Talks and Visits for Community Groups

All Saints Wokingham is a community focused church. As part of that, the ringers offer:

•  Talk on bells and bellringing to local groups and societies 

• Conducted visit to the tower for local groups and societies 

• Talk on the history of ringing in Wokingham 

See also

• Talks and projects for schools 

Talk about ringing

Talks so far have ranged from a 15 minute after dinner speech to a full evening presentation with slides and sound. All aspects of bells and ringing are covered, but different aspects can be given more or less emphasis, for example talks to history groups say much more about the historical aspects of ringing. Let us know your needs, and we will adapt to them. We can offer talks during the day as well as in the evening. Contact us  if you are interested.

Talk about the history of ringing in Wokingham

This talk looks at the lives and times of ringers in Wokingham. It takes the same 300-year time-span as the book Living Heritage (since the oldest bells were installedd in 1704). It looks at the 18th century when ringing was a public sport, at Victorian reform of both the church and ringers, and at the 20th century, when the band evolved through the trials of two world wars and into the modern era. It looks at how the ringers related to both the community around them, and the church whose bells they rang. The talk lifts the lid on the very special, fascinating, and largely hidden world of the men and women who kept alive this ancient art in this English market town.   [Back to top] 

Tower visits

There is no substitute for seeing the real thing. We can accommodate parties from around six up to about 20 fairly easily. Access is by spiral stairs, and you go right to the top of the tower, so all of your group need to be capable of doing this. Tower visits are normally in the evening, and most people prefer the summer months when it is light enough to get a good view from the tower roof. If you would like a tower visit for your group, please contact us .

Who have we talked to?

Talks given to date include the following groups: Westcott School, Inner Wheel, All Saints Mothers' Union, Wokingham Activity Group, Wokingham Rotarians, Wokingham History Group, Trefoil Guild, Bracknell Rotarians, Rose St Women's Fellowship, California Mothers Union, ProBus, Reading Association of Women Graduates, Salvation Army Friday Fellowship Club, Civil Service Retirement Fellowship, Wokingham U3A, Finchampstead 1st Woosehill Scouts, National Women's Register, Farnborough & District U3A, Westende Junior School, Keephatch Primary School, Emmbrook Senior Citizens Club, Hawley Primary School, Frogmore Primary School.

Tower visits hosted to date include the following groups: 4th Wokingham Beavers, Ascot Ladies Circle, Winnersh History Group, Wokingham U3A, Wokingham Welsh Society, Wokingham Methodists,Woosehill Scouts, National Women's Register, Wokingham Beavers, Wokingham Cubs, Berkshire Family History Society, Bracknell Young Farmers Club, Wokingham Inner Wheel, Woodley Scouts, Wokingham Brownies.