We have a team of bell ringers here at Wortley, but we really need more people to take up the challenge and become a ringer. The team exists only because the ringers that were here in the decades before us passed on their skills and knowledge to new ringers., we must continue and do that again.

If you are reading this it is our chance to tell you about church bell ringing and why we do it.

Bell ringing is first and foremost, fun. Bell ringers are a friendly lot, and there is a very social aspect to ringing. Many of us have a drink in the pub after practice, we enjoy coffee and a bun in the village tearoom after Sunday ringing. We help with church volunteering and find raising.

We like to get together and ring for services, weddings and special events but we also ring just for pleasure and fun.

Bell ringing is a team activity that stimulates your brain and helps to keep you fit.

Ringers come from all walks of life and ages can range from ten to those in their eighties. Ringing is well within the capabilities of most people. Church bell ringing is often wrongly portrayed as swinging on ropes with people flying up and down. In fact, the way church bells are rung requires little strength or effort, is well controlled and with practice very accurate. Ringers remain standing on the floor and do not have to be acrobats. Tower bell ringing is still done in the same way as when it began in the 17th century.

Ringing does not require a large amount of effort, only an ability to count and a sense of timing. No musical knowledge is needed, and no music is used.

The main purpose of church bells is to announce that services are taking place in the church so we do ask that once you are trained you are willing to ring for Sunday services more often than not, but attending the services of worship is not a requirement of ringing at Wortley. In order to perfect your technique and progress, attending practice nights as often as possible is vital.

Come and Join the Team

We can teach you and your family. We will teach young people, but children must attend with a parent or carer on their first visit and first lessons and should be at least 11 years old. We take our child safeguarding seriously and so this wonderfully inclusive activity is open to all ages.

If you would like to have a go, come to our practice night on Thursdays at 7.30pm and just see what it’s all about. Chat to the team and we will show you the bells and you can ask questions. If you like what you see we will arrange for your first lesson.

We can teach you to ring a bell full circle in around 4 to 6 hours. After that it’s learning to ring your bell in sequence with the other ringers and becoming part of the regular ringing team. How much you then learn of the art of change ringing is up to you.