Judges York

Simon Linford

Simon comes back to judge the Contest for the third and final time.  He is from Birmingham, where he rings at the Bull Ring, is Master of the St Martin’s Guild, and is a member of the Birmingham band in the National 12 Bell Striking Contest.  He has rung in more striking competitions than he cares to remember, and has judged enough to have been author of the recent Central Council book on how to judge a striking competition.  He is hoping that this will be used to good effect today.

Helen Beaumont

I learnt to ring in 2006 at Northchurch in Hertfordshire, and soon got hooked, ringing regularly at three local towers. When I started university in York in 2009 I got involved with the York Colleges Guild, ringing my first peal in November 2009, and turning my hand to roles such as Secretary, Ringing Master and Handbell Master. I also started ringing at St Wilfrid’s, learning to ring on more than eight bells. In 2012 I became a member of the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths, and the York Minster Society of Change Ringers. Four years after moving to York, I’m about to graduate with a Masters in maths, and absolutely no idea what I want to do in the future, apart from more ringing of course!

David Leese

I started learning to ring age 10, initially at Stranton, Hartlepool. After 6 months my family moved and I joined the band at Easingwold, a fine 8 in North Yorkshire. I rang there regularly for 8 years, 2 of those  as Tower Captain. Following 3 years at University in  Durham, I moved into York where I ring regularly at the Minster and St Wilfrid’s. I’m fortunate that I now regularly get opportunities to ring things that I thought would never have been possible in my early years as a learner.  I’ve managed to chalk up (more than enough) peals in a wide variety of methods, from Plain Bob Doubles to Bristol Suprise Maximus and have been a member of the York band in the last 4 National Twelve Bell Contests.

Ryan Mills

I started learning to ring at the age of 9 in Wigston Magna, Leics, and continued to ring around the area until I left for the University of York in 2011. I rang my first peal in 2010, and during 2011 I was part of a local peal band, where I learnt the majority of the Royal that I know. Also in 2011, I captained the Leicester team for the first RWNYC, while I was still young enough, which was a fantastic day out.

On moving to York I immediately started ringing wherever I could, which has enabled me to improve my ringing at all stages, 8-bell through to 12-bell, in terms of both methods and striking. I became master of the York Colleges Guild in 2011, and have since been heavily involved in ringing with and teaching ringers of my own age. I am currently also a member of the York Minster Society of Change Ringers and of the band at St Wilfrid’s, York.