BELL ringing is not just the domain of bookish types with a penchant for wearing socks with sandals.
Just ask Nicola Stark, a 34-year-old with two small children who wants to open up the mysterious world of campanology to the young, the old, and even – as she puts it – "yummy mummies".
Ms Stark has been bell ringing since she was 10. Now she is helping lead the recruitment drive for new ringers at Shenfield St Mary's.
The group has around eight regular ringers, but they need another three or four to ensure all six bells can be rung for all of its services and other occasions.
She said: "I want to challenge the stereotypes that go with bell ringers.
"It's not all for people who wear socks with their sandals, although you do get people like that.
"There's no reason why it can't be for yummy mummy types too."
Although bell ringing does not just require arms of steel and the stamina of an ox, Ms Stark says it does take time to learn the intricate skill of bell changing – and the sequences in which the bells are rung known as methods.
Most bell rounds go through a quarter peel of 45 minutes, but a full peel lasts for three hours and involves up to 5,000 bell changes.
"It's wrong that people think bell ringing is for strong people, but it does take a bit of concentration," she said.
"The secret is just to keep the momentum going on the bells. Once you can control the bells, you start learning the methods."
Ms Stark started ringing thanks to her parents, veterans of the bell-ringing world who have used their skills in churches as far afield as Australia.
After dropping the hobby for a few years while going through university, Nicola began ringing at Shenfield St Mary's three years ago after the family moved to the borough.
"It's a really nice hobby to be able to do something away from the family and the children.
"It's a really distinctive part of English heritage and it's really important that we keep it going."
Beth Johnson, who has been ringing for 45 years since the age of 13, is helping out at St Mary's while the church's Tower Captain – the lead ringer – recovers from illness.
She said: "It's an important part of my Christian witness, but it's a great hobby.
"It's good for anyone between 10 and 80 – for all different ages – there are not many hobbies where that happens."
