In 2005 each PCC that subscribes to the Bell Repair Fund was sent a copy of the conditions and rules for applying for grants from the Fund.
There was some exciting news from Youlgreave. When the bells were augmented to ten, they were hung in a frame for thirteen bells. The decision has now been taken to implement the augmentation and it is hoped that the bells will be ringing for Easter 2006. An anonymous donor has offered to donate a large sum of money towards the augmentation. At a special Committee meeting it was agreed to offer a grant of £2,400 from the Bell Repair Fund, plus an interest free loan of £5,000, for up to two years, towards this project.
The planned project at Hartington continues. Progress is slow, due to the large amount of paperwork that has to be attended to before a start can be made on the work. An offer of a grant of £5,000, plus an interest free loan of up to £10,000 has been made.
English Heritage was consulted about the work needed at Sandiacre and advised that the bells should be hung lower in the tower. The tenor bell swings into the space for the louvres and therefore would not fit if the bells were hung at a level with no such space. Therefore it has been decided to rehang the bells in a two-tier frame, leaving room for possible future augmentation. The new frame is currently being designed.
A grant of £200 was made towards work done at Hayfield.
An enquiry has been received about possible help for restoring the ten tubular bells at Riddings. There are only three rings of tubular bells in the Diocese: the other two are at Trinity Chapel in Buxton, which are in working order, and at Cromford, which are unhung.
Finally, if your bells give you any reason for concern, do remember that the Association's Bell Consultants will make a free inspection of the installation, if requested by the PCC. If it is found that work costing over £1000 needs to be done, then please apply to the Fund before the work commences. Contact numbers for the Bell Consultants and the BRF Secretary may be found on page 8 of this Annual Report
Pat Halls
This scheme enlists the financial support of Parochial Church Councils on a regular basis in carrying out the aims of the Fund. When the Fund was set up in the early sixties the annual subscription was fixed at £1. Nowadays subscription amounts are left to the generosity of individual PCCs. Currently 78 PCCs are affiliated, each paying an annual subscription varying from £3 to £50, with the majority paying between £10 and £20. During the year each contributing PCC is sent a report on the Fund, plus a copy of the Association's Annual Report.
Parochial Church Councils affiliated to the Bell Repair Fund 2005
The Association is grateful to the following PCCs for their continued support for the Bell Fund.
| Alvaston Ashbourne Ashford in the Water Ashover Aston on Trent Ault Hucknall Bakewell Barlborough Barrow-on-Trent Baslow Beighton Belper Bonsall Bradbourne Brailsford Breadsall Breaston Burbage Castleton Chesterfield |
Church Broughton Clay Cross Creswell Cubley Denby Derby Cathedral Derby St Luke Derby St Peter Dinting Vale Doveridge Dronfield Duffield Eckington Egginton Etwall Eyam Fairfield Glossop Great Longstone Hathersage |
Hayfield Heath Hope Horsley Killamarsh Long Eaton Longford Matlock Melbourne Monyash Morley Mugginton New Mills Newton Solney Old Brampton Old Whittington Osmaston Pinxton Repton Ripley |
Sandiacre Sawley Scarcliffe Scropton South Wingfield Spondon Stanton by Dale Sutton on the Hill Swanwick Ticknall Tideswell Tissington West Hallam Whitfield Wingerworth Winshill Wirksworth Youlgreave |