How will we raise the money?
Gift Aid
Campton Bell Appeal launched with ‘The BIG Ring’
What can you do?
Recent Fund raising Events
Future Events
To find out more
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In
many rural parishes across the UK bellringing is an important part of church
activity and village life. Bells are rung regularly, as at All Saints, Campton,
for church services and practice night, and also for weddings, anniversaries
and national events.
The cover of last year’s Christmas Newsletter featured a photograph of a
group of young people from Campton who were learning to ring. Developing
the theme of looking to the future, I commented that the bell installation
was not in good condition and that a major restoration would soon be necessary
for the art of bellringing to continue to thrive in the village.
Well, during 2003 plans for the bells were finalised, presented and thoroughly
debated and in October the PCC agreed for the project to go ahead. The Campton
Bells Appeal is being launched in January 2004.
So, what is the Bells Appeal all about and how much money do we need to raise?
We want to install a brand new peal of bells, specially cast to our own specification,
using state of the art methods of tuning. Effectively, this will provide
us with the best there is. As well as new bells, we will also be having a
new custom-designed metal bellframe to house them in the tower.
Currently we have a peal of 5 bells of poor tonal quality which are also
difficult to ring. Initially, we will be installing a new ring of 6 bells.
The new bellframe will house 8 bells, which gives us the option to add two
extra bells to complete the full octave. This can be done later or, if our
fundraising goes particularly well, as part of the initial scheme.
The cost of all this is around £70,000 and I can already hear people
wincing! Consider, the total weight of the bell metal is 1.5 tons, all the
bells are individually cast and tuned, the bell wheels are handmade and the
bellframe is specially made to our specification. We are buying masses of
specialist expertise. All in all, this represents tremendous value for money.
June 2006
NEWS FROM CAMPTON BELLS APPEAL
It's
difficult to believe that we launched the Appeal for a brand new ring of eight bells as long ago as New Year's Day 2004. The launch event, the 'BIG
Ring', involved Campton ringers and friends ringing the bells for an hour
non-stop. It also raised over £1500 and set the tone for the
Appeal, of regular fund raising events. A lot has
happened in the two years since.
The original
fund raising target was £62,000.
Bell metal has shot up in price and
our fund raising target has risen to
£75,000. The cost of
the complete job, including many 'extras', is
£84,000. Our total
raised is now £74,000, with around £10,000 still required.
One of the new bells will be inscribed to the
memory of Peter Luddington who gave great service as a bellringer at
Campton over 40 years. Three of the new bells have been given by members of
the congregation at All Saints Campton. Support from the
bellringing community has been unbelievable, with four of the eight bells donated by groups
of ringers. For example, Biggleswade area ringers has given a bell and a large group of
'Bedfordshire Ringers Past and Present' have funded the two largest bells.
'Music in
May', our most recent fundraising event, raised over £1500 for the
Bells Appeal. John Loveless, Co-Ordinator of Campton Bells Appeal, announced
that the order had been placed, the new bells will be cast at Taylor's
Bellfoundry at Loughborough in early June06 and the project would be
completed, with new frame and bells hung for ringing in the tower, in
March 2007.
Fundraising
efforts continue,
and we will be applying for more grants to add to the £18,000 obtained from grants so far. Also,
we are still gratefully accepting all donations! If you would like to support the Appeal please contact
John Loveless on 01462 819074 email j.loveless@erauk.net
We currently have five bells - in future we will have eight! So, we will need
more ringers once the new bells are
installed. The bells are rung regularly on Sunday
mornings and we practice
on Tuesday nights at 7.30pm. Many of the group we taught to
ring in 2002 are still ringing and we have more
learning.
Could I be a
bellringer? Probably! Bellringers are from all
age groups and range between the ages of 10 and 70! If you are
interested come and see us on a Tuesday night or call for more
details.
Thank you for your support
John
Loveless
(Co-Ordinator,
Campton Bells Appeal)
June 2005
NEWS FROM CAMPTON BELLS APPEAL
Target £70,000 ... £40,000 raised so far!
So, over half way there.....What now?........How can you help us?
Four of the new bells have already been generously donated by individuals
or groups. We would love to find donors or sponsors for two more bells. Each
bell can be inscribed with the donor's personal details and will form a lasting
memorial over hundreds of years to come as it rings out over Campton. The
cost of our new bells will be between £3500 and £6500 per bell,
depending on weight. This can be given as a lump sum or over a period of
time.
Bell fittings can also be donated. These cost less but they are very important
because without the fittings the bells cannot be rung. Please see 'What we can do'
for a list of the fittings available to be sponsored. There are six sets
of each item available, one for each bell. The names of donors will be recorded
for posterity.
Don't forget our next Fundraising Event. This is on Saturday June 18th, a
Live Band and Supper at Robert Bloornfield School from 7.30prn until late.
(See Future Fund raising Events ). We hope to see you there!
If you are able to help in any way, please contact John Loveless (819074)
if you would like any further information ... Or why not join us on a Tuesday
evening, from 7.30-9prn and have a go at bellrining yourself!
A big thank you to everyone for your support so far!
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