The following criteria for the allocation of grants and loans have been previously agreed at meetings of the Central Council. It should be noted that only in exceptional circumstances will any grant or loan exceed £1,000.
Applications will be considered for the following:
1.1 Restoration or augmentation work to existing bell installations, or the provision of new bell installations, in any country in the world where the bells are, or are to be, hung for full circle ringing.
1.2 Costs of structural and other ancillary work integral to the bell installation will be considered when these are in addition to work on the bell installation.
1.3 Loans or guarantees (when funds allow) to the bell restoration funds (BRFs) of societies affiliated to the Central Council, where the trustees may wish to make offers or promises of future grants in excess of the money currently available in their funds.
2.0 Offers of grants, loans or guarantees will normally be made from the Fund only if:
2.1 Support and approval for the project are to be given by the local ringing society, and
2.2 Support and approval for the project are given by the PCC or other appropriate authority, and
2.3 There is in place an existing band of ringers or the project plans include a firm commitment to recruit and train a band, and
2.4 Consideration has been given to the need to include any form of sound control within the project specification.
Priorities
Priority will normally be given to applications as follows:
3.1 High priority will be given where there is an existing band of ringers and the bells are in imminent danger of becoming unringable.
3.2 For augmentations priority will be given to projects to restore or provide a ring of 5 or 6 bells.
3.3 Projects with a total cost of less than £5,000 will have low priority.
Administration
4.0 The Bell Restoration Committee (CCBRC) will be responsible for administering the Fund. It will normally operate as follows:
4.1 Grants, loans and guarantees will be allocated after advertising in The Ringing World, and elsewhere if appropriate, for applications to be made. Offers will be made and will remain open for two years and then lapse. No payment of a grant will be made until the work has been carried out satisfactorily and the bill presented. The intention is for money in the fund to be used rather than accumulated, but no offers of grants, loans or guarantees will be made if no suitable applications are received.
4.2 As far as possible a balance will be struck so that grants, loans and guarantees are spread geographically and socially, and in proportion to the types of applications received, spread of centres of ringing and any other relevant factors. Also a balance will be struck among grants, loans and guarantees in approximate proportion to the requests received, but with each batch of applications assessed on their own merits.
4.3 Loans or guarantees will be subject to written agreements, with repayments unlikely to be over a greater period than two years, although shorter periods will be encouraged. The BRF’s ability to repay will be assessed before any loans or guarantees are offered. It is not intended that interest will be charged.
4.4 The CCBRC may consult as necessary before offering any grant, loan or guarantee, including inviting comment from other parties, such as the local society affiliated to the Central Council.
4.5 Appeals against decisions of the Bell Restoration Committee will be determined by the Trustees of the Central Council. Such appeals must be made in writing to the Secretary of the Central Council within 3 months of the initial decision being made and the Trustees will then consider the application afresh.
Further information
For further information, please contact the Committee Secretary Jay Bunyan, email: (email)
