We spoke to Edward Mack from the York Ringers to find out more about them and their preparations.Could you introduce yourself, your role within the bell-ringers, and a little about the bell-ringers themselves?I learned to ring as a child, and after a decade in Bristol I moved to Yorkshire. I live in Northallerton but travel into York to ring at the Minster. Some of our band live in York, but several others travel in like me. We are a mixed group, diverse in age and background. For the contest, our youngest team members are in their early 20s, and our oldest in their 60s, but across our wider band we have teenagers and octogenarians!You are coming to practice a 12-bell piece before you enter the eliminator contest at Portsmouth. What does a 12-bell piece involve?Each bell has one person assigned to it, so 12 bells means 12 ringers. Each performing team will ring the same set piece, with each ringer having learned their part. After you’ve learned the instructions for your bell, the challenge comes from the timing: when you pull your bell, there is about a second delay as the bell swings on a wheel before it actually strikes. So you have to be well coordinated with your team members to ensure that your bell strikes in sequence, and ideally with perfect evenness between the other bells. This takes some practice! The swing time of bells varies across different venues, so it’s really good practice to visit different venues before a contest.Have you entered this contest before and, if so, how have you done previously?York has entered the contest many times before, and won the contest twice in succession 25 years ago. After a few years absent, last year we were effectively a new returning team. It’s really exciting to bring York back into the fold. Last year we came 4th in our eliminator, just missing out on a place in the final (top 3 go through). You can imagine our target for this year…!Are you looking forward to the contest?Absolutely! I really enjoy the contest. In my first years competing I was really nervous. These days, I enjoy the festival atmosphere, as the contest brings teams together from across the country. Participating feels privileged; you get a feeling of being part of a national community of ringers where you can make friends for life. It also focuses teams locally, helping us to achieve our best and most enjoyable ringing possible. As we practice more, our ringing gets better, and that’s really satisfying.What do you most enjoy about bell ringing?I have made many friends through ringing, and I even met my wife through ringing! So it’s the people first and foremost. I really enjoy touring around the country with friends, visiting different places. Most towers are very open and welcoming to those who can ring safely. It’s a huge privilege to ring at different places, especially the Cathedrals! Beyond that, there’s the personal coordination of operating your own bell, and perfecting your technique so that you can strike your bell perfectly in time with your team. It’s really rewarding when your team does it well, but perfection is near impossible, so the challenge never gets old!How can people find out more about your group and can they follow your progress at the eliminator?If you’d like to hear the bellringers at York Minster, the bells can usually be heard on Tuesday evenings (7 – 9 pm) and Sunday Mornings (9 – 10am). As for the contest, the results will be published on the National 12 Bell website; there is also a Facebook page that you can follow. Results are usually posted straight away!Finally, for those interested in bell-ringing, what would you say to encourage people to get involved?Anybody can get involved in ringing! And Bradford Cathedral has some wonderful bells. 10 of the 12 bells were cast in 1921 by John Taylor & Co, the smallest 2 added later on in 1973. Bells cast by Taylors in that era are considered to be some of the finest in the world. I imagine the local ringers at Bradford would welcome new recruits, or if they don’t have the capacity to teach right now, I’m sure they would be happy to direct interested recruits to other places nearby that can teach. There is also a Yorkshire Association where you can find more details and towers and groups that ring across Yorkshire.Everyone at Bradford Cathedral wishes all those taking part in this year’s competition the best of luck. You can find out more about the competition – which takes place on Saturday 23rd March – on the official website.
Bradford Cathedral will be holding a service and a prayer vigil on Friday 1st March, the World Day of Prayer 2024. All are invited to gather for the service at 2pm, which will include music, readings and prayers on the theme of 'I beg you, bear with one another in love', prepared by the World Day of Prayer Organisation, a women-led, global and ecumenical movement, in conjunction with Christians in Palestine. At 6pm, there will be a ‘Prayer Vigil for International Peace’. The service will be led by the Dean of Bradford, the Very Revd Andy Bowerman, and will involve contributions from different communities from across Bradford. The Revd Pete Gunstone, Minor Canon for Worship and Nurture, says:“At a time of international tensions and conflict in different parts of the world, we invite you to gather in Bradford Cathedral on the World Day of Prayer, to pray for international peace.” The Revd Cathy Milford, co-lead on the day’s activities, says:“The World Day of Prayer, a women-led, global, ecumenical movement, has its origins nearly a century ago in The Women’s' World Day of Prayer for the World. A hundred and forty-six countries have joined this movement and take it in turns to prepare the annual service. In this way participants learn a little about the hopes and fears of the Christian women in the leading country. “On this World Day of Prayer, the Christian Women of Palestine are calling us to connect with the land from where Jesus came; where he was born, ministered and died – and from where our faith began and is rooted.” “Despite living in an area of the world where there is ongoing conflict and the future is uncertain, the women of Palestine are sharing with love a reminder that they are there, and they want to give hope to everyone. The theme of the service 2024 ‘bear with one another in love’ seems very appropriate for these women who will not give up witnessing the love of Jesus Christ.” You are invited to come to Bradford Cathedral on Friday 1st March 2024, at 2pm for the World Day of Prayer service, and at 6pm for the Prayer Vigil For International Peace. Free seats can be booked on ChurchSuite via bradfordcathedral.org.uk/whats-on or you can turn up on the day.
Riding Lights Theatre Company are pleased to announce a revival of their acclaimed passion play The Narrow Road by Paul Birch, for the season of Lent and Holy Week 2024. For many years, Riding Lights Theatre Company has toured its passion plays to churches, cathedrals and communities across the UK, providing a unique, revitalising experience of the drama of Christ’s passion. …vivid and contemporary, with moments of high drama…Church Times A man stands alone on a dusty road, an extraordinary journey before him; one that will re- trace the footsteps of Jesus into a world of miracles and madness, violence and liberation. As The Narrow Road is walked, this turbulent world is turned upside down; its inhabitants confronted by an unexpected and surprising vision. Meeting the characters and re-living the events of the gospels, this draws us back along that original road, through the place of the cross and into the challenge of a life beyond. Compellingly performed, The Narrow Road asks each of us to step out in faith on that journey today. The performance opens up at key moments for other expressions of worship, music and reflection arising directly out of the drama, creating a powerful act of remembrance which is both participatory and reflective. York-based Riding Lights is one of the UK’s most successful independent theatre companies and is internationally renowned for more than forty years of touring productions. The Narrow Road will be at Bradford Cathedral on Wednesday 28th February at 7:30pm.Tickets are available from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ridinglights/t-vvkqjnpAll tour dates and further information is available at www.ridinglights.org/thenarrowroad
They will be giving a free concert at Bradford Cathedral on Friday 15th March 2024 at 4pm, with a performance filled with fun, energy, and well-loved songs. Got 2 Sing was established in September 2011 in Stourbridge by founder and creative director Beth Dunn. Starting with 96 members, the choir has now expanded to over 1000 members across the Midlands. With 15 choirs coming together for this tour, join them for an afternoon of singing and dancing that will get you rocking! See where the choir will be heading on their concert tour to Yorkshire: Meadowhall, Sheffield - Friday 15th March at 12noon Bradford Cathedral - Friday 15th March at 4pm Parliament Street, York - Saturday 16th March at 10:45am York Museum Gardens - Saturday 16th March at 12:30pm Leeds Railway Station - Sunday 17th March at 11am Leeds Minster - Sunday 17th March at 3pm
