Barrow Bells - Fundraising

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Fundraising Aims - What do we need to raise funds for?

The running costs such as heating and lighting

The cost of maintenance of the bells to ensure they do not need to be restored again in years to come, and they continue to be safe and easy to ring

Purchase spare parts that were not supplied with the new installation - spare stays and sliders

Recruit and train new ringers, so we are creating a library of books and other learning aids to help, and need to spend on publicity - factsheets, FAQs and other handouts. There are other costs assocated with hosting recruiting and training days.

Make further improvements:
e.g.

• Extend the handrail up the spiral staircase beyond the ringing room and up to the old belfry, to make it easier and safer for visitors to view the bells.
• Further improve the sound control for extended ringing such as peals that are not rung for significant occasions. This is likely to take the form of some insulation material slabs that can be laid on top of open mesh floor above the bells to reduce the sound outside by a few dB

Contribute to other costs that affect the bells - e.g. maintenance of the tower such as pointing of brickwork that is needed.

Local history - we want to lodge photos and documentary information with the local records office, and research people and history associated with the church tower.

Make donation to Bell Restoration Fund in Branch & Association to benefit other restoration projects, and in gratitude for donations for our own restoration appeal

Woodturning - recycling wood reclaimed from bell restoration

Quite a lot of wood was removed from the tower when the bells were removed to be rehung lower in the tower.

Rather than send it to landfill or burn it, the wood has been reclaimed and distributed to a number of craftspeople in Cumbria, such as WavyGrain and Leanne Bolger.

We have also kept a portion and craft some of this wood into woodturned objects, giving it a third purpose ... (1) a tree growing to maturity, and then (2) spending 135 years as part of the bell frame, before (3) being fashioned into attractive functional and decorative items for you to own and enjoy!

There are three types of wood reclaimed from the old belfry:

• OAK: The bulk is from the oak frame, with some from the spokes of the wheels. This oak can be hard to work because it has de-natured and is now dry and brittle on the outside, but better as the wood reaches the centre. The wood is generally darker in colour than the other wood, and can on occasion have attractive silvery figuration on the surface from the medullary rays. It can also have black streaks and patterns where the wood has spalting.
• ASH: This is taken from the sliders and the stays. Unlike the frame and headstocks some of these may have been replaced since the original bell installation in 1877. It is a much paler coloured wood, sometimes with characteristic ripple markings
• ELM: The Headstocks were made of elm. This wood has a reddish tinge compared to the oak and ash.

The sale of these items helps raise funds for the future of the bellringing at St James' tower as illustrated in Fundraising Aims above.

Some photographs of items that have been made previously are shown below (click on picture for larger image in new tab):

Oak and Ash Bowls approx 10 to 15cm wide.	Oak Letter Opener, approx 12cm long.	Oak/Ash Bottle Stoppers, approx 8-10cm long.
Twist ball-point pens.	Collection of woodturned objects on display.	Small oak keyrings - acorn/bell/disc
Oak Bottle Stopper.	Ash Marlin Spike for Ropes, 13-14cm long.	Oak/Ash Light Pulls.

Items have also been requested (such as a darning mushroom) but generally most items are produced and sold from stock. Some items illustrated were produced by different woodturners, and may not be reproduced.

Each item is hand made and unique - a variety of shapes with straight or curved lines, contemporary or traditional designs.

Current items in stock (as at 30th Nov 2015):

Price	Woodturned Object
£10	Twist open ball-point pen	OAK / ASH
£8	Letter Opener	OAK / ASH
£4	Large Bell keyring (approx 25mm diameter)	OAK
£2.50	Small Bell keyring (approx 12-15mm diameter)	OAK
£2	Disc keyring (approx 25mm diameter)	OAK

Other items that may be manufactured in near future:

• Crown cork bottle opener (£10)
• Bottle Stopper (£10)
• Light Pull (£5)

If you wish to purchase an item, or have suggestions/request for objects, please contact the tower captain (see Contact Us page). Thank you.

How to Donate to St James' Bell Appeal

We are very grateful for all donations, however large or small. All donations and assistance will be most welcome.

More details about eligibility and what information is required to claim Gift Aid is proivided in the Gift Aid section below.