Handbell guilds
Over the past 60 years handbell ringers in many countries have established guilds or mutually supportive groups, which provide support in many ways. When the guilds first started this support probably included:-
- Sharing ideas;
- Arranging events where handbell ringers from different groups can meet and make music together;
And as they became more established, possibly included:-
- Teaching and learning events to teach handbell skills. For example, workshops, demonstrations, seminars and on-line tutorials;
- Advice to people who are interested in setting up or being a member of a handbell group;
- Advice and support for group leaders;
- Advice about resources, such as music and equipment;
- Support for complying with local and national safety, legal, data-protection and other requirements.
Some guilds are national, some are smaller than one country and one is larger, covering two countries. They may cover a small geographical area (for example, Hong Kong) or a large area (for example, the USA). Some Canadian provinces have guilds and Handbell Musicians of Canada (HMC) is an umbrella national organisation. Handbell Societies of Australasia (HSA) is an umbrella organisation for ringers in two countries – Australia and New Zealand.
The important things are that the guild can provide support and development opportunities for all its members, and that the members feel that they are represented in the Guild decision-making process.
How a guild becomes a member of the IHC
Handbell guilds in different countries support each other, of course, and in the 1980s this gave rise to the idea of the International Handbell Symposium and the International Handbell Committee (IHC). You can read more about the origins of these in the History pages of this website.
When the IHC was first established it comprised six members and now, with the additional of Hong Kong and Singapore, there are eight. Other guilds are warmly invited to join the IHC, of course, and to do so, a guild needs to demonstrate that it represents, and provides development and support opportunities to, all the handbell ringers in its area, and that it is willing to run an International Handbell Symposium at an appropriate point in the cycle. For more detail, please see the “Membership” page of this website.
Please do contact the IHC Executive Director for further information.
The structure of the IHC
The IHC (International Handbell Committee) comprises two representatives from each of its eight member guilds, plus an Executive Director, who may serve for a single term of up to six years.
Meetings of the IHC may take place in person and on line, and are chaired by the Chair or President of the guild which is organising the next symposium in the cycle.
Subcommittees of the IHC
There is currently one Subcommittee – the Asia-Pacific Regional Group, which was established in 2025 to provide more ringing and learning opportunities for ringers in that region of the world who can not easily attend International Handbell Symposiums – especially younger people. This Group currently comprises members from Australasia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. In addition, handbell ringers from Taiwan and Thailand attend group meetings and events. The Group has its own Terms of Reference and reports to the IHC.
Other subcommittees have been established for limited periods of time for particular purposes.
IHC Finances
All work completed by IHC members is undertaken on a voluntary basis and is supported by their home guilds. The eight guilds also contribute a small fixed sum each year to support the work of the IHC in promoting handbell ringing.
National Guilds
Handbell Society of Australasia
Handbell Ringers of Great Britain
Handbell Association of Hong Kong
Handbell Musicians of America.