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 on equipment and installations used in ringing (including chimes, handbells and mobile belfries):
- Getting advice on tower bells, their condition and maintenance
- 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
- Handbells
- 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
- Changes to the Faculty process from April 2020 – the Church of England amended some details of the Faculty process in 2019 and these took effect in April 2020. Information about these changes was included in The Ringing World (Issue 5682, page 287 and Issue 5684 page 337)
For comprehensive information on Belfry Maintenance, the Central Council’s Manual of Belfry maintenance is available for purchase through the online shop:
This 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.
For further information please contact smInf@cccbr.org.uk
Information and guidance notes on all aspects of tower operation, including regulatory requirements and good practice:
- Tower Safety & Risk Assessment – Guidance to ringers on how they can assist their church in the preparation and maintenance of an effective risk assessment for ringing and other activities in the church tower.
- Risk Assessment Template – A suggested template for download and suitable modification to act as a record of a risk assessment.
- 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
- Fire prevention
- 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)
- Ringers and churches – some FAQs
- Bells in Your Care – Leaflet for incumbents and churchwardens
- Church Stewardship Resources from the Church of England https://www.parishresources.org.uk/ (although not directly related to ringing, these items may be helpful for ringers)
For further information please contact smOps@cccbr.org.uk
Information and advice on all aspects of bells projects, fund raising etc:
- Top tips for bell projects – a summary of key points to consider during bell restoration or installations projects. Includes a short list of grant awarding organisations.
- Organising a bell restoration project – Booklet published in 2016, available from the CCCBR shop. This is for Bellringers and others undertaking major bell related projects (this is being updated as some details are out of date)
- new installations
- restorations
- augmentations
- Church projects – considerations for bells and bell ringing
- Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 – their consequences for bells projects
- Changes to the Faculty process from April 2020 – the Church of England amended some details of the Faculty process in 2019 and these took effect in April 2020. Information about these changes was included in The Ringing World (Issue 5682, page 287 and Issue 5684 page 337)
For further information please contact smPro@cccbr.org.uk