WITH just a fortnight to go until King Charles’s Coronation, Britain’s bell ringers are desperate for more volunteers help them celebrate in style.

For centuries, church bells have been rung out all over the country to mark great moments in history.

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They were pealed when Nelson won the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, at the end of World War Two in 1945 and for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.

Organisers of Charles and Camilla’s Coronation on May 6 want all the country’s 38,000 bells across 6,000 churches to Ring for The King.

To do that they need 38,000 ringers — or campanologists as they are known — to pull ropes in church bell towers up and down the country.

But with just 15 days to go, Britain is 8,000 ringers short.

To avoid a national ding dong, the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers is now on a mission to recruit as many more as possible.

If you have rung a bell before, maybe when you were younger, but haven’t tried for years, the country needs you.

They do say it is a skill you never lose.

And if you have never rung a bell before, why not go along to your local church and give it a try.

We sent Sun writer Clare O’Reilly to St Michael and All Angels Church in the Devon village of Cornwood in Dartmoor National Park to learn from scratch.

Bell boss there, Tower Captain Kerry Vaughan, and husband Anthony have been ringing for almost a decade.

They tolled the muffled bells to mark the funeral of Queen Elizabeth last September.

And they are among the 30,000 ringers who have already signed up to Ring for The King two weeks tomorrow.

Kerry says: “The bells here are over two and a half centuries old.

“They were rung for Horatio Nelson’s win at the Battle of Trafalgar, they were rung to mark the end of World War Two in 1945 and the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.

“There’s a lot of history in the bell tower. We’re standing on the shoulders of hundreds before us who have stood where we stand and rung these bells.”

With those words ringing in her ears, our Clare begins to feel the pressure.

She says: “It occurs to me that although I’ve never rung a bell in my life, I’m about to be put in charge of one 253 years old that weighs as much as a small family car.”

Fellow campanologist Barbara Hocke, who has been ringing at a church in Plymouth for seven years, takes Clare through the drill on a miniature bell purpose-built to show rookies what to do before they are let loose on the real thing.

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She says: “The UK is special when it comes to bell ringing. No other country in the world does it like us.

“Method, or permutational ringing, gives the bell music we’re used to hearing from our churches.

“Bells across Europe are rung without sequence or method. Kerry shows Clare the ropes, literally, and instructs her to keep her eyes ahead at all times and not to look up.

Clare says: “I was told scary stories of ropes going rogue and lashing around the tower until they can be brought under control.

“With Kerry’s experienced hand on my tail end — of the rope — I’m off.
“It turns out campanology is more than just a great score in Scrabble. It’s a lot harder than just pulling and letting go.

“The ‘ring’ comes when the bells are upturned in the tower. And rather than actively pull, it’s about reacting to the natural tension on the rope and letting go of my sally (the fluffy bit on the rope) and catching it again at exactly the right time.”

Clare, who was joined by fellow ringers Anthony, Olivia Richardson, Anne Russell, Jayne Selby and Christine Harris, says: “Before I know it, I’m in the band and hearing the sound that marks the end of a church service or the end of a wedding.

“Standing on the stone floor and pulling on a rope in the exact position men or women have stood for centuries is both daunting and warming at the same time. The worn floor reminds me that for two and a half centuries ringers have done exactly what I’m doing.

“And that’s whether to call villagers to church, celebrate battle victories or mark a funeral or a coronation happening hundreds of miles away in London 70 years ago.”

Gentle exercise

Carole Carlson and her husband Jon have only been ringing a few weeks after responding to an advert for Ring for The King.

They describe the social side of bell ringing and the welcome they have received as wonderful.

Carole says: “There’s tea and coffee midway through practice and then we often all go to the pub down the road afterwards. It’s lovely.

“Everyone’s so friendly and welcoming.

“Despite the fact it takes years to learn some of the methods, Kerry’s been a brilliant teacher.’

With the Ring for The King website receiving more than 1,500 enquiries so far, Kerry and Anthony are delighted whenever anyone new wants to join.

Kerry says: “We’ve got people of all ages, from young children right the way through. We’ve got families who ring, too.

“Ring for The King has been wonderful at getting people involved. Not everyone can be in London for the Coronation so being able to take part in it here in our village is a wonderful feeling.

“Every single person in our band will be ringing to mark the official start of King Charles’s reign.

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“We’ve now got our instructions on exactly what to ring on the day — it is a beautiful Coronation peal. Knowing we’re part of a countrywide initiative is wonderful.”

Vicki Chapman, of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, says: “Ringing is a unique way to mark special occasions and coronations, maybe a once-in-a-lifetime event.

“It is an exciting activity for all ages, especially young people and families. It’s great gentle exercise for mind and body and for developing skills — at an incredibly low cost.

“Once you’ve mastered it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.”

Eventually, Clare has her clammy palms relieved of bell number five and the experts of St Michael and All Angels demonstrate much more complex peals.

Clare adds: “Kerry asked me if I’m coming back at the same time next week.

“With the biscuits just coming out and the pub a short walk away, I’m definitely very tempted to Ring for the King.”

Share your thoughts about King Charles

FOR 74 years Prince Charles waited to take the throne.

In that time, as Prince of Wales and now King, he has met countless thousands of people.

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Are you one of them?

No one ever forgets the day they saw Charles – once the world’s most eligible bachelor whose wife became the most famous woman on Earth before marrying Camilla.

To mark the Coronation of Charles III we would love YOU to tell us your stories of the day you met the future King.

You could have been introduced to him, maybe you spotted him on a day out or you got to chat by accident.

He may have presented you with an award or an honour.

Maybe you met him on a walkabout, at an official visit or at one of his late mother’s four jubilees.

Perhaps you have a funny story to tell about the day you met Charles.

As we approach the historic Coronation we would love to hear your stories and see your pictures of the King & I.

We have set up a special email address for you to tell us how and when you saw Charles, our new monarch.

If you have photos of your meeting with the King you can attach them.

Send your email TODAY to theking@the-sun.co.uk.

Next week we will publish as many of your memories of meeting our new monarch as possible.

• GET INVOLVED: To find a local church that is ringing for the Coronation go to ringfortheking.org.

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