Holy Trinity Church Bell Project

Update on the bell project at Great Paxton Church.  

 A lot of work has been going on “ behind the scenes” to enable the refurbishment of the bells to take place this year. This has meant liasing with  bell experts as to the best way forward and also with potential grant making bodies. The full cost of the project will be in the region of £70,000. This includes VAT which will be reclaimable, also some electrical work and adaptations to the bell ringing floor.

A small group from the village have prepared an A5 flyer which has gone  to every home in the village. The flyer is commending the project and at this stage is simply asking villagers to indicate their support and appreciation of the work we hope to undertake. Below is a picture of one of the old bells, wheel and wooden headstock. The new headstocks will be in steel.

Members of the group will call to pick up the forms and the more we have returned, the more that our chances of securing grant funding will increase.

Later in the year, another flyer will invite individuals and families to sponsor one of the 12 sides of the 6 headstocks and have their name inscribed on them for posterity. If anyone is interested in knowing more at an early stage, please do contact Annette. They are likely to be £200.00 for a smaller inscription and £300.00 for larger letters. Five  are already accounted for!

Unless the bell fittings are refurbished very soon, it will not be possible to continue ringing them safely. We are very grateful for the donation of the costs of a new treble bell which will make a lovely peal of 6 bells. The oldest bell is dated 1400 – it is amazing to think that bells have been rung in church for 600 years!

If anyone is interested in sponsoring one side of a headstock and have your name recorded for posterity  please do let the Vicar Annette Reed know ASAP – as they are going fast!rev.reed@btinternet.com