Diana Green writes:
After many failed attempts of mastering Stedman Triples I decided a four day intensive boot camp of Stedman would surely be the answer! So in March I submitted my application to the North West Ringing course 2025 (NWRC). In May I was over the moon to receive confirmation that I had succeeded in gaining a place – a real privilege. I discovered later that for every successful applicant there were three unsuccessful candidates.
Wednesday 6th August, packed and ready to travel to Borwick Hall, Carnforth I began to feel very apprehensive. What had I done? Questions flooded my mind – had I done enough homework, what towers would I be ringing in, could I handle the bells, would there be long draughts (my biggest fear), would I be good enough and, what about all those strangers I would meet? That night, horror of horrors, the Stedman doubles we rang at Cockermouth was a complete disaster.
Thursday I set off, arriving at Borwick Hall at lunchtime. The first session was to meet our group members – students, helpers and tutor. My group was lead by the amazing Simon Percy, had four students (all female) and seven extremely talented helpers. My ambition for the course was to ring a plain course of Triples with no stander behind and no one shouting at me that I should be running in slow or quick. Thursday evening we visited Over Kellet for our first practical session. Yet again I couldn’t ring a simple plain course Stedman doubles! 
Was it nerves, was it a realisation that perhaps I had reached just that bit too high, or was I just overwhelmed at how good the other students were? I don’t know, but what I did know was it couldn’t get any worse.
Over the next three days we visited Bowness on Windermere, Kendal, Kirkby Stephen, Orton, finally finishing at Lancaster Priory on Sunday. Simon was very patient, encouraging us all and leading us carefully through the intricacies of Stedman Triples, including it’s bobs and singles.
Late on Friday afternoon I was flying high having achieved my first plain course with no help and no one shouting at me. What’s more I had rung it at Kendal and on bells I had never rung before. Surely it couldn’t get any better? How wrong I was.
Throughout the course Simon and his wonderful band of helpers encouraged, stretched and steered us through long extents of Stedman. Sometimes we were unaffected, whilst at others we were very much affected. All the time there was an emphasis on precise striking, listening and feeling the rhythm.
On Sunday, with a deep feeling of fear, I entered the ringing room of Lancaster Priory. I have rung there before and my notes simply said “long draught!”. After so much progress, today was surely going to be a disaster.
Before I knew it I was assisting with the taking up of the 30cwt tenor, tailing for the first time – wow what a joy. It didn’t stop there, I was given the opportunity to ring the tenor, then to cover to plain hunt caters and ring the eighth inside to plain hunt with all females on the back three bells. Oh yes – we also rang Stedman Triples. I left the Priory riding on the top of a cloud, but knowing how much I would miss the friendship of those who had helped me over the past few days. 
Each day at Borwick Hall there was a feeling of being part of a huge family. Ringers of all abilities sharing their experiences, knowledge and friendship. It was a shear privilege and honour to be a part of the NWRC. I can’t express my thanks enough to those who helped organise and run the course. I went to learn Stedman Triples and came away with far much more. A more confident belief in myself and hopefully others will see an improvement in my ringing. I met many wonderful ringers and made many friends, all who have offered opportunities to ring with them in their towers.
If you ever get an opportunity to join the course in the future I would encourage you to take it with open arms – you will never regret it.
