Appeal Update - June 2001

By the time you read this, some of you should be recovering from the long climb to the top of the Church Tower and, of course, there should be many Teddy Bears, proudly displaying their bravery certificates following their parachuting exploits! Also, the balloons launched from the top of the Tower should now be in far off lands and the owner of the winning balloon will be announced shortly.

At the time of writing (3^rd May), our appeal fund stands at £41,000. This sum comprises many donations and specific pledges to sponsor seven of the twelve bells. This is a brilliant start to the appeal and we are very encouraged by the way people have taken this project to heart.

Sponsoring a bell is an excellent way of providing a long lasting memorial to a loved one or commemorating a particular event. The five bells that have not yet been sponsored are the bigger, and consequently more expensive, ones. Joint Sponsorship, as a way of reducing the cost to the individual, is a possibility that people may wish to consider. Another possibility is sponsoring the component parts of a bell mechanism. The approximate cost of the main parts are indicated below:

 

Bell	£5,400 - 16,200		Rope	£150
Headstock	£1,000 - 1,400		Pulley	£100
Wheel	£900 - 1,300		Slider	£25
Frame section	£1,000		Stay	£20
Clapper	£300 - 600

 

All donations received for this project will be recorded in a book, which will be kept in the church. Those who sponsor bells will be able to choose an inscription to be cast on the bell and the names of those in memoriam will be included on a plaque to be situated in the church.

We aim to have the project complete in time for the news bells to ring out to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee in June 2002. This is an ambitious target and to ensure meeting it, we need to be in a position to place an order with the foundry in October of this year. Clearly we can't place the order until we know we will have sufficient funds, so if you are thinking of contributing to this project in any way then please don't hesitate.

Don't miss our next two events:-

Barn Dance - Saturday 14^th July. In the Tithe Barn, Lordship Road, courtesy of Writtle College.  Dancing, from 7.45pm - 11.15pm, to the Old Court Ceilidh Band. In between the jigging and stripping the willow there will be some entertainment and there will be a fish and chip supper. Please bring your own liquid refreshment. Tickets £10 for adults, £5 for children - are available from Marion Brewster 420648 or Christina Fleckney 421166.

Handbell Ringers Coffee Morning - Saturday 1^st September at 9 Chancery Place. 10.00am-12 noon. Writtle handbells, plants, cakes and stalls.

Quiz night - Saturday 29^th September in the Christian Centre. 8.00pm - 11.00pm. Bring your own liquid refreshment. Supper provided.

We look forward to seeing many of you at these events. Many thanks for all the support we have had so far. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about the appeal or if you would like to help in some way.