Ringing World National Youth Contest

Saturday 6 July 2024 - London

The Anniversaries Fund has for a number of years given financial support to this annual event.

As Whitechapel Bell Foundry Limited is one of the sponsors I attended the event, as I always do, which this year was in London. Notwithstanding the miserable weather it was an outstandingly successful day with a total of 36 competing teams coming from all parts of England plus one team from Wales. Interesting none of the Cornish team had been to London before and one of them had never travelled outside Cornwall!

‘Youth’ is defined as someone of 18 or under. So if you are 19 you are too old!

The event’s headquarters was at the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow with the competition ringing taking place at both St. James’ Church Garlickhythe and St. Olave’s Church, Hart Street. Apart from the competition, general ringing was available throughout the day at 11 other central London Churches as well as change ringing on handbells (3 sets of 12 were available) plus 2 ‘mini rings’ and a dumb bell.

The event was hosted by the Ancient Society of College Youths who had 130 volunteers on hand to ensure that matters ran smoothly and to time.

Approximately 800 people gathered in St. Paul’s Cathedral for prize giving. Judging was difficult as the general standard of ringing, in most cases, was exceptionally high.

The costs for arranging and managing such an event are beyond the limited resources of the Ringing World newspaper and can only be met by sponsorship. The paper’s board is acutely aware of this and full and generous acknowledgements were given at the headquarters, the prize giving, and in the brochure.

The sponsors and supporters were listed as:

• The Ancient Society of College Youths

• The Westley Group

• The Worshipful Company of Founders

• The Worshipful Company of Girdlers

• The Worshipful Company of Drapers

• Whitechapel Bell Foundry Limited

• Robert Lewis. (Ringing World Editor 2000 - 2019) St. Paul’s Cathedral

This event has grown steadily year by year since its inception in 2011 and is now the largest national bell ringing event in the UK. Its purpose was, and still is, to encourage and bring together young bell ringers from across the country and through training, networking and competition encourage and support the next generation of bell ringers in this uniquely English folk art.

I have little doubt that the organisers will be seeking continued support in future years

Alan Hughes, Upper Warden