Come and ‘have a go’ and experience ringing a church bell at ST. THOMAS’S in SALISBURY. The Campaign wants to get as many new comers to the skills of ‘change ringing’ as possible which is why several cities are having an ‘open day’ where anyone can walk in and take to the ropes.  The most obvious day to choose is ST.GEORGE’S day when hundreds of bells across ENGLAND will be ringing out and St. Thomas’s in SALISBURY city will be doing just that. So instead of shopping come and experience ringing these 8 lovely bells right out across the city. Contact: Richard Harvey at : richardcharvey@gmail.com  The times are from 10.30 am – 12 pm. and from 2.30 – 3.30 pm.

Clyst ST GEORGE named after its church, with its 6 bells will be attempting the ringing marathon of ringing a ‘PEAL’ which is a three hour non stop ring of change ringing methods. This small village just east of Exeter was the first church to suffer from an incendiary bomb during the war.  In August 1940 it suffered a direct hit which gutted the church and the bells all cracked under the intense heat which revealed that one of them had been cast as long ago as 1596.  Undeterred the parishioners organised the funds for rebuilding which took place in 1952 and this spirit of determination will surely help them achieve a peal as they ring out for ST.GEORGE on April 23rd.

There will be hundreds of bells ringing out across the north of Northamptonshire. The villages and towns around GUILSBOROUGH is where it will all be happening with two groups of church towers ringing out from this town.  It will have two starts, one at Cottesbrooke at All Saints with 8 bells and ending at All Saints in Clipston with 5 bells. The other start will be at Marston Trussell with St. Nicholas and 5 bells and finishing at St. Denys in Ravensthorpe with 5 bells as well.  In between will be many other towers creating a rippling sound effect across the country throughout the day all celebrating ENGLAND’S Day so go and cheer them on.

There will be a competition for ringers to try their hands on different number of bells across DEVON as part of the Ringing for England challenge of a Rolling Ring.  It will start at 9.45 at SS Giles and Nicholas’s church in Sidmouth with 10 bells moving across to St. Gregory in Harpford with 6 bells then on to SS Peter and Giles’s church in Sidbury where again they will ring out on 6 bells.  Then changing to 8 bells at All Saints in East Budleigh.  The finish will be at Otterton at St. Michael and All Angels church with 6 bells.  All these bells will be rung throughout the day by different ringers all in celebration of ST.GEORGE’s DAY.  Their hard work will be richly rewarded when they gather at The King’s Arms in Otterton.  Why not go along and buy them a well earned drink or even try your hand at the ropes who knows, you might enjoy it!

St. Giles with St. Nicholas in SIDMOUTH

The challenge for a Rolling Ring has been taken up by ROCHDALE.  Its parish church, St. Chad’s is built high on Sparrow Hill and has 8 bells that will be ringing out across this market town.  This is where the challenge will begin in the morning and will spread out from the foot hills of the Pennines to church towers that will eventually lead to TODMORDEN at the head of the lovely Calder Valley.  Here will be the last tower to finish – St. Mary’s with again 8 bells to round off a brilliant day all in celebration of  ST.GEORGE on April 23rd.

There are more towers are joining the Campaign each day across the north of the country and some of these include St. Leonard’s with 8 bells in Walton-le-Dale, and St. Michael’s in Shefford, St. Peter’s in Welford-on-Avon, and St. Paul’s in Ramsbottom with 8 bells. They are all part of our country’s wonderful communities getting together to celebrate ST.GEORGE’S Day. Below is St. Leonard’s Church.

Sir John Betjeman : “St. Giles’s bells, they richly ring”

This famous city OXFORD has at its heart the church of ST.GILES with a ring of 8 bells and anyone can go along on Saturday, April 23rd and try their hand at the ropes from 10.30 – 12.30.  A great opportunity to experience this ancient skill and be part of celebrating ST.GEORGE’S Day. Contact: Dr. John Pusey on e mail: bellringers@st-giles-church.org  or : 01865 723 645

“There is no music played or sung, like unto Bells when they’re well rung”

In the south of the county of Staffordshire is the village of KINVER and its church St.Peter’s with its 8 bells will be amongst many churches that will be ringing out for ST.GEORGE’S DAY. This county is famous for its potteries and STOKE at its heart has a lovely MINSTER with 10 bells that will ring out to celebrate ENGLAND’s Day April 23rd. The name ‘Stoke’ is said to mean Sacred Site and it is in this church that the great visionary Josiah Wedgwood is buried,. There are memorials to those other great pottery families Spode and Minton with examples of their tiles throughout the building. Plenty to see and hear in this special place.

Have you always wanted to know how to ring a church bell and wondered why it was so magical? Here is the perfect opportunity. Celebrate ENGLAND’S Day by going to CANTERBURY, to the church of St.Dunstan which is at the top of St. Dunstan’s Street opposite ‘The Monument’ and there you will find 6 bells waiting for you to ‘have a go’.  Just think, one of the bells you will be ringing is one of the oldest bells in the Christian World.                                                                                         Time: 10.30am – 12 o’clock. Date: Saturday 23rd April

If you missed St. Dunstan’s in the morning then you have another brilliant opportunity in the afternoon if you go to St. Stephen’s in Hales Drive, near ‘Ye Olde Beverlie’ and there you will find 8 lovely bells waiting for you to ring out from.  After trying your hand at the ropes then linger a little longer and you will hear the experts as they will ring out to celebrate ST.GEORGE’S DAY England’s Patron Saint.                                                                                                                                                     Time: 1 o’clock – 2.30pm.  Date: Saturday 23rd April.      Contact: MRFS –  07833 116 232

The only cathedral in England dedicated to its Patron Saint – ST. GEORGE’S Cathedral in MANCHESTER will be ringing its 10 bells on April 23rd. This famous city is now the 3rd most visited by foreigners with a growing reputation in the cultural, scientific and engineering world and standing in the centre of this success is its wonderful Cathedral waiting to welcome you.