Birmingham School of Bell Ringing Charitable Incorporated Organisa9on (CIO) Report and Accounts
Year ended 31[st] August 2025
Charity No: 1170942
Trustees
S Linford, Chair of Trustees T Stevens, Treasurer (appointed 25/2/2017) C McArdle
Charity Number: 1170942
Bank
Lloyds Bank Smethwick
Report of the trustees for 1[st] September 2024- 31[st] August 2025
The trustees for the Birmingham School of Bell Ringing (BSoBR) present their annual report and accounts year ended 31[st] August 2025
The school was founded in September 2013 and became a CIO 3rd January 2017.
Our Aims
To ensure the tradiNon of English Change Ringing is sustained and enhanced.
Our Objec9ves
The objects of the school are to recruit and train bell ringers in the Diocese of Birmingham and surrounding areas for the purpose of advancing the art of change ringing, and to develop accredited teachers of change ringing.
Our key objecNves for the year included
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Recruitment of new bell ringers
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Teaching new and exisNng bell ringers
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Support local churches by teaching their bell ringers
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Training new teachers of bell ringing
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To encourage the use of the naNonal accredited training programme “Learning the Ropes” (LtR) for new bell ringers in the region.
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To encourage the use of the AssociaNon of Ringing Teachers (ART) training programme for new and exisNng teachers of bell ringing
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To provide mentoring opportuniNes for new teachers
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Students achieving Level 3 or above to conNnue with the school as Volunteers (sending the elevator back down)
Review of Ac9vi9es and Achievements
The School conNnues to recruit students through website enquiries and from local towers who do not have teachers in their band.
The 16 week courses introduced 2 years ago are working well and are managing expectaNons of students in a much beXer way. The 16 week block ensure we are able to offer a range of levels given the number of volunteers has reduced.
We implemented a booking pla[orm in September to support with the administraNon and to enhance to the students experience. This is working very well. We are able to give passwords to students so only those eligible for each level can sign up and pay for the course.
The school normally operates with a team of volunteers, 10 accredited teachers and a pool of 30 experienced ringers.
Number of students passing the Learning the Ropes Levels Level 1 = 4 Level 2 = 5 Level 3 = 5 Level 4 =. 0 Level 5 =. 1
Fees
We increased our charge to £6 per session (£3 concession) in September to account for the costs of the booking pla[orm. For this students receive 2 hours teaching per week, affiliaNon to the St MarNns Guild including public liability Insurance. They receive a welcome pack, cerNficates of achievement at each level and, as they progress, books and DVD’s appropriate to their achievement for home study.
Recruitment
Recruitment of bell ringers is key to the success of the school, we have been very fortunate to date that word of mouth our website and the ART enquiry line has provided a steady flow of new recruits.
Volunteers
As always we would like to thank all the volunteers who give up their Saturday mornings to support the school, without your enthusiasm commitment and loyalty to the school we would not be able to run the school and thus provide new bell ringers to our towers. We are very pleased that almost all of our students who achieve level 3 or above conNnue with the school as volunteers, this is very posiNve and fulfils our objecNve of ‘sending the elevator back down’.
Dona9ons
The school makes donaNons each term to the 4 churches where the sessions take place in recogniNon of their support by providing access to their bells and faciliNes.
Financial Review
Total receipts were £2316.62, £2276.62 (student fees) £40 Lloyds (compensaNon for poor service)
Total Expenditure was £2817.67, £1520 donated to the 4 churches the school operates out of, without their support the school could not operate, refreshments £61.12, £355 DonaNon to Art when students pass the various levels, £310 purchased books that are given to students achieving the various levels of LtR, £29.56 Hand Bell Insurance, Associate Membership to St MarNns Guild £95 (Insures learners to ring at guild towers) £169.18 Admin, Other expenses £277.81 (£222 Bookwhen Pla[orm, £49.18 reimburse guild for setup, refunds to learners unable to conNnue with the school.
Financial Statement for the Year ended 31[st] August 2025
| RECEIPTS | |
|---|---|
| Fees | £2,276.62 |
| Refreshments | |
| Donations | |
| Clothing | |
| Outing SVR | |
| ART Award | |
| Other | £40.00 |
| Total Receipts | £2,316.62 |
| PAYMENTS | |
| Tower Fees | |
| Refreshments | £1,520.00 |
| Donations | £61.12 |
| Admin | £355.00 |
| Clothing | £169.18 |
| Books | |
| Assoc Memb | £310.00 |
| Tutor training fees | £95.00 |
| Social Events | |
| Handsworth Refurb | |
| Zoom | |
| Handbell Insurance | |
| Other | £29.56 |
| Total Payments | £277.81 |
| Increase/(decrease) in Funds | £2817.67 |
| Opening Balance | 3089.41 |
| Closing Balance | 2588.36 |