The fund is a registered charity with the registered number 264606
The registered address is:-
22 Southcliff Road
Southampton
SO14 6GE
The fund is governed by rules approved by the Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (the Guild) in General Meeting.
The trustees during the year ended 31st December 2004 were:-
The independent examiner of the fund is Mr P Clarke ACIB.
The principal bankers are Lloyds Bank plc.
The activities of the Bell Restoration Fund are restricted to the area covered by the Anglican Dioceses of Winchester and Portsmouth. None of the Fund’s assets is a permanent endowment. There are no borrowing limits imposed in the governing rules. The trustees have no specific investment powers.
The main aims of the Funds are to provide financial assistance by way of grants to Churches, within the area mentioned above, incurring expenditure on the provision, maintenance, improvement or acoustics of their bells and bell installations, or for the maintenance of the fabric of their towers and belfries, to enable their bells to be properly rung in full circle.
Our income has increased slightly on the previous year. Our interest income reflects the higher balance held in the Central Board of Finance of the Church of England deposit fund and the small increase in interest rates in 2004. The £500 received in 2003 from the sale of the Hampshire Bells CD was not repeated in 2004 and we understand that there are very few left to be sold. The income from the Guild subscription fell this year but as did the donations from Districts. Whilst the former is a worrying sign the latter reflects the use of local funds for local projects where the job is small enough not to warrant an application to the Trustees for a grant.
Gift Aid is a useful way of giving to the BRF tax efficiently by tax paying Guild members. A Gift Aid donation of £10 will give a further £2.82 to the BRF. A simple declaration on an envelope stating that “the amount enclosed is to be treated as a donation under Gift Aid” with your name and address is all that is needed. This should be sent direct to the Guild Treasurer (enclosed in an envelope). Alternatively if you wish to make a regular donation by standing order he has a form together with a bankers order that can be used.
Last year the Inland Revenue introduced a new method of giving to your favourite Charity. Within your self assessment return you are able to nominate your favourite Charity to receive any tax you have over paid. All you need to do is quote the number specific to the Charity and the Inland Revenue treat that as a Gift Aid donation and will transfer that amount to the Charity plus tax at basic rate. The number for the Bell Restoration Fund is BAA66LG.
A further way of donating is through pay roll giving. Not all firms offer this scheme so any one wishing to take advantage of this should discuss this with their payroll officer.
Another source of regular income over the years has been donations from individual towers. Quite a number of towers have contributed an amount equivalent to the fee they are paid for ringing at a wedding (or more!) each year and although not a large amount for each tower, the total can be significant when 10 or 20 towers contribute in this way. The number has increased this year, so can the trustees encourage your tower to consider this in 2005 and increase the amount even more?
During the year grants to the value of £4,900 were approved. However the grant to Hursley approved in 2002 has been reduced by the Trustees to zero. The grant was approved, by the Guild in General Meeting, for a scheme to rehang the bells in a new frame. Subsequently the tower has decided to augment the peal of 10 to 12. As this is a major change to the proposal agreed the trustees had no option but to reduce the grant. The tower has been invited to apply again for a grant for the new project. We paid out grants during the year of £650 and have £9,500 of grants approved but not yet paid. Of these it is expected that £4,750 will be paid during 2005 and the balance in either 2006 or later.
The Trustees believe that the reserves of the Charity are adequate to meet our immediate needs. This does not mean that fund raising should cease. Who knows what is round the corner.
The Trustees acknowledge with thanks the donations from the following towers:-
| Alverstoke | £50 |
| Christchurch Priory | £100 |
| The Clatfords | £50 |
| Hambledon | £100 |
| North Stoneham | £98 |
| Portsmouth Cathedral | £120 |
| Ringwood | £40 |
| Shedfield | £40 |
| Winchester Cathedral | £300 |
The Trustees would like to thank all those who have donated time, energy and money towards the aims of the Bell Restoration Fund and especially to Rev Canon B J Fry and Mr M Waldron for their hard work as Trustees.
For and on behalf of the Trustees 12th March 2005