The appeal fund continues to grow; it now stands at just over £92,000! We are greatly encouraged by the support and interest shown by the people of Writtle.  As mentioned in the last issue, there are just two bells (the most expensive two!) that have not as yet been sponsored. They are the number eleven at £15,700 and number twelve (the tenor) at £20,800. If you are thinking of making a donation or sponsoring a bell, or you may know someone or a group of people who might wish to, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. If we are able to raise sufficient funds to pay for these bells by June of this year, then there is still a good possibility that the project will be completed within the Jubilee year.

Our fund raising events for the remainder of this year are as follows:

Essex Police Band Concert - Saturday 27th April in All Saints Church
Tower Open - Sunday 2nd June
A Jubilee Teddy Bear Event! - Monday 3rd June

Following the success of last years Teddy Bear Parachuting from the Church Tower, we are holding another event that will involve intrepid activities from the Tower. Details of the tasks involved are being worked out at present.  All will be revealed later. Suffice to say, it will not be for the feint-hearted Teddies! Some training exercises leading up to the event will be an advantage. This year we hope that more Teddies will make an effort to seek sponsorship. 

Barn Dance - Saturday 13th July in Writtle College Tithe Barn
Quiz Night - Saturday 28th September in the Village Hall
An Auction of Promises - Saturday 23 November in the Village Hall

This event is an opportunity to participate in a fun evening, and perhaps for you or your business to gain some publicity, new customers or society members.  For this event we are seeking promises of goods and services which can be bid for at an evening auction. The evening will be a relaxed social event with wine and buffet. The scope for promises is almost unlimited, but to set you thinking some examples of promises are: a candlelit meal at a restaurant, a meal cooked in your own home for a dinner party, a course of driving lessons, a hairstyling session, attendance at an educational course, a reflexology session, a holiday in a villa, a cricket bat signed by the Essex team, a trip in a helicopter, a day behind the scenes at BBC Essex, a day with a vet, etc etc. If you or someone you know would be interested in offering a promise please do get in touch. To a great extent the success of the evening will depend upon having a good auctioneer.  At present we don't have one, so if you know an auctioneer who might be willing to do this for us, we would be very pleased to hear from them. 

In addition to fundraising, over the last year we have been busy addressing all the technical issues of the project. Drawings showing the details of the frame and bells have been produced and approved by the Chelmsford Diocesan Advisory Committee. As part of the process we have consulted with English Heritage and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). In consideration of their concerns for retaining the old frame our scheme preserves a good proportion of the old frame in the clock room. 

Phil Stephens, Tower Captain - 01245 421022.