LDG Bellfoundry Foxes – A Night At The (Bellfoundry) Museum!

6:30pm on Friday 24^th November saw LDG’s Foxes converge at Loughborough’s Bellfoundry, along with other Young Ringers from Coventry, Derby & Nottingham Young Ringer Groups – for The Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust’s “Kids Takeover the Museum” Event – aka “A Night At The Museum”!!

After the now ubiquitous “Sign-In”, the Event began with a brief Welcome & Introduction/Safety talk by Museum Staff (Chrissie, Katelyn & Kira), which included each Young Ringer being presented with a “Goody Bag”, & a circular Pin Badge designed & made especially for this Event by LDG President Sally Brown (see below). Additionally, some Snax & Pop were provided, lending a “party atmosphere” to the Event.

The Museum Staff also allocated the Young ringers into small teams, for later on, intentionally combining the different YR-Groups together…

After the “Welcome”, the Young Ringers rang together on the trickier-to-strike-well-than-you’d-think ‘foundry bells – I have to say they made a pretty good job of it! (I’ve seen/heard many visiting Groups ring far less well on these bells!). All abilities were catered for – starting with a more than decent “rise” on the back-8, up to Rounds & Call Changes on the 12 & touches of methods up to Grandsire Caters were attempted… some more successfully than others – but a great effort considering the “mixed” nature of the Bands!

Half-way through the Event, the focus switched to allowing the Young Ringers “free-run” of the Foundry – the Museum itself still being shut/empty as part of the Bellfoundry Trust’s ongoing Buildings Renovation & Museum Revamp Programme. The Young Ringers were provided with the Museum’s own Video Camera, to supplement use of video-by-own-mobile-phone – for the youngsters to roam the Foundry to seek/find things of interest to film/speak about. The Museum looking to later receive, edit & splice together the individual videos, to create a montage to put up on their website (to encourage others to visit the Museum/Foundry).

Whilst the YR’s “did their thing” Sally (who is an official Bellfoundry Museum Tour Guide) gave Parents/Grandparents a Tour of the Foundry… from feedback I know this was really appreciated & enjoyed by those who took the Tour! E.g. From Chris Peace, father of Foxes’ Jacob:

“We have visited Loughborough Bell foundry many times over the years for Foxes Practices, but have always been restricted to the ringing chamber and whilst this contains bell patterns, some small bells, equipment and interesting plaques we had always wondered just how they were made. The opportunity to visit the Foundry provided this insight into the highly skilled and manual processes employed to manufacture bells, frames and wheels. The staff and volunteers were extremely welcoming and over the course of the evening presented the Bell Foundry history, stories relating to special bells produced and being produced at this site as well as answering technical questions relating to the craft. There is much to see and we would look to visit again in the future.”

I spent much of this period in the Belltower, & was amazed to see the extent of co-operation between different Young Ringer Group ringers working together & their professionalism – clear ideas about what they wanted to “capture” (e.g. one Group decided to create a film to explain to non-Ringer audiences the difference between Call Changes & Method Ringing – by in-tower explanation & demonstrations – wow!!).

Later, on going into the Foundry itself, I could see small Groups “doing their thing” all around the Foundry – their enthusiasm for the concept/Event was palpable! See comment from Foxes’ Jacob:

“The concise explanation [by Museum Staff] of how to use their camera coupled with the booklet of ideas and shot types gave a good platform to generate ideas quickly but still gave us room to make what we wanted. We were allowed to use much of the foundry to record and were able to explore slightly in the process. The night also gave one participant an opportunity to try solving a Rubik’s cube in one hand whilst ringing a bell in the other – which they did successfully!”

Sadly the Event drew to a close around 8:30pm – with smiling faces saying their “Goodbyes” & Thanking the Museum Staff… again feedback shows this was a really successful Event e.g. from Andrew Alldrick (Husband of Audrey Warwick, daughter of South Wigston’s late Brian & Winifred Warwick)

“Many thanks for arranging the Youth Ringers participation in the “Night at the Bellfoundry Museum” event on Friday evening. Can you pass on thanks to all the Museum staff for their excellent organisation and providing a good focus for the various bits of the evening. I know my three grandsons enjoyed themselves as did the others from the Coventry Guild contingent when I spoke with them. We all look forward to seeing the final (finished?) videos etc and being able to use it to add to the sort of attractions that young ringers can get involved with in the local area. Who knows it might prove a useful part of their CV when the real world of working for a living looms!. The “goody bags” were a very well received bonus.”

Hopefully this will become a regular (annual?) Event – here’s to the next time!

Finally

LDG Foxes Need YOU !!

This March (only 2 months away!!) LDG Foxes are hosting a new “mini” Ringing World Youth Competition [RWNYC] Event – for a “Midlands” sub-section of the Country – we’ll need every LDG Young Ringer’s Support to make this Event successful (& will need others to act as Tower Stewards etc.) – please get in contact with Foxes Coach (see below) &/or keep following LDG’s Facebook etc. for Practice Dates/Times – we’ll be having more frequent Practices in the build-up to this Event…, & remember, this year’s RWNYC Day takes place in London – based around London’s East End Historic Bow Church, in July (more later).

Howell Williams
LDG Bellfoundry Foxes Coach
5040williams@gmail.com

T: 0116 2368887
M: 07472 077387