The tenth annual Ringing World National Youth Contest took place on Saturday 11th September 2021 in Worcester. Teams competed for the coveted Whitechapel Trophy and the RW Editor’s Trophy for Excellence. The headquarters for the day was Worcester Cathedral; the contests took place at All Saints and Old St Martin’s.
The contest is open to bands comprising ringers aged under 19 on 31st August 2021.
Various towers in and around Worcester city centre were open, all easily accessible by public transport, alongside the ever popular handbell workshops.
Results
The results of the 2021 RWNYC in Worcester were as follows:
Method Ringing (All Saints), competing for the Whitechapel Trophy
| Position | Team Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxford D G (listen) | 9 |
| 2 | Sussex Young Ringers | 8 |
| 3 | D&N Young Ringers | 7.5 |
| 4= | Yorkshire Tykes | 7 |
| 4= | G&B | 7 |
| 6 | W & P Youths | 6 |
Call Changes (St Martin in the Cornmarket), competing for the Ringing World Editor’s Trophy for Excellence
| Position | Team Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kent Young Ringers (Y) (listen) | 9 |
| 2 | Essex Young Eagles | 8.5 |
| 3= | Worcester Cathedral | 8 |
| 3= | G & B | 8 |
| 5= | Young@Herts | 7.5 |
| 5= | Bath & Wells D A | 7.5 |
| 5= | Kent Young Ringers (R) | 7.5 |
| 8= | Lincolnshire Poachers | 7 |
| 8= | Surrey Strikers | 7 |
| 10= | Rising Ringers | 6.5 |
| 10= | Derbyshire Young Ringers | 6.5 |
| 12= | Coventry Spires | 6 |
| 12= | Go Bellistic! | 6 |
| 14= | Bucks and Berks | 5.5 |
| 14= | Cadbury Red Roses | 5.5 |
Judges
The ringing at All Saints was judged by Chief Judge Chris Poole and Assistant Judges Estella Haynes and Daniel Jarvis.
The ringing at St Martin in the Cornmarket was judged by Assistant Chief Judge Jo Knight and Assistant Judges Ewan Hull and Matthew Pearson.
Judging was assisted by the use of HawkEar, developed by Ian McCallion and operated on the day by David Richards and Matthew Thewsey.
COVID Guidlines
There is clearly a diverse set of opinions about the relaxation of restrictions – many towers have been ringing without masks for several weeks, whilst others are taking a much more cautious approach. We want to make the day as safe as possible for everyone – children and adults – attending, but without imposing unreasonable and unpolicable restrictions.
These guidelines have been discussed and agreed with the CCCBR Covid team, the RW and the local organisers. I realise that whatever we do, it will not be universally popular. The risk assessment is also available below.
Here are some facts, and what we are requesting:
- The local organisers have confirmed that all venues and towers are well ventilated.
- The stewards have been asked to restrict the number of people in a tower at any one time to twice the number of bells at that tower. This may mean that wait times at some towers are slightly longer, and we ask that you as team leaders help to manage expectations.
- The room being used for the results has a capacity of 600, but we are expecting around half that number to attend on Saturday. We will arrange the seating so that teams are socially distanced from each other.
- The results will last approximately 30 minutes.
- Medals will be collected rather than placed around necks – in a similar way to the Olympics and Paralympics this year.
- We ask that all those attending – children and adults – take a Lateral Flow Test no more than 48 hours prior to the event. Anyone with a positive test or with any symptoms should not attend. We know that all children returning to school are required to have a mandatory test.
- We recognise that some teams who have no substitutes may find themselves without a full contest band if a positive test occurs during the week. If you find yourself in this position, please contact me and I will see if any teams with similar itineraries have any spare ringers they might lend you.
- As per the CCCBR’s current Covid guidance, facemasks are expected – but not mandatory – if ringing with unvaccinated ringers (i.e. all children). It is not expected that the young ringers will wear facemasks when ringing their contest test piece, although they may choose to do so if they wish.
I hope that these requests do not cause you and your team too many issues, and that by sticking to them we can have a safe and enjoyable day on Saturday.
David Hull 6/9/2021
