SUMMARY OF CURRENT CHURCH GUIDANCE AND CC ADVICE ON REDUCING COVID RISK IN TOWERS
Ringing and chiming
- Ringers should not enter the church or tower for chiming, ringing or any other
purpose under any circumstances unless they are the one “appointed person” for
that church as defined by the guidance from their Diocesan Bishop. - Not more than one bell should be rung under current church guidance and only by the “appointed person”.
- Care should be taken to ensure all clock hammers and any external chiming
hammers are pulled off before either chiming or ringing. - Always refer to both Church of England and local Diocesan guidance for more detail.
Hand hygiene
For those who are “appointed persons” and wish to chime or ring a single bell:
- Sanitizer should be applied to the hands and allowed to dry fully before and after ringing activities.
- No other substance than hand sanitizer should be applied to the hands before ringing, including spitting on or licking the hands
Maximum numbers of people in a ringing room
- No person other than the appointed person should enter the tower at any time and especially during chiming.
CC Executive
May 11th 2020
Additional Information
A detailed analysis from Dr Philip Barnes and Dr Andrew Kelso is available to download.
This document seeks to provide information and advice for ringers and those responsible for bell towers regarding Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and what issues ringers and church authorities should consider in responding to changes in Government guidance as we start to ease the current lockdown. It is focused on the situation in the Church of England, which is responsible for the vast majority of churches with bells hung for ringing. While the specific advice from leaders of other churches and in other countries may vary, the basic issues for ringers and ringing are the same wherever we ring.
Useful Links
The latest guidance from the Church of England is available on their website
The latest guidance from the Church in Wales is available on their website
The latest guidance from the Scottish Episcopal Church is available on their website
