For the Mavis Whitehead Trophy - 17th October 2026
1. Objective
1.1 The objective of the Competition is to encourage ringing on twelve bells in the south-east of England, through providing an opportunity for bands to foster a focus to their ringing and to enjoy fellowship with other ringers in the area. The Competition shall be held annually, and the winning band shall be awarded the Mavis Whitehead Trophy.
2. Entry qualifications
2.1 Any twelve-bell tower, or band or Association that rings regularly on twelve bells within the counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire & Isle of Wight, Hertfordshire, Channel Islands, Sussex, Surrey, Kent & Oxfordshire, is invited to enter a team.
2.2 In addition, the organisers may invite bands from outside the specified counties as they see fit.
2.3 Subject to Rule 2.4, each member of a team must, at the time that entries are submitted, have a current and regular / semi-regular association with the tower and/or Band and/or Association / Guild they represent.
2.4 Teams not able to provide 12 ringers may apply in advance to the organisers, to include ringers in their band who do not have the required local association, but do reside within the overall area. As long as the application is not against the spirit of the Competition, it will be allowed.
2.5 A confirmed band list must be provided to the organisers two weeks before the Competition, with amendments permitted in unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances, such as illness.
2.6 Ringers may ring for more than one band, but not more than two separate bands. No band should contain more than 50% (6) ringers who are also ringing for any other band. People ringing in more than one band must ring a different bell for the second band.
3. Organisation
3.1 Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, the Competition will be held on the third Saturday in October.
3.2 Each team will have a 30min slot to use for practice and the test piece. The first 15mins of this can be used as the team sees fit, the second 15mins must be used for their test piece.
3.3 Teams must begin their test piece by no later than 15mins into their time slot.
3.4 Each band must be in the changes of the test piece 15 minutes before the end of their timeslot. The signal to the judges will be two whole pulls on 1,2 (i.e. 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2) rung any time after 10 minutes of the timeslot have elapsed and immediately before starting the rounds that precede the test piece.
3.5 Teams that fail to finish their test piece by the end of their 30min time slot will be penalised by each change after that time being classified as a full fault.
4. Towers, Test pieces, and Judging
4.1 The organisers will arrange a tower, judges and, by agreement with participating bands, select an appropriate test piece.
4.2 The organisers will publish detailed procedures and guidance on the administration of the competition, and will make these available to each team. These will specify arrangements for draws at the competition venue, timing, stewarding, and emergency procedures.
5. Rules
5. 1 Representations to make changes to the rules can be made by bands within the area in Rule 2.1, though no changes will be effected between the date of the invitation of entries and the Competition.
6. Fees
Each band will pay an entry fee of £60.