Historic badges of the Leicester Diocesan Guild

The Leicester Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (LDG) was established in 1946 following the dissolution of the Midland Counties Association (MCA).The LDG formed its Districts loosely based on those that had existed in the MCA. Times were different then so the fact that Lutterworth, Bitteswell and, in those days, Gilmorton were all in the Leicester District was wholly due to each of them being served by a bus from Leicester rather than any geographical reason. Humberstone, which was actually in the City of Leicester, was in the Syston District for reasons I have yet to fathom. There are many other anomalies and during the last 78 years individual towers have applied to transfer from one district to another and I can think of no such request being refused.

The six districts all tended to meet once each month, invariably on a Saturday, when the session would include ringing, service, tea, business meeting, more ringing and adjournment to a local hostelry. Very few ringers had cars in the early days so efficient public transport was a necessity. Those few ringers who had a vehicle were worth their weight in gold as they usually took a car or van load to a meeting and were invaluable in the rural areas of the Guild.

Times have changed and, whilst the LDG still has its six districts, meetings can be on any day of the week, morning, afternoon or evening and the original format has been all but abandoned with emphasis very much on ringing. Despite that some of the six districts exist partly in name only; the Syston District has no officers and has not had a meeting for some years. The Loughborough District, so vibrant in recent times, is in a similar situation with no officers and no regular meetings. The remaining four districts continue to hold meetings and vary in the numbers attending. The problems associated with Covid didn’t help and many old stagers have sadly passed on. 

It is not all doom and gloom as people have come forward to learn our art and we have talented youngsters whose ability would stand comparison with any period in the Guild’s history. Teaching is available and there is great effort being devoted to bolstering our numbers for the future. The bells within the LDG are generally in excellent condition due to the efforts of many and the financial support of guild members through the 100 Club and other fundraising.

So where do we go from here? Will the LDG exist in 2125? Will we still have a membership in excess of 600? Will our members still participate in and enjoy the activities that we currently take for granted?

Despite our membership it is a fact that approximately 75% of our members hardly participate in the activities of the LDG. How can we encourage more members to join in? Do we provide what they want? Should we be prepared to change to meet the needs of our present and future membership.

Attendances at Guild General Meetings are abysmally low. Do our members dislike business meetings? Do they find them either too long or seemingly irrelevant? Do they fear being asked to take office or be on a committee? Suffice to say that if all our members turned up to a district or general meeting we would struggle to cope with the numbers but surely we need to sell the LDG and encourage our members to participate in what is on offer and the Guild does offer a lot be it in general ringing, teaching, insurance and restoration to name but four areas.

Of course our situation is not helped by the fact that Leicester Diocese is currently going through a huge review and, at the time of writing, we have no idea which churches will close, be mothballed or remain open. News of these decisions should arrive in the next year or so but I doubt that will be the end of any changes and I guarantee further tinkering will continue for some years to come.

The LDG is not the only guild facing the problems I have tried to outline and it seems every diocese is looking to undergo great change.

There are many options that could be considered and others will surface as discussions progress. Do we merge districts, reduce the number of districts or leave things as they are?

Travel a little further south and a smaller guild than ours with three districts, 90 towers and 300 members has recently agreed to dissolve its three districts There will be a period of transition over the next twelve months whilst work is done to put the new structures in place with the aim of building a more positive and sustainable future for ringing in Bedfordshire.

Interestingly several Guilds/Associations have already taken action with their Bell Restoration Funds so grants are not given to projects where the building is at risk of closure within the next five years.

Speaking personally ringing has given me far more than I can ever repay for several decades and I want to see the LDG prosper for as long as bellringing exists. At the moment we have problems but they are not without a solution. As a guild, and any review or consultation must include all members, we need to decide the best way forward so that our future is positive and sustainable.

Do we need districts? Should we reduce or increase the number of districts? Should we merge districts? Should we just reorganise the existing districts and leave everything else as it is? Should we do nothing until the Leicester Diocese has completed its review and made its decisions? Is everybody content that we go forward as we are and fail to understand why I have put pen to paper?

I have not sought to provide answers and I hope that I have not painted a negative view. 

I hope the Guild Committee will seek to address the situation and our future and I hope our members will tell that committee what they want from the LDG.

Garry Mason