THE Parochial Church Council at St Andrew’s Church, Colebrooke, is celebrating the news that it has received a £35,000 funding boost from SUEZ Communities Trust (formerly SITA Trust) for the Colebrooke Bell Restoration project, and also that permission has been granted by the Exeter Diocese to proceed with the work.

St Andrew’s Church is Grade I listed and has one of the heaviest peals of six bells in Devon.

The bells date back as far as 1627 and are still rung every Sunday, as well as for weddings and special occasions.

The team of church bellringers at the church said it had become increasingly difficult to ring the bells and a professional survey conducted in 2016 recommended complete restoration and re-hanging of the bells, which requires the bells to be removed and transported to a foundry.

This project will repair and refurbish the existing peal of six bells.

The undertaking will involve scaffolding the tower, removing the bells and replacing the existing headstocks.  All bell fittings and bearings will be replaced and the bell frame repaired before the bells are rehung.

Fred Oliver, who is chairing the committee set up to achieve the restoration, said: “This generous grant from Suez Communites Trust has enabled us to start work on restoring these important and historic features of Colebrooke Parish community.

“We are also receiving significant donations from our local community and others as well as some other smaller but essential grants all of which are vital to meet the full costs of the work.

“We are pleased to have appointed Whites of Appleton, a company of specialist bell-hangers, to undertake the restoration and the actual removal of the bells will begin on November 15. They will be rehung in April 2018.”

Marianne Ivin, of SUEZ Communities Trust, added: “We are delighted to be able to help restore the bells in this very historic church.

“The local community have been listening to the bells for many years and we are pleased that our funding can allow this to continue. SUEZ Communities Trust provides grants through the Landfill Communities Fund.

“This important source of funding has been available since 1997 and has provided such worthy projects with more than £1.4 billion.”

Alan Quick