About Us

Welcome to the BC Guild of English Handbell Ringers (BCGEHR) – where music, community, and creativity come together in a uniquely powerful (and seriously fun) way. Our guild honours and supports handbell musicians and ensembles of any configuration, focus or affiliation (school, church, community).

From humble beginnings, we’ve been building a vibrant, province-wide handbell community of musicians, educators and music lovers of all ages since 1993.Whether you're brand new to handbells or a seasoned ringer, there's a place for you here.

What We’re About

Our goal is to make handbell ringing accessible, exciting, and collaborative. We aim to:

• Connect handbell choirs and musicians from across BC
• Support and inspire new choirs, including intergenerationals
• Offer hands-on workshops and training for ringers and directors
• Publish Quarternotes, our quarterly newsletter full of tips, stories, and events
• Provide programs, tools, and resources to support our growing community
• Encourage members to get involved nationally with Handbell Musicians of Canada (HMC)

Why Join?

We’re more than just a guild—we’re a movement. Handbells are a team sport for music lovers, and we offer lots of ways to get involved, grow your skills, meet like-minded people and benefit in a bunch of other ways:

• Our Spring Ring Festival – held every two years – is a chance to perform, learn, and celebrate
• Regional and mini-workshops tailored to your group’s needs
• Music and chime loan programs – perfect for schools, community groups, and new choirs
• Eligibility for financial support through our Endowment Fund grants and student bursaries

Our newsletter, Quarternotes, keeps you in the loop with events, inspiration, and stories from fellow ringers — provincially, nationally and internationally.

Not Your Grandmother’s Handbells

(Okay, maybe they are… but they’re also yours.)

Handbell ringing is rhythmic, dynamic, musical, and surprisingly modern. It combines the teamwork of a band with the finesse of an orchestra. You don’t need to be a pro musician to start—basic music skills are often enough, with a healthy dose of curiosity and a sense of rhythm. Some groups even cater to absolute musical beginners.

So whether you’re a music teacher, a choral singer or instrumentalist looking for a new twist, or just someone who wants to try something totally different—we’re here to welcome you.

Let’s make music together!