The Stewardship and Management workgroup regularly reviews all aspects of Tower Stewardship and can offer advice and recommendations on matters including insurance, tower management, safeguarding, risk assessments, church law, health & safety, fire risk, complaints, etc.
A number of guidance notes are available below on common subjects. Some of the existing guidance notes are currently being reviewed and updated so if you cannot find what you are looking for or require further information on a particular subject please contact the Stewardship & Management workgroup Lead: smLead@cccbr.org.uk
Information and guidance notes on equipment and installations used in ringing (including handbells and mobile belfries):
- Advisory visits by members of the CCCBR Stewardship & Management Workgroup – Members may be invited to visit a tower and advise on aspects of bells, bell hanging, bell towers and bell maintenance etc.
- Church Tower Access – A Guide for Bell Ringers
- Lighting in and around Church Towers
- Lightning Conductors
- Risk Assessments
- Advice about specific issues that are likely to affect bell ringers and bell towers when they consider returning to ring the bells in towers as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted
- Advice about issues to consider in a health and safety risk assessment of the bells and tower prior to them being rung after an extended period during which the bells have not been rung
- Advice about issues that may affect bell ringers and the bell tower when considering safety and risk assessments, for incumbents, church officers and church bell ringers
- Template for Risk Assessments
- We are updating our information to make sure it is relevant and accurate – more to follow
For comprehensive information on Belfry Maintenance, the Central Council’s Manual of Belfry maintenance is available for purchase through the online shop:
This new newly updated publication covers a wide range of topics relevant to the maintenance of church bells and bellringing – towers, bells, frames, fittings, ropes, sound control, the faculty system, health & safety and more. It includes a schedule for regular maintenance and hints on how to identify more common problems. The key amendments in the 2020 version are in chapter 2 (Faculty jurisdiction …) following legislative changes made by the Church of England.
- Insurance Guidance – advice for individual ringers, ringing organisations, parochial church councils and clergy on factors to consider regarding insurance while ringing tower bells and other issues related to ringing
- Safeguarding Update – Central Council update on safeguarding December 2018
- Safeguarding Guidance and Forms June 2019
- Safeguarding guidance including 3 appendices
- Safeguarding Guidance (without appendices)
- Appendix A – Role description for a bell ringing leader
- Appendix B – Role description for a safeguarding officer in a society
- Appendix C – Good practice guide for display in towers
- Example safeguarding policy for ringing societies – this can be edited, in Word
- Tower warning notice – with space for local details
- General Data Protection Regulations – advice for ringers
- Appointment of Bell Ringing Tower Captain
- Faculty Rules 2019 (making changes to Church of England Churches)
- We are updating our information to make sure it is relevant and accurate – more to follow
Church projects – considerations for bells and bell ringing
Information and advice on bells projects is being updated, to include
- new installations,
- restorations and
- augmentations.
Meanwhile, please contact smPro@cccbr.org.uk for information.