathy Booth take a closer look at social media and how ringers can make the most of it, whether it’s to recruit new ringers, keep the neighbours engaged or impress other towers with what you’re up to.
And if it’s tips you’re after, this podcast delivers in spades, with great advice from those already up to exciting thing...
What, if anything, is worth keeping from the COVID lockdown period? Well definitely the Wensleydale Clusters online ringing course! Host Cathy Booth hears from ART award winners David Scrutton and Jonathan Couchman, who tell the story behind their successful recruitment scheme, now in its third year.
In just five hours of online learning and practice in Ringing Room, the course gets wannabe ringers up to the stage of understanding p...
Is Phil Gay a typical ringer, an atypical ringer or just total legend? Show host Cathy finds out as she delves into a ringing life very well lived.
From inventing a mobile belfry, developing the Keele Ringing Summer School, teaching his family to ring and hanging his own mini-ring in his garage to notching up 1000 peals, Phil has made a massive contribution to ringing both locally and nationally. And that’s without mention...
Struggling to strike in the right place? Anxious about unpredictable sallies? Getting no satisfaction from your ringing? You’ve come to the right podcast!
Ace ringing teachers, Ruth Suggett, Judith Frye and Greg Russell, talk host Cathy Booth through the most common bell handling problems and, more importantly, how to solve them. From slow hand transfers, inadequate follow through and not catching the sally at the right ti...
In this second episode focusing on engaging the media, host Cathy Booth looks at two sides of one ‘Ring for the King’ interview by talking to broadcast journalist Tim O’Callaghan and Simon Linford, President of the CCCBR.
Cathy learns that it’s hard to set the news agenda so if the media pick up on your story, you’ll need to act fast. And once a news outlet runs with your story, others may well follow so make the most of i...
This episode is jam-packed with practical tips as host Cathy Booth, with the help of three engaging guests, explores how to get positive bell ringing stories into the media.
First off, ringers Matthew Butler and Kate Flavell talk Cathy through their experiences of making the news - either after being contacted by local radio, TV and the press, or trying to hit the headlines themselves.
Cathy then gets a very diffe...
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