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Historic Church Bell Restoration Fundraising Concert

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A medieval music band, the Colchester Waits, is hosting a concert to raise funds for the bell restoration project at St Andrew's Church in Earls Colne. The group aims to raise between £60,000 to £70,000 for the complete refurbishment of the 150-year-old church bells. The bell-ringers, led by Trevor Beadle, 73, have already raised around £4,000 to £5,000 through three fundraising events since December.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Colchester Waits are performing a fundraising concert to support the bell restoration fund at St Andrew's Church in Earls Colne, aiming to raise £60,000 to £70,000.
  • The church bells were installed 150 years ago and require complete refurbishment, including re-tuning, new fittings, and working parts, to remain functional.
  • The bell-ringers have already raised around £4,000 to £5,000 through three fundraising events since December.
  • Trevor Beadle, 73, is the tower captain and has expressed concerns that if the bells are not refurbished within the next 10 to 15 years, they will become difficult to ring.
  • The Colchester Waits are a medeival music band formed over a decade ago, recreating the sound of the 16th-century town band with reproduction instruments.
  • The band performs twice monthly and has a diverse group of musicians from various musical backgrounds.
  • Lizzie Gutteridge, 42, is a member of the band and a bell-ringer at St Andrew's Church, expressing enthusiasm for the fundraising event.
  • The concert will take place at St Andrew's Church on Sunday from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm, with tickets available for £10 (£8 under-18s) from the band's website or on the door.

Statistics:

  • £60,000 to £70,000: target amount for bell restoration fund
  • £4,000 to £5,000: amount raised by bell-ringers since December
  • 150 years: age of the church bells
  • 10 to 15 years: timeframe for completing the bell refurbishment project
  • 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm: concert time at St Andrew's Church
  • £10 (£8 under-18s): ticket price for the concert

Sources:

  • Byline: Macaully Moffat
  • The Gazette - Local News for Colchester and Beyond (no publication date provided)

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