Applications

Applying for a DLS Award

Download an application form

Download these details and rules

Rules modified in 2022, (introduction updated in 2024)

The Dorothy L Sayers Society make an annual award to a young ringer, enabling the recipient to attend a recognised training course to improve her ringing skills.

Dorothy Leigh Sayers (1893 –1957) was a renowned English crime writer, poet, playwright, essayist, translator, and Christian humanist. She was also a student of classical and modern languages. One of her most famous crime novels, The Nine Tailors, centres around the bell ringers at a parish church in the Fens. Tradition has it that Dorothy joined the Ladies Guild and was taught to ring by members of the Guild. Hence the connection between the Dorothy L Sayers Society and the Ladies Guild of Change Ringers.

Applications for the Dorothy L Sayers Young Lady Ringer of the Year are normally invited at the AGM in June for the following year. 

An applicant must be under the age of 22 on 30th April in the year of their application, should be a paid up member of the Ladies' Guild and should have attended a minimum of three Ladies' Guild meetings or events during the previous 24 months (to be verified by a District officer).

An applicant should apply for the award by completing an application form. This includes writing no more than 300 words, saying why they enjoy belonging to the Ladies Guild and and how they would benefit from attending a recognised training course (such Bradfield, Hereford or the North West Ringing Course. The completed application form, should be sent to the District Secretary of the applicant's district, for forwarding to the President of the Ladies Guild. 

You can download an application form here.

Rules for the Award

For information, the rules for the award are:

1. Applicants should apply using the Ladies Guild Dorothy L Sayers Award Form (download here).

2. The applicant should be under the age of 22 on 30th April in the year in which the application is submitted.

3. The applicant should be a paid up member of the Ladies' Guild and have attended a minimum of three Ladies' Guild meetings or events during the previous 24 months (to be verified by a District officer).

4. The successful applicant should attend the training course within 18 months of the award being announced at a Guild AGM.

5. Within 3 months of completing the course the recipient should submit to the Guild Secretary a short report outlining how she has benefited from the Award. This may be published in the Guild annual report and on the Guild website.

6. When necessary the Ladies' Guild will pay for a parent, mentor or chaperone to accompany the successful applicant on the ringing course.

7. The Ladies Guild will seek permission to use, for publicity purposes, any photographs taken in connection with the award.

Time Scale

• Early January. Invite all Districts to seek nominations.

• End of April. Completed application forms to the District Secretary (or equivalent)

• 15th May. Application forms and membership verification forwarded to the national Guild secretary.

• End of May / early June. Decision taken by the national Guild president or national committee and the applicants notified.

• June AGM. Announcement of successful applicant.

• August. Arrangements made for the recipient to formally receive the award from a representative of the Dorothy L Sayers Society.

Current contact details for the Guild President, and for all the District Secretaries, are on the Ladies Guild website: here