Following the destruction of their tower by the earthquake of 22 February 2011, the ringers of Christchurch Cathedral, New Zealand, established a fund for the restoration of the bells. The Central Council agreed to set up a Restricted Fund to receive donations from the UK and Europe. This would minimise the cost of international money transfer fees and maximise the recovery of Gift Aid within the UK. It would also allow payment to be made directly for any work done in the UK.
Thanks to the generosity of ringers, that fund reached over £10,000, even though at the time there was no clear indication of how the restoration would proceed. But things have now moved on. The bells were shipped back to Loughborough where they had been cast, and investigations showed that all were sound apart from the fifth, which needed recasting. In November 2013 the Cathedral’s Administrator placed an order for the fifth to be recast and for entirely new ringing fittings to be manufactured for all the bells. The Central Council agreed to release £10,000 from the restricted fund as a contribution to this work. This has been completed and the bells are expected back in Christchurch in May 2014.
Restoration of the Cathedral itself is of course many years away but Christchurch now has a Transitional Cathedral of an innovative design by Shigeru Ban. Plans are in hand to house the first five of the old bells (including the recast 5th as the tenor) in a temporary tower next to the Transitional Cathedral, along with a newly cast light Treble to make up a light six. It is hoped to store the remaining bells in this tower also. This will allow at least some of the bells to sound out as a symbol of reconstruction and, very importantly, will maintain the band of ringers.
An appeal will be launched for construction of the temporary tower as soon as the plans are agreed and the Central Council fund is being kept open to continue to receive donations from the UK and Europe.
Donations
In order to minimise the cost of international money transfer fees and to maximise the recovery of Gift Aid within the UK, the Officers of the Central Council have agreed to receive donations from the UK and Europe.
All donations received by the Council are held in a restricted fund until the fund in Christchurch is ready to accept them, together with any accrued interest.
All donations will be recorded on this webpage (see below) either by name or anonymously, as preferred.
We recognise that the Christchurch ringers are embarking on a challenging project and we wish them well in this.
For further information please see:
How you can help
Please send your Sterling cheque to the CCCBR Hon Treasurer: Andrew Taylor, 2 Kingfisher Way, Kelvedon, Colchester, Essex CO5 9NS, UK. If your donation is made from taxable UK earnings please print, complete and enclose a copy of the Gift Aid form.
Please indicate whether you would like your donation to be acknowledged on this website in your name.
Donations from the British Isles as of 31st August 2014
The CCCBR gratefully acknowledges the following donations totalling over £15,200 including UK Gift Aid. As mentioned above, an amount of £10,000 was paid in November 2013 towards the restoration work undertaken, leaving a balance in the fund of just over £5,200:
Anonymous (19)
Mrs Stella Capo-Bianco
Peter Rivet
Robert Hardy
South Petherton Bell Ringers
St.German’s, Peel, IoM Bellringers
Denis Wager
Rosemary Hogan
Worcestershire & Districts Change Ringing Association
Margaret Perrott
John Hallett
Peter Humphreys
Peter Douglas Chapman
Ross G W Robertson
John Thorp
Richard James Cook
Theo Crowder
Peter Thorn
St Mary & All Saints Church, Willoughby on the Wolds Ringers
Patricia Halls
Dewbys Bells
St Cuthbert’s, Darlington, bell ringers and friends
St George’s, Douglas Bell Ringers
Valerie Clark
Bath & Wells DA -Crewkerne Branch
Lancashire Association
Eastern Division, Sussex County Association
Suffolk Guild of Ringers
The Eastern District Members of the Irish Association of Change Ringers
Christchurch Priory Bellringers
Exeter Cathedral Society of Ringers
Tavistock Bellringers
John & Jo Mitchell
James A Smith
Richard Heath
Andrew & Shirley Bolton
St Swithun’s Church Bell Ringers, East Grinstead
Ron Johnston
Topsham Ringers
Liz and Robert Watson
St Mary’s Bell Ringers, Tilston, Cheshire
Susan Bailey
Horsell Ringers
Ringers of St Mary’s, Lutterworth
Andrew Hamilton
Alan & Valda Stevens
Ringers of St Mary Magdalene, Reigate
In memory of Gwen Standring
Gilmorton Ringers
Chris & Sally Idle
Ringers of Whitwick, Leics
Ringers of All Saints, Banstead
Ringers of All Saints, Kingston upon Thames
Ringers of St Mary’s, Beddington
Aston on Trent Bell Ringers
Jeffrey Cousins
Basil Jones
Ringers of the Bridgwater Branch
Guildford Diocesan Guild
Coordinates Operations LLC
The N/NW Branch of the Devon Guild of Bell Ringers
Keith Hayton
St Brannock’s Society
Janet, Beryl and Brenda from Hayfield Bellringers, Derbyshire
