BELL RESTORATION: You can see the bells underneath the organ gallery. They have been returned to us after the process of cleaning, restoration and re-tuning. They have new headstocks attached to them. There is a new rack for the chiming ropes to be set into and new hammers/clappers for each bell. Work to bring them back up into the spire takes place on Tuesday and the church will be closed for most of the day whilst the lifting crane is in place at the West End to hoist them across the organ gallery and then they will be winched up into the belfry. The restoration fund closed last weekend with us raising a fantastic £95,000 (with just under £10,000 of that coming from Gift Aided donations). Thank you to those who have so generously helped fund this project with your kindness and your giving. Once the bells have returned to their proper hanging space, the work begins to re-attach everything that makes them work. The clock will be kicked into action again (but maybe not until all the fixing work is completed) and a new automated ringing system will allow us to make better use of the bells we have restored. A tenth bell is being commissioned to commemorate the 160th Anniversary of the Church and the restoration project. It is a much smaller bell that will sit on the sanctuary and used for Mass.
BELL RESTORATION: The restoration fundraising ‘thermometer’ keeps on rising and that is down to your wonderful generosity. This last week, has seen even more coming in. Just before the weekend the total finds itself at £94,820.96. What another generous week it has been. (which includes £9,868.91 in tax reclaimed from donations). That is a fantastic position to be in after just a couple of months. Thank you to those who have so generously helped fund this project with your kindness and your giving. There have been wonderful initiatives to help raise the funds and it is so good to see families and individuals coming up with ways of increasing the fundraising. As you know the total cost (inc VAT) is £108k and the parish will pick up the VAT bill knowing that, as a listed place of worship, we can reclaim that VAT paid. Photos of the bells in their restoration stage can be found on our parish Facebook page.- https://www.facebook.com/groups/506005493424709
