Read handbooks for bell choir directors. Learn about the instrument, what makes a good handbell player, where to buy bells and what songs to teach your ensemble.
Advertise in the places you hope to find performers, such as your school or church bulletin. Post fliers and make announcements. Explain the rehearsal commitment and performance goals of the group.
Offer in your ad to teach people who do not know how to play handbells. Most of your musicians will be beginners, so reassure potential choir members that they do not need experience.
Acquire a set of bells. Make sure that you have all the pitches you need to play the songs you intend to perform.
Assign bells to your choir members based on their wrist strength. Give heavier bells to physically stronger musicians; give bells used more frequently in melodies to musicians with greater dexterity. Spend the first rehearsal or two determining which bells are the best fit for each person.
Rehearse regularly. Try to have all players present at each rehearsal. Be patient while the group learns how to play their instruments and begins to function as an ensemble.