Imogen Carrie includes an article from The Cumberland & Westmorland Herald:
A GROUP of Eden Valley school pupils are keeping bell ringing traditions alive in Lazonby, ensuring that the chimes echo in the village for generations to come.
The youngsters are learning the ropes at St Nicholas’ Church under the tutelage of Lazonby bell tower captain Michael Allison and Penrith ringer and Lazonby’s ringing master Imogen Carrie.
Eleven-year-olds Eliza Forsyth, Maddison Ousby, Martha Tallentire, and Izzy-Anna Tallentire, along with 13-year-old Milly Lawson and 16-year-old Hannah Saudek regularly attend the Wednesday evening lessons. Another member of the group, Elisa Liptrot, is now attending university in Newcastle but she has continued her bellringing while studying in the North East.
They’ve become so adept that they are now taking part in bellringing competitions, competing as the Belles of Lazonby.
Milly started bellringing when she was five during school holidays after moving to Penrith from Watford in 2015. She took it up in earnest a few years later. Milly said: “I really enjoy it. It is great fun. It’s my favourite part of the week.”
Fellow student Martha added: “You need to be strong to do it. I like ringing the heaviest bell. It is good exercise.”
Tutor Imogen has been bell ringing for 13 years, having started at the age of 12. She lives in Penrith and works as a hairdresser in Keswick. A qualified bellringing teacher, she got involved in the Lazonby sessions when Michael asked her to lend a hand.
She said: “The heaviest bell weighs 600cwt whilst the lightest is 300cwt. There is a lot of technique involved, but the girls are really strong. They can handle the heavy bells very well. If I put them on the light bells, they don’t like it.”
“They are pretty good and they are progressing. Some of them are learning method changing which involves memorising the rules for generating each change of sequence.”
Maddison, who started bellringing in 2021, maintains it is not difficult to do, but it could be in her blood. Her great grandfather was church warden and tower captain at Lazonby. Eliza likes to lead the team and started learning in 2022.
Aside from the young learners, the Lazonby group has some adult members too, including local residents Geoff Wilson and Stan Jenkins.
Imogen added: “We are always on the lookout for any new members who are interested to learn. It is nice to keep the tradition going. We have six young people under 16 which is great. We have the largest group of young learners in the area compared to other churches.”
