What are ANZAB 12 Bell Weekends?

Jim Woolford began organising 12 bell ringing weekends in 2016. The organising is now done by a committee chaired by Phil Goodyer with representatives from each branch. Initial committee activities will be:

  • organising future 12-bell weekends
  • seeking ringers from each branch to join the committee
  • administering the available subsidies

The weekends are open to all 12 bell (and aspiring 12 bell) ringers in ANZAB territory. They are suitable for competent Major+ ringers wishing to try 12 bell ringing.

We expect that anyone attending 12-bell sessions will be able to ring Grandsire Cinques. However most of the ringing will be Stedman Cinques and Surprise Maximus. This is a big jump for some people, but if we can encourage more people to try out ringing on higher numbers then it will help bring up quality of ringing in ANZAB – not just for those who ring at these weekends but also for those who ring with these ringers.

That said, some weekends will include dedicated ringing and seminars "Towards 12-Bell ringing". These will include treble bob hunting and methods on 10 and 12. And most weekends include a session at which all local ringers are welcome to try anything from rounds on 10 upwards.

If you have any questions or wish to register your interest in attending future weekends, please email me.


October 2023

Young Ringer Scholarships

Apply (or nominate someone) for a scholarship of up to $500 to attend the 12-Bell Weekend in Sydney in October 2024. To apply, email by 29 February 2024.

The funding is provided by ringers attending previous 12-Bell Weekends and St Mary's Society (Sydney).

Notes

  • Scholarship to cover travel and accommodation up to $500 in total.
  • Applications are invited from young ringers (30 and under)
  • Nomination of a young ringer may be made by any 12 bell ringer
  • Applicants/Nominees should have rung Major competently on a working bell and have agreed to be nominated
  • Applicants/Nominees must be a resident of Australia or New Zealand.
  • Nominations/Applications should include name, details, past experience and confirmation the scholarship will be accepted if offered
  • Where more than two valid nominations/applications are received a selection will be made by drawing a name out of a hat.
  • Previous winners may apply again, but will not be included in the draw from a hat if more than 2 valid new applications are received.
  • The successful candidate will be advised in early March 2024


October 2023

Other Subsidisies

Previous 12-bell weekends have offered subsidised accommodation (twin share) to ANZAB members. The aim is to encourage ringers to attend and commit to attending early so we know the weekends are viable. In 2024 this is available for Hobart and Sydney.

Travel subsidies have previously been offered for the Goulburn extension, prior to the Sydney 12-bell weekend. The intention is to do the same in 2024.

In addition to the specific 12-bell weekend financial assistance there is an existing process which may be used by individual ringers seeking a one-off grant (see here). Students are also encouraged to contact if they need help organising travel.

Look out for information about such subsidies when you register for events, or apply early by contacting me.


October 2023

October 2023 12 bell weekend and Goulburn extension - Report

With the best attendance yet for one of these events, we saw many firsts and lots of, harder to quantify, improvements. We had ringers from Brisbane, Sydney, country NSW, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Additionally, we made good use of a visitor from Washington Cathedral.

Ringers at St Andrew's Cathedral
Listening and watching at St Andrew's Cathedral
Upper level: Rachel Perrins and Inga Griffiths-Hunt
Lower level: Morwenna Griffiths and Tony Murray-Feist

First quarter peal achievements included Maximus and conducting Royal (Charlotte Sorell), conducting Caters (Kathi Downs and Deryn Griffiths), Caters (David Sorell), inside for Caters (Stephen Relf), more than six bells (Inga Griffiths-Hunt).

The 9 and 10 bell sessions were very popular. I expect we'll try to include them in future weekends.

Personally, I particularly enjoyed conducting a touch of Stedman Caters and watching and ringing several leads of Bristol Maximus. I enjoyed listening to a couple of particularly well struck service touches for weddings at St Mary's Cathedral, and being part of 10-bell service ringing at Christ Church St Laurence. Overall it was a very friendly and supportive event.

Deryn Griffiths

Charlotte and David Sorell

Charlotte and David Sorell attended the weekend, supported by the inaugral Young Ringer 12-Bell Weekend Scholarship, providing each of them up to $500 to cover costs involved in attending the 12-Bell Weekend in Sydney in October 2023.

Phil Goodyer presenting

Phil Goodyer presented some theory about Cambridge Surprise (Minor to Maximus) and related terminology during the weekend.

ANZAB 12 Bell Weekend, Wellington, 7-10 April 2023 - Report

Ringers at a cafe
From front (left): Jim Woolford (NSW), Ian McCulloch (QLD), Phil Goodyer (SA), Andrew Davies (Sydney), Rachel Aland (QLD)
From front (right): Frank Sluter (NZ), David Pacey (VIC), Mary Sluter (NZ), Ruth Lightbourne (NZ), Sue Marsden (UK), Jenny Davies (NSW), Peter Whitehead (NZ) [partly obscured]

This report complements the more formal one in Ringing Towers.

The photo shows many of the attendees having brunch on Easter Sunday between morning service ringing and our afternoon practice session. The weather was varied over the weekend, with Sunday mild, sunny and calm.

With very little in the way of joint Australian-New Zealand ringing since COVID, it was great to reconnect. Many Australians traveled to join NZ ringers in Wellington over the Easter weekend. A lot of the weekend we rang Grandsire Caters and Cinques, Stedman Caters, Little Bob Royal and Maximus, and Cambridge Royal, gradually building our skills as a band, learning to listen to the bells and hold the front bells up. We had just enough ringers prepared to try London Royal and Bristol Maximus.

The ringing master duties were shared around and there was the opportunity for some of us to try our hand at conducting touches. With practice sessions using simulated sound, we were able to use the 17cwt 11 as the tenor which helped us maintain our stamina.

We rang for two Sunday services. A team led by Frank Sluter removed and replaced clapper boards to allow this. We enjoyed the sound of the open bells, and the 27cwt tenor, for the service ringing.

Some of us tried our hand on the ring of five bells at Old St Paul's. On these light bells it was the handling that required concentration rather than the blue lines and rhythm that were challenging us on 10 and 12 bells.

Thanks to Phil Goodyer, Derek Williams and all others involved in organizing this ANZAB event.

Related peals and QPs: Grandsire Cinques; Cambridge Surprise Royal; Plain Bob Caters

Deryn Griffiths

ANZAB 12 Bell Weekend, Sydney, 7-9 October 2022 - Report

2022 12-bell weekend in Sydney
An ANZAB-wide band at St Mary's (Ringers, clockwise from far centre): Claire O'Mahony (country NSW), Nigel Baily (Sydney), Harold Bartlett (QLD), Tony Murray-Feist (WA), Hugh Carwardine (Sydney), Andy Waddell (ACT), Deryn Griffiths (VIC), Peter Whitehead (NZ), Phil Goodyer (SA), Andrew Davies (Sydney), Peter Harrison (Sydney), Richard Webster (Sydney)

The 7-9 October 12 bell weekend was our largest yet with about 20 locals joining ringers from NZ (3), WA (1), SA (1), VIC (1), QLD (2), ACT (2) and country NSW (4). An additional 2 (SA) joined some of us for the Goulburn extension, an enjoyable and useful warm-up before the main weekend.

2022 12-bell extension in Goulburn
Tuesday night attendance at Goulburn (L-R): Shane Daly (Goulburn), Deryn Griffiths (VIC), James Heyes (ACT), Sharon Anderson (QLD), Georgina Templeton (Goulburn), Jan Lawton (Goulburn), Peter Whitehead (NZ), Annie Zappia (Goulburn), Stephen Relf (Goulburn), Mary Sluter (NZ), Frank Sluter (NZ), Hannah Tayler (SA), Peter Norman (SA), Kate Dover Thompson (Sydney), Tony Murray-Feist (WA), Christopher O'Mahony (Goulburn)

In a lot of my ringing life I'm encouraging others to try Plain Bob Doubles (say), reassuring then that it is OK that they don't feel confident and that I don't mind if they go wrong as it is all part of the learning process. It is good for me to be on the other end of that, remembering how uncomfortable it feels but appreciating others filling in for me as I try a Maximus method.

Similarly, my compassion for new ringers struggling with handling is refreshed when my handling is challenged, be it by the tricky 3 at Goulburn, the springy ropes at St Andrew's or the heavier-than-I'm-used-to back end at St Mary's.

I am amused when new ringers forget whether they are dodging up or down, but less amused when it happens to me as my brain struggles with learning a new method.

I liked having the opportunity to conduct touches, and run a session, on 12 bells, but both take a lot of my attention and it was a relief to hand over the reins to the next person.

2022 12-bell weekend in Sydney
An advanced team within an advanced weekend (Ringers, clockwise from left): Bill Perrins, Andrew Davies, Jenny Davies, Richard Webster, Christopher O'Mahony, Peter Harrison, Angus Gilchrist, Esther Perrins, Rachel Perrins

Thanks to Phil Goodyer and all others involved in organizing this ANZAB event.

Related peals and QPs: Grandsire Cinques; Grandsire Caters; Yorkshire S Major; Bristol S Maximus

Deryn Griffiths

ANZAB 12 Bell Weekend, Brisbane, 18-20 March 2022 - Report

At last we could travel and come together for a 12-bell weekend in Brisbane, postponed from its original date in 2020. We had six QLD ringers, 2 from SA, 2 from VIC, 12 from NSW and 1 from ACT who came together to extend and strengthen 12-bell ringing in ANZAB. Hopefully next time we'll have some from WA, TAS and NZ. There were an extra five QLD ringers who joined us for the Friday evening.

There were two successful quarter peals on 12, and a bonus one on 10. There were lots of good quality ringers to ring with, and an amazing 15 hours of programmed ringing time. The Brisbane bells are a light twelve which gave good flexibility for people to ring around the back, and allowed some people to still be enthusiastically trying various combinations of bells at the end of Sunday when many others had retired.

Orion 12 band, Brisbane March 2022
The Orion Surprise Maximus Band (1-12, L-R): Kellie Hajek, Philip Goodyer, James Perrins, Peter Harrison, Bill Perrins,Thomas Perrins (C), Hugh Carwardine, Claire O'Mahony, Hadden Arrowsmith, Murray-Luke Peard, Ian McCulloch, Matthew Ball

My personal highlights were ringing a course of Erin Cinques and calling a bob course of Grandsire Cinques. I was delighted to be part of several touches of Stedman Cinques, to feel more confident on Cambridge and Yorkshire Royal and Maximus than previously, and to get the chance to try a lead of Orion Maximus and a few leads of Bristol Maximus. I particularly enjoy seeing other ringers developing. In this case, local ringer Kenneth who I recall as trying plain hunt last time I rang with him, but who is now ringing Surprise Major with confidence. 

I took the opportunity to visit Maryborough and Bundaberg prior to the weekend where I experienced their generous hospitality and enjoyed ringing with the local bands. We tried touches of Grandsire Doubles in Maryborough and rang variations of Plain Hunt in Bundaberg. I have been reminded of the pleasure of travel and the good fellowship that exists within the bellringing community.

Follow these links to the BellBoard records for quarter-peals rung during the weekend - Grandsire Cinques - Grandsire Caters - Orion Surprise Maximus.

Deryn Griffiths

ANZAB 12 Bell Weekend, Perth, 25–28 October 2019 - Report

I was delighted to be part of the recent 12-bell weekend. Thanks to all who participated, and particularly to the Perth ringers for hosting it.

I went because I expected to enjoy it, and to improve and extend my ringing (which I did). I also felt helpful filling in for some trying Plain Hunt on 11 for their very first time, and was delighted to meet several new ringers.

The weekend included sessions focussing on "easier methods", "cinques" and "maximus". Different Ringing Masters used different styles, each with their advantages. The opportunity to "catch hold" and "have a go" is fantastic. However, taking a band aiming for Stedman Cinques or Cambridge Maximus and having us ring Plain Hunt was illuminating. I was reminded that it is not just the longer, more complicated blue line, or the more difficult rope sight that makes 12 bell ringing a challenge. Even when ringing Plain Hunt I (and others) found it hard to maintain the precision required within a 12 bell rhythm.

The unexpected pleasure of the weekend was seeing the ANZAC bell, and watching and hearing its resonant chime at midday. The ANZAC bell made the 29-0-14 tenor of the ring of sixteen appear tiny.

Follow this link to quarter-peals rung during the weekend.

Deryn Griffiths

The reports above are those published on this website. Reports of these and other ANZAB 12 Bell Weekends may be found in Ringing Towers.

The bells of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

The bells of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
© Andrew Treloar, 2006.


Hobart 22-24 March 2024
Goulburn 8-10 October 2024
Sydney 11-13 October 2024
tbc Autumn 2025
Sydney 10-12 October 2025
tbc Autumn 2026
Sydney 9-11 October 2026

2023 Sydney (6-8 October) with Goulburn extension (3-5 October)
2023 Wellington (7-10 April)
2022 Sydney (7-9 October) with Goulburn extension (4-6 October)
2022 Brisbane (18-20 March)
2019 Perth (25-28 October)
2019 Adelaide (22-24 March)
2018 Sydney (28 Sep - 1 Oct)
2018 Brisbane (16-19 March)
2017 Sydney (24-26 November)
2017 Sydney (28 Sep - 2 Oct)
2016 Sydney (30 Sep - 3 Oct)