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What it takes to be a bell ringer |  |
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What it takes to be a bell ringer | |
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What does it take to be a
ringer?
Time, mostly.
You do not need a background in music. Ringers come from many backgrounds
and professions--teachers, accountants, engineers, mathematicians, housewives
and househusbands, lawyers, students, archivists and more.
Age is not a limitation. We've had a 10-year-old learn to ring, and in England people continue ringing into their 80s.
However, learning to ring requires a lot of commitment from the prospective ringer. To make any progress in ringing requires time--regular attendance at practices in the tower, as well as time spent outside the tower studying. On average, beginners should expect it to take a year or longer before they are ringing methods. The more time spent studying and at practices, the faster the progress is made.
Size--You must be large enough to handle the bells. You must be able to reach the sally (standing on a box to do so is okay).
Age - While young children (with supervision) can attend practice, most towers will not accept a child under the age of 6. Some towers, such as Washington, set a higher age (or size/strength) requirement, depending on the size and the "go" of their bells.
Proximity to a tower - This is likely to be the most limiting factor in the US as there are only about 50 towers in the US and Canada.