The year proved challenging for us all and for a Public Relations Officer it was no different! Covid and the related restrictions gave me opportunities as well as the inevitable frustrations. It is always good to reflect on how we might all raise the profile of the Guild and its ringing and to identify any specific needs of the church, especially considering the Mission Statement of each Diocese; much of this happens naturally by ringers locally already.
I have been discussing ways I might be able to help the Guild Officers, the Committees and the Districts. Continuing to work closely with the Communications Committee is vital and rewarding and a review of the website is high on our list of Things to Do. The website not only provides information for members and out of area visitors but is one of our Windows to the World for folk who might be looking to learn to ring. I am a member of the Belfry Stewardship Committee and I hope to support its work in my P.R.O. capacity. It is likely there will be some significant changes to church use, maybe closures even, over the next decade. We will try to be supportive in an appropriate way where bells are involved and there might well be some good opportunities.
All of us have been considering the opening up of ringing and how it is likely to be a gradual process rather than a Festival situation. It could be that ringers will come back to ringing at different times. When restrictions are lifted, will there be Public Relations opportunities sooner for some groups than for others? All matters to consider, be aware of and react to when the time is right. There is a wealth of information and support for so many aspects of our ringing world available to us, including material for the promotion of ringing and to assist with recruitment and public relations matters. Just to remind everyone, we have a good supply of the popular and colourful ‘Bell ringing is Fun’ fliers ready to use. I have always believed, and encouraged the view, that one size does not fit all - what might work well or be very helpful for one ringer, tower or District might be of no value to another. We can all consider what is on offer, use it if we want to and, if it’s not what we need, then certainly encourage others who might well find it supportive. Local leadership and actions are important and very effective, and I will be very pleased to continue offering support to ringers, towers and Districts.
Positive liaison with the two Dioceses has been ongoing even though the Diocesan resources have been stretched; we were sensitive to it. A short clip on the Central Council’s website (8 May 2020), explaining the effects of the Covid restrictions on our ringing and answering the community’s questions about why we had been unable to ring in support of Key Workers, was sent to the Dioceses and circulated accordingly. We have continued to receive support and I have seen some pro-active P.R. work on our behalf. The Dioceses’ Communication personnel kindly research the websites of our Guild and the Central Council from time to time. The Portsmouth Diocese picked up and used the V.E. Day Podcast hosted by Cathy Booth and subsequently asked me for details of ringing that was able to take place to commemorate the 75th anniversary of V.J. Day. I gladly gave the details, including the tolling at Bramshott that had been part of the national event ‘The Cry for Peace’. I updated both Dioceses regarding the Guild’s latest Action Plan (2019-2022), the WW1 Centenary Commemoration project’s digital archive resource and shared our excitement that three Young Ringers bands were in the starting blocks for the RWNYC 2020 - Channel Island Pirates, Vectis Youths and W & P Youths (unfortunately the contest was unable to go ahead). There was interest in what tower ringing was taking place, Covid safe, and I passed on the towers’ feedback I had received, including the use of Ellacombe Chiming Apparatus. I explained those chime mechanisms, their history and mentioned the potential worldwide celebration of the 200th anniversary of Ellacombe’s invention of the apparatus on 26 June 2021. We had discussions about ringers reaching out even more to their churches and communities by using audio recordings as part of online worship; it was much encouraged. Also received very well was the suggestion of offering bell recordings to local Hospital Radio stations and not only for the Covid period.
Working with the media is always interesting with the often ‘By tomorrow, please’ deadlines in place. Generally this works well but, with these time pressures, using photographs can be challenging as permission needs to be sought or regained. Then the media contacts sometimes use material from their own library and it does not always accurately reflect the actual event. I had an initial discussion with Central Council with a view to having an easily accessible group of photos ready to use at short notice for Press Releases and for advertising events such as Open Days. Nothing was available but I hope to receive an update and we will consider further within the Guild.
Viv Nobbs