[Bell Historians] Perspectives

[Anne Willis]

I think Mark's point about Diocesan and County associations being outdated
is well proved by an average meeting of such an association. I haven't been
to a Yorkshire Association meeting for quite a while, but last time I did
grey heads predominated - what do these Victorian institutions offer younger
people? Very little, it would appear. 

David


Before you utterly condemn Guilds and Associations think what they can do.
My own Guild (SDGR) is far from perfect but it does produce an informative
report and run a decent website that makes contacting towers as easy as
possible; run a Bell Restoration Fund that offers grants of up to 10% of the
cost of a project; provide funds for training courses and setting up ringing
centres; act as a focal point for the distribution of books and CCCBR
material; produce a very good quarterly newsletter, one for every tower and
on the website.

One thing the Guild does not do is encourage ringers in team/group
ministries to act as a unit to ensure that as many bells as possible are
rung as often as possible.  It is difficult fighting a 'my tower and here I
stay' attitude, but it can be done if ringers and clergy co-operate.

Anne