The HCACR Bell Restoration Fund is a registered charity (No. 264847) which exists to provide grants to church authorities to help them provide, maintain or improve bells and bell installations, or maintain the fabric of towers and belfries. The area covered by the Fund is the county of Hertfordshire, although churches in the parishes of Chipping Barnet, Monken Hadley and Great Stanmore are also eligible.
The Fund was created in 1972, since when the value of its assets and the size of the grants awarded have increased steadily. Grants totalling over £227,000 have been made since that time. Apart from investment income, the Fund’s income comes from, and as a result of the activities of, ringers within the county. Many towers make an annual donation equivalent to the income from one wedding, there are donations – many covenanted – from individuals, and the Association usually donates its surplus income each year to the Fund. The Association subscription is traditionally set to ensure that around 50% of subscription income can be made available in this way.
Church authorities wishing to apply for a grant from the Fund should send full details of the proposed work, planned timescales, the present fund-raising status, and all estimates received, to the BRF Secretary.
Following an application for a grant, then, once the Fund’s Secretary has all the required information, the Fund’s Trustees will meet to discuss the application. If they decide that the proposed work is eligible then they may make a recommendation for a grant at a following Association General Meeting – usually the Annual General Meeting at the end of the following April. The Association itself decides whether to award a grant, and if so then how much, based upon the Trustees’ recommendation. Any grant is usually payable at the completion of work, although earlier payment is sometimes possible.
The grants awarded by the Fund since its creation are shown in the table below.
Anybody with any interest in the bells of Hertfordshire is encouraged to donate. For a gift aid and/or standing order form with bank details, please contact the BRF secretary who will be delighted to hear from you!
Year | Tower | Grant Amount | Estimated Cost | Percent | Purpose |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Great Amwell | 5000 | 74582 | 6.62 | Tower repairs |
2023 | Hitchin | 470 | 4700 | 10.00 | Rope Guides |
2023 | Tring | 400 | 4000 | 10.00 | Refurbishment |
2022 | Weston | 300 | 2775 | 10.81 | Stay box |
2022 | Hertford, All Saints | 2500 | 20275 | 12.33 | Rehang |
2022 | Bishop’s Stortford | 13500 | 127962 | 10.55 | Augmentation |
2021 | Little Munden | 5000 | 47725 | 10.48 | Replace Bell Frame |
2021 | Redbourn | 250 | 1020 | 24.51 | Rebush Clappers |
2020 | Furneux Pelham | 2928 | 5490 | 53.33 | Lower Ringing Room |
2019 | Cottered | 2000 | 8156 | 24.52 | Augmentation |
2018 | Norton | 150 | 444 | 33.78 | Clapper Repair |
2018 | Much Hadham | 7000 | 62275 | 11.24 | Refurbishment |
2017 | Broxbourne | 5000 | 52496 | 9.52 | Tower repairs |
2017 | Thorley | 250 | 2700 | 9.26 | Wheel |
2016 | Great Stanmore | 1000 | 25000 | 4 | Bell repairs |
2015 | Widford | 6000 | 35000 | 16 | Tower repairs |
2015 | Ware | 7500 | 75000 | 10 | Tower repairs |
2014 | Bushey | 10000 | 90000 | 11 | Major work |
2013 | Pirton | 1000 | 5500 | 18.18 | False ceiling |
2012 | Baldock | 10000 | 770000 | 1.30 | Tower repairs |
2012 | Hitchin | 11000 | 159000 | 6.92 | Major work |
2011 | Aston | 200 | 2081 | 9.61 | Bearings |
2011 | Graveley | 1000 | 13396 | 7.46 | Tower repairs |
2011 | Apsley End | 6000 | 35000 | 20.00 | Refurbishment |
2010 | St Ippolyts | 795 | 3939 | 20.18 | Bell repairs |
2010 | Sandon | 2000 | 14467 | 13.82 | Tower repairs |
2010 | Sandridge | 5000 | 28987 | 17.25 | Refurbishment |
2010 | Bushey Heath | 200 | 1130 | 17.70 | Ropes |
2009 | Hertford St Andrew | 250 | 513 | 48.73 | Bell repairs |
2009 | Hemel Hempstead | 1300 | 6500 | 20.00 | Refurbishment |
2009 | Northchurch | 100 | 360 | 27.78 | Clapper repair |
2009 | St Albans St Michaels | 1000 | 9838 | 10.16 | Refurbishment |
2009 | Hatfield | 2000 | 8267 | 24.19 | Bearings |
2009 | Weston | 9000 | 37748 | 23.84 | Turning & refitting |
2009 | St Albans Abbey | 10726 | 340000 | 3.15 | New ring of 13 |
2008 | Pirton | 5000 | 20815 | 24.02 | Rehanging |
2007 | Walkern | 848 | 4023 | 21.11 | Bell repairs |
2007 | Codicote | 250 | 1175 | 21.28 | Tower Repairs |
2006 | Bishop’s Stortford | 3000 | 21588 | 13.9 | Bell repairs |
2006 | King’s Walden | 4500 | 30928 | 14.54 | Bell repairs |
2005 | Great Berkhamsted | 700 | 5675 | 12.33 | Sound proofing |
2005 | Monken Hadley | 500 | 2000 | 24.93 | Bell repairs |
2005 | Thorley | 1000 | 24050 | 4.15 | Tower repairs |
2004 | Great Gaddesden | 2000 | 19000 | 10.53 | Tower repairs |
2004 | Welwyn | 1000 | 3500 | 28.57 | Bell repairs |
2003 | Sawbridgeworth | 10000 | 96000 | 10.42 | Tower repairs |
2003 | Kings Langley | 110 | 620 | 17.74 | Bell repairs |
2002 | Little Wymondley | 5000 | 22000 | 22.73 | Augmentation |
2002 | Ware | 2000 | 50000 | 4 | Tower repairs |
2001 | Ashwell | 2500 | 30000 | 8.33 | Tower repairs |
2001 | Wallington | 250 | 600 | 41.67 | New ropes |
2000 | Hemel Hempstead | 1000 | 34000 | 2.94 | Tower repairs |
2000 | Knebworth | 1000 | 9000 | 11.11 | Tower repairs |
1999 | Stocking Pelham | 500 | 5500 | 9.09 | Rehanging |
1999 | Bishop’s Stortford, Holy Trinity | 500 | 9700 | 5.15 | Rehanging |
1999 | Great Offley | 2500 | 30000 | 8.3 | Rehanging |
1998 | Westmill | 2500 | 39000 | 5.3 | Rehanging |
1998 | Sandon | 2500 | 22000 | 11.4 | Augmentation |
1998 | Kimpton | 1000 | 60000 | 1.67 | Tower restoration |
1998 | Ashwell | 500 | 4200 | 11.9 | Overhaul fittings |
1998 | Great Amwell | 300 | 830 | 36.14 | Clapper refurbishment |
1997 | Potten End | 500 | 29000 | 1.7 | Chime |
1997 | Northchurch | 1000 | 6400 | 15.6 | Bell repair |
1997 | Great Offley | 2500 | 30000 | 8.33 | Rehanging |
1995 | Lilley | 500 | 4500 | 11 | Augmentation |
1995 | St Albans, St Stephen | 500 | 3750 | 13 | Bell repairs |
1995 | Ridge | 2000 | 41000 | 5 | Rehanging |
1994 | Barkway | 2000 | 21000 | 9.5 | Rehanging |
1994 | Flamstead | 2000 | 200000 | 1 | Tower repairs |
1994 | Hertford, St Andrew | 1000 | 7500 | 13 | Partial rehanging |
1993 | Benington | 1000 | 4000 | 25 | Rehanging |
1993 | Bushey Heath | 130 | 530 | 24.5 | Repairs |
1993 | Standon | 2500 | 35000 | 7.1 | Rehanging |
1993 | Lilley | 1000 | 39000 | 2.56 | Tower repairs |
1993 | Abbots Langley | 2000 | 20000 | 10 | Rehanging |
1992 | Barnet | 2000 | 28000 | 7.1 | Rehanging |
1990 | Harpenden | 500 | 32000 | 1.5 | Recasting |
1990 | Essendon | 1500 | 37000 | 4 | Augmentation |
1990 | St Albans, St Peter | 1500 | 140000 | 1.1 | Restoration |
1989 | Albury | 400 | 4648 | 9 | Bell recast |
1989 | Bishop’s Stortford | 200 | 4200 | 5 | Overhaul |
1988 | Kings Langley | 500 | 30000 | 2 | Tower repair |
1987 | Lilley | 600 | 8612 | 7 | Augmentation |
1987 | Harpenden | 50 | 600 | 8 | Clappers |
1987 | Hertford, All Saints | 150 | 1531 | 10 | Clappers |
1987 | Tring | 1000 | 25000 | 4 | Rehanging |
1987 | Berkhamsted | 150 | 4416 | 3 | Repairs |
1985 | Codicote | 500 | 10000 | 5 | Rehanging |
1985 | North Mymms | 1000 | 18060 | 6 | Rehanging |
1985 | Great Hormead | 50 | 615 | 8 | Bell repair |
1985 | Widford | 500 | 9000 | 6 | Rehanging |
1985 | Hinxworth | 150 | 1535 | 10 | Rehanging |
1984 | Anstey | 250 | 2737 | 9 | Bell repair |
1984 | Aldbury | 500 | 17740 | 3 | Augmentation |
1983 | Hemel Hempstead | 1000 | 250000 | 0.4 | Tower repair |
1982 | Kimpton | 500 | 9357 | 5 | Augmentation |
1982 | Great Munden | 200 | 300 | 47 | Bell repair |
1981 | Hunsdon | 100 | 1000 | 10 | Rehanging |
1981 | South Mymms | 100 | 30000 | 0.3 | Tower repair |
1981 | Furneux Pelham | 500 | 10000 | 5 | Rehanging |
1980 | Little Hadham | 500 | 2064 | 24 | Augmentation |
1980 | Rickmansworth | 250 | 576 | 43 | Bell repair |
1980 | Harpenden | 200 | 20000 | 1 | Tower repair |
1980 | Knebworth | 200 | 30000 | 0.7 | Tower repair |
1979 | Ware | 500 | 22000 | 2 | Tower repair |
1979 | Nettleden | 200 | 1387 | 14 | Rehanging |
1978 | Little Gaddesden | 0 | 7100 | 0 | New 6 |
1978 | Watton-at-Stone | 500 | 1480 | 34 | New 8 |
1978 | Albury | 250 | 1355 | 18 | Augmentation |
1977 | Lemsford | 300 | 4450 | 7 | New 6 |
1976 | Ashwell | 100 | 15000 | 0.7 | Tower repair |
1976 | Rushden | 100 | 1502 | 7 | Augmentation |
1975 | Stevenage | 50 | 300 | 17 | Bell repair |
1974 | Sarratt | 100 | 476 | 21 | Rehanging |