Articles

About the Association

The Sussex County Association of Change Ringers (SCACR) was formed in 1885 and currently has about 1300 members and 136 towers. The SCACR is a registered charity, and is affiliated to the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.

The Association is divided into four Districts: North, South, East and West. Each District has an elected group of volunteer officers (Committee) who organise activities and events in their District.

The overall running of the Association is managed by the General Committe (elected volunteer officers). There are also four teams of volunteers who help with particular aspects:

You can find out more about the Committees and Teams, including contact details.

Association Aims

  • promoting the ringing of church bells to call people to worship
  • encouraging the recruitment and training of all ringers and advancing the art of change ringing
  • supporting the proper care and use of church bells and belfries
  • providing support to projects to restore, maintain or improve existing bells and the towers and belfries housing them, and seeking the preservation of bells from redundant churches for the purpose of ringing in churches

Become a member

SCACR Rules

If you are interested in making a donation or leaving a legacy, please contact the Treasurer (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

District Newsletters

The Association produces two different types of news publications. The SCACR magazine, Soundbow, is produced quarterly, and each District also produces regular newsletters.

The newsletters include District news and information about upcoming practices, social events and meetings. Each of the four Districts produces regular newsletters: Northern News, Sally Forth (West), Look To! (East), and Southern News.

Northern News Sally ForthSouthern NewsLook To!

All four newsletters are available by email or by post. All SCACR members should automatically receive their District's newsletter, which is included in the SCACR annual subscription. Any member can request to be added to the email list for any or all of the District newsletters (contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Please send articles and photos to the relevant Newsletter Editor or Publicity Officer:

Northern News: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sally Forth: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Look To: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Southern News: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you have not received the relevant newsletter(s), please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Codgers

Post-COVID update, autumn 2022:
There are no monthly meetings at present as a replacement organiser has not so far come forward. There are 60 ringers in the Codgers address list so it should be possible for a volunteer (or volunteers) to step forward! It would certainly be a shame if Codgers ceased, as it has been running since the early 1990’s. The organiser’s duties are fairly minimal and could easily be shared by more than one person.

In the present format, for each month the two towers need choosing, (and a suitable local pub selected) then approached to confirm availability. Usually the pub menu is circulated to members and forwarded to the pub on the Monday before the meeting. A Risk Assessment must be generated for each meeting which although it may seem an onerous task being 5 pages long, only the first two pages change each month. The organiser(s) also need to nominate a ringer to run the ringing at each tower.

Perhaps the present format of the meetings requires change, eg only one tower per meeting and a pub lunch so the afternoons are free? Anything is possible depending on what is required by the members.
Please get in touch with Mike Foster at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to volunteer or for more information.

Pre-COVID:
'Codgers' is a group of ringers across Sussex of all ages who get together to for a 'mini-outing' once a month.  Although members are predominantly from Sussex there are several from other counties. The group will happily ring rounds and call changes as well as more difficult methods. Ringers of all ages and skills are welcome as long as they can handle a bell safely by themselves with reasonable striking.

The 'Codgers' meet once a month, usually on the first Wednesday. The usual arrangement is to ring at two towers with a pub lunch between towers. The group also have a longer summer outing, usually in June each year.

The venue for the month is published in the calendar. Details are also circulated to the Codgers mailing list about one week beforehand. Anyone interested in coming along can get more details from the calendar.

Annual Report & Handbook

The Annual Report & Handbook is usually printed in time for the AGM (May);  The Handbook lists all Sussex towers, including practice and Sunday ringing details, members, and contact details for the Tower Correspondent and/or Tower Captain. Also included are lists of Association Officers and District Committee Members, including contact details. The Handbook includes the following:

  • Association & District Officers & Team members
  • Tower details
  • Annual Reports:
    • Master
    • Association (General) Secretary
    • Treasurer & Association Accounts
    • Bell Restoration Fund
    • District Secretaries
    • Communication & Events team
    • Training & Recruitment Team
    • Safeguarding
    • Library
    • Peals
    • Bell Restoration Fund
  • Quarter peal list
  • Peal list and analysis
  • List of Honorary Life Members & Long Service Members
  • List of unattached members
  • Past officers

All association members are entitled to request printed copy of the Annual Report & Handbook when renewing their membership. The report is included in the SCACR annual subscription. The Handbook is available to download here. Members can obtain the password from the Association Secretary.

Non-members can request a copy from the Association Secretary (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.); a small charge applies to non-members to cover printing and postage costs.

What is Bellringing?

Bellringing is a team activity for people of all ages and from all walks of life. Although some ringers are members of the church where they ring the bells, many ringers are not - you don't have to be Christian to ring the bells at a church. Many consider ringing to be their contribution to church life, others do it for the pure pleasure and the company it brings.

Bellringing is an excellent way to keep both mind and body fit and active. Ringers are part of an inclusive and extensive community - at their local tower, within the county, across the UK and even internationally. 

"When I’m ringing I forget all the tensions and frustrations of the day. Even better: I couldn’t wish for a nicer group of friends!"

Read on, or contact us and learn more about opportunities to ring near where you live.

Change Ringing

The origins of change ringing lie in the sixteenth century when church bells began to be fitted with a full wheel. This gave ringers control of their bell, allowing sets of bells (rings) to be rung in continously changing patterns.

Music is created by altering the order in which the bells sound. This is done in defined sequences of changes called methods. Learning a few simple methods allows ringers to join in with other bands in towers around the world. Changes can be rung on tower (church) bells or on handbells.

Find out more about the history of ringing in Sussex.

Interested in learning to ring? Bellringers in Sussex would welcome you as a new recruit! Read on to find out more about learning to ring.

Upcoming Events

23Nov
Sat Nov 23 @10:15
Surprise Minor Practice
23Nov
Sat Nov 23 @10:30
Two Tower Practice
28Nov