A few weeks ago a crew from BBC’s click programme came to Christchurch to find out more about how we are using the latest release of the Abel simulator software to teach people to ring. This has moving video images of real ringers, so our new ringers can practice ringing in time with an electronic band of ringers, rather than real ringers.

They tell us that it’s less embarrassing than making mistakes ringing with real people, and we can be much more flexible in fixing up practice sessions, so our new ringers learn more quickly.

The BBC have told us that a radio version of the programme will be broadcast on BBBC World Service on Tuesday 6th January at 19.32. It will be repeated on Wednesday 7th January at 00.32; 04.32 and 13.42 GMT. It can also be downloaded as a podcast afterwards from –  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002w6r2/episodes/player

The producers have not yet scheduled the Television version of the programme, which will be shown on various BBC channels. We will let you know, once we know.

An article about the software was also published in The Ringing World magazine and is downloadable below from the following link: Ringing World article

Screenshot of Abel

Chris Hughes the author of the Abel software

Jinny Kuffluk, Graham Long and Chris Hughes ringing up ready to be filmed for TV