Successful Planning Meeting held

Last night a group of 8 people interested in the bell appeal met at the village club to discuss future action. We were please to welcome Bev Davies, who lives in the village and Mary Wheeldon, both of these being descendants of two of the six men  from the village killed in WWI and mentioned on the war memorial. It is are hope that one of the new bells will be provided in their memory.


John Mulvey outlined what the appeal was hoping to achieve. He mentioned how he was going to involve Year 5/6 from the village school in recording the project, finding out about bells and bellringing and also helping to research the background of the six men. It was the hope of the meeting that their findings would be presented in an exhibition in the village.


So far £20,000 had been raised or promised, which leaves only £5,000 to be raised for the cheaper option or about £12,000 for the preferred option.


Now that we have permission from the diocese to carry our the work; a faculty, John had started to apply to trusts for grants.


The meeting felt that as a sizable sum had been raised some preparatory work should be undertaken to show that progress was being made. This was in the hope that this would encourage further donations.


Linda Hayes indicated that at least 5 people were willing to learn to ring and John Mulvey said that it was his hope to start an after school bell ringing club for children from the school.


The next fundraising event was the Quiz on Friday 12th June at the club. The next group meeting was fixed for Thursday, 15th October. All interested people welcome to attend.

Quiz Evening Friday 12th June

Another quiz evening in aid of the bell appeal will be held at Drayton Club on Friday, 12th June beginning at 7.30pm. The cost is £7 which will include a fish and chip supper. Teams of up to six welcome.


The quiz held last November was attended by over 70 people and raised nearly £700. Let's make this quiz as successful.


Entries to Linda Hayes on 07921 256180 or email lindleigh@btinternet.com by Monday 8th June.

Another Generous Donation from a bell ringer

Today, unexpectedly, I received in the post a generous donation of £150 from a bell ringer to whom I had previously mentioned the Drayton appeal. He has no connection with this area but wanted to encourage what he said "was a very worthwhile project". This does act as a real encouragement to continue fundraising.

Faculty has been Granted

I have just received news that the official faculty document has been received by the churchwarden which gives the church permission to carry out the work in the bell tower.

A Big Thank You for Donations

Donations flow in


Since the last post on this blog many leaflets have been distributed in the local area, thanks to Linda Hayes for her help, and to other bell ringing groups. This has resulted in an increasing number of people donating over £700 to the bell appeal, most of this gift aided.  Some of it was donated personally. Many donated in memory of much loved locals Margaret and Brian, whose funeral was held recently at St Peter's. £170 was donated at their funeral service and Miss S Orton collected £57 in their memory from their friends at the local bingo group. A big thank you to all those who have given.


Official Permission to begin will be granted soon


The "waiting period" will soon be over for the application to carry out the work on the bells. A notice, asking for comments, has been posted near the church door for 28 days and when this period has been completed the Chancellor of the Diocese will grant us official permission to carry out the work; this is called a faculty The main work on the bells will not begin immediately. Once permission has been granted preparation work will begin; extension work to the electrics in the tower to provide a safer environment and creation of openings in the tower floors to enable the new bells to raised up the tower. 


When will the new bells be in position?


No date has been fixed as this depends on how quickly we raise the funds needed to carry out the work. Once the faculty has been issued, applications will be made to trusts for grants towards the work. Hopefully if we are successful this will quicken the date when six bells will ring out from St Peter's church.

Advisory Committee Recommends Go Ahead with Project

The Diocese Advisory Committee met last Tuesday and considered the application to carry out the work we wish to do in the tower.  They have recommended that the application be approved by the Diocesan Chancellor.  Before this can take place a notice needs to be positioned near the main church door at Drayton detailing the work and asking whether their are objections. This needs to be in place for 28 days, after which the Chancellor should approve our application and work can begin.

Tremendous News - Grant Application Success

As I previously posted, I made an application for a grant towards our bell appeal to the ruling body of bellringing, The Central Council. This body administers legacies which have been left specifically for bell restoration work.


I have received an email today saying that the  Drayton Bell Appeal has been awarded a grant of £1,000 to be paid on completion of the work.


Marvellous news that will spur us on towards our target of six bells ringing in St Peter's church.