Report for the year ending 31 December 2016 (adopted at AGM May 2017).
The past year has been relatively quiet when compared to 2015. The year commenced in January with a very enjoyable service at Westham to mark the recommissioning of their bells. The whole village is pleased to hear them ringing again and I was told that the grant we had offered, and subsequently paid, was the catal
Report for the year ending 31 December 2015 (adopted at AGM May 2016).
The past year has seen the completion of a number of projects supported by the Bell Restoration Fund including two that have been in the pipeline for a little while.
Firstly, early in the year the eight bells at St Nicholas’ church in Arundel had their bearings, clappers and pulleys replaced. Whitechapel Bell Foundry were contracted to carry out the work and fund raising was masterminded by Teresa Kendall, who subsequently moved to Devon. When the work was being carried out one of the gudgeons on the fourth bell was found to be lose so this was rectified. Whilst the work was being undertaken the bell chamber was cleaned and the frame repainted by local labour. This alone saved the parish over £7,000; a grant of £3,500 was given to assist with the work.
Report for the year ending 31 December 2014 (adopted at AGM May 2015).
Monday 13th January saw work commence at St. Mary, Balcombe, where Mike Cattell, David Cragg and myself, were the volunteer labour force. Whitechapel Bell Foundry had the contract to completely overhaul the clapper assemblies, fit new sliders, runner boards, pulley blocks and bearings. Everything was removed that day, and measurements for the new bearings were taken. The middle of February saw the bells being lifted in turn to fit the new bearings, and to start fitting the runner boards and pulley blocks. All was going well until one of the gudgeon pins was found to be loose in the number 3 headstock. This of course meant that t
Report for the year ending 31 December 2013 (adopted at AGM May 2014).
2013 has been a very quiet year for the Bell Restoration Fund committee compared with 2012.
At our meeting in April, applications for grants from St. Mary, Balcombe and St. Mary, Warbleton were discussed. In both cases, the projects are to overhaul or replace the majority of the running gear, including bearings, clappers, pulley blocks, sliders and runner boards. In the case of Balcombe Church, a grant of £3,000 has been offered to the PCC, and it was hoped that the work would be able to start in November. Unfortunately, Whitechapel Bell Foundry was unable to commit to this, and this work is now due to start in January 2014.
Report for the year ending 31 December 2012 (adopted at AGM May 2013).
Although being removed in September 2011, the bells at St. Luke, Milland were eventually ringing again by the end of February. The work was undertaken by Whites of Appleton, and included tuning the bells. Apart from the bells and frame, all other items were renewed, and the BRF paid its promised grant of £7,500 to the PCC.
