Funeral of Drayton Churchwarden

Tomorrow, following a service at Sutton Crematorium, there will be a thanksgiving service for the life of Don Hellmuth at 3pm at St Peter's Church Drayton Bassett.. Don was  one of the churchwardens at St Peter's Church and a committed supporter of the bell appeal.


With the agreement of the church and his family the present four bells will be rung half muffled before and after the thanksgiving service by members of the Tamworth bell ringing band.

Casting Date Announced

The foundry have announced that the 3 new bells for Drayton church will be cast on Wednesday afternoon 13th April 2016. The parish are organising a trip to the foundry to view the casting and take a tour of the foundry and its museum

Drayton Manor Park Donate a New Bell

It can be made public that Drayton Manor Theme Park have agreed to donate one of the three new bells. This bell will commemorate the lives of George and Vera Bryan, the founders of the park, who died last year. St Peter's Church are glad that such strong bonds exist between them and Drayton Manor. This bell will provide a permanent and audible memorial to George and Vera, who contributed so much to the area.

Order To Be Placed For Casting Of New Bells

Great news. The church council at its meeting last night agreed to place the order with John Taylor & Co of Loughborough for the casting of three new bells and the hanging of the present smallest bell as a chiming bell. The casting of the new bells will take place, hopefully sometime in Spring 2016. More definite dates will be given when our job is placed on the foundry's work schedule.

Sharpe Trust Award

I have just been informed that The Sharpe Trust has awarded a grant of £150 towards the preservation of the old present smallest bell by hanging it for chiming. This grant is payable on completion of the scheme.

PCC Give Permission for Preparatory Work to Commence

At the Drayton Bassett Church Council meeting held last night permission was given to proceed with the preparatory work in the tower.


This will consist of the following work.
1)  Creating openings in the floors to allow materials and the new bells to be hoisted up the tower
2)  The installation of the new ringing room floor by a local joiner, Adrian Taylor
3)  The dismantling of the fittings from the smallest bell, which is going to be hung stationary for chiming. Moving the present 3rd bell to create space for the new bells to be hoisted into the belfry.
4)  Upgrading the present electrical system in the tower to provide safe access to all parts of the tower.


It is hoped that some of this work will begin shortly.


The PCC will meet again in November when, it is hoped, an order will be placed with John Taylor Bell Founders  for the casting and installation of the new bells.

Drayton Cubs to visit Tamworth tower

Karl Hughes, the cub leader of Drayton Bassett Scout Group, contacted me last week about a visit to see bell ringing at Tamworth St Editha's. We've arranged for the cub group to visit the tower at St Editha's on Wednesday 21st October at 7pm. They will see the bells and watch what bell ringing is about. Perhaps this will encourage some of them to learn to ring the new bells at Drayton when they are installed.