Name of Applicant:

Oscar Brooks-Wilkins

Date of birth:

25/10/2010

Email address:

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Home tower:

St Giles, Farnborough

County:

Kent

Consent given:

Parent/Guardian name:

David Brooks-Wilkins

Parent/Guardian email address:

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Application:

Over the past year, I have demonstrated leadership, commitment, and enthusiasm for bellringing in a range of ways, including leading practices, teaching new ringers, and travelling to support other towers. I typically ring three to four times a week across my home tower and others, where I regularly call call changes and conduct methods such as various doubles methods and surprise minor.

Before weekly practices, I help run a training session for beginners, focusing on improving bell handling and confidence in rounds. I currently teach a young ringer who can now ring independently, and I contribute ideas on how we can develop both group and one-to-one teaching. Recently, I have also learnt to ring double-handed, allowing me to ring two bells simultaneously. This helps ensure that practices can go ahead on six or eight bells even when numbers are low.

During practices, I frequently call call changes and have experience calling on between six and twelve bells meaning I have become more confident in managing the band. I support other ringers by correcting mistakes while also encouraging them to recognise and fix errors themselves, helping to build their independence.

At more advanced practices, I regularly conduct plain methods and some simple Surprise Minor. I am now confident in calling short touches and have begun studying coursing orders, which has improved my ability to put people right and recognise when a composition has gone wrong. This is particularly useful as I am working towards conducting more quarter peals and hope to conduct my first peal soon. Being able to identify when a composition will not come round allows me to make informed decisions about whether the ringing should continue or be stopped. I also attend a monthly Surprise Minor practice, where I gain experience conducting with a more experienced band and learning new methods.

In addition, I am an active member of the Kent Young Ringers, where I have co-led practices and applied my teaching skills to create sessions that both support and challenge ringers of varying abilities. Last July, I conducted the team for the Ringing World National Youth Competition and South East England Youth Striking Contest; this year I will also be conducting at the upcoming SEECON and RWNYC competitions. These experiences have developed my ability to conduct under pressure, including managing striking and correcting method errors in faster and more complex ringing.

I am currently working towards learning the eight standard Surprise Major methods, of which I know five, and aim to ring a quarter peal of spliced Surprise Major in the future. I would use funding to attend ART teaching courses: M1, M2F, and M2C to further develop my teaching skills, as well as to support tower donations and travel costs, enabling me to continue broadening my ringing ability.