A new on-line document called ‘Running a Tower‘ is now available.
This on-line document is aimed at the person responsible for running a tower whether that be an established tower captain, one new to the job or one considering the role. The document aims to describe the statutory and legal requirements, advice on how to make a tower an enjoyable place to be and provide hints on running a tower.
Information and guidance notes on all aspects of tower operation, including regulatory requirements and good practice:
- How ringing works – “How church bell ringers are trained, safeguarded and organised”
- Top Tips for preparing your tower and bells for ringing – Advice for ringers if the bells and tower have not been used for an extended period. This is available as a PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) which includes presenter notes and an audio recording of the presentation and as an Adobe Reader file (PDF).
- Tower meeting agenda – the agenda items and guidance (in italics) may be customised for use as appropriate (DOCX)
- 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.
- Tower safety and risk assessment – AFTER an extended period out of use
- Risk assessment template (out of use) – A suggested template for download and suitable modification to act as a record of a tower risk assessment after an extended period out of use
- Society Health & Safety Policy advice (pdf) with a draft policy that can be edited (Word) appropriately for the society concerned
- Security for ringers – crime prevention and counter-terrorism
- Tower environments and their suitability for recruiting and retaining ringers – a light but serious look at some key issues
- 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 – detailed information can be found in the dedicated safeguarding section
- 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) – updated June 2022
- Ringers and churches – some Frequently Asked Questions: Managing the relationship between ringers and the church. A paper by the Clerical Guild with questions on PCCs, finance, faculties, holding and AGM, etc
- Bells not rung regularly – looking after the tower and bells where there are no ringers.
- 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)
- Advice for ringers returning to towers as Covid restrictions are lifted (July 2020)
- Measuring tower movement and its impact on full circle change ringing