The fund is a registered charity with the registered number 264606
The contact address is:
4 Ferrybridge Green
Hedge End
Southampton
SO30 0JX
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 of the fund are the Guild Master, The Honorary Guild Treasurer, the Honorary Guild Secretary and two additional trustees one from each diocese, elected triennially by the Guild in General Meeting.
The trustees during 2023 were:
Mr R Milford (Honorary Guild Treasurer)
Mr S Castle (Honorary Guild Secretary) until 22 July 2023
Rev Canon B J Fry (Winchester Diocese area)
Mr D Mattingley (Portsmouth Diocese area)
Mrs R Barber (Guild Master)
The independent examiner of the fund is Mrs Charlotte K Colliss.
The principal bankers are TSB 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.
The Fund’s income for 2023 doubled compared with 2022, partly because of the increased subscriptions and BRF transfer, and partly because of an increase in investment income as interest rates rose.
The Trustees acknowledge, with thanks, donations from individuals including £1,000 from the estate of the late Barbara Long of Andover.
Four new or modified grants totalling £3,550 were approved during the year:
| St Mary’s, Andover | An extra £450 on top of the previous £1,300 |
| St James, East Tisted | £2,000 |
| St Peter, Titchfield | £100 |
Seven grants totalling £24,250 were released during the year:
| St Lawrence, Ecchinswell | £2,500 |
| St Mary, Twyford | £9,500 |
| All Saints, Basingstoke | £500 |
| St Peter & St Paul, Hawkley | £7,000 |
| St Mary V, Andover | £1,750 |
| St James, East Tisted | £2,000 |
| St Mary, Eling | £1,000 |
The Trustees regularly review the level of reserves and wish to encourage use of the available funds.
The Trustees aim to maintain reserves to cover expected future grants for at least a further twelve months. The reserves held satisfy that requirement.
A reminder to those applying for grants that the initial application needs to be with the Guild Treasurer at least 1 month before the Trustees meet. Trustees meet three times a year, before each of the Executive meetings and before the Guild AGM. Grants can only be approved at either the Executive meeting or AGM. Any approved at the Executive meetings are required to be ratified at the next Guild AGM. The forms required are to be found on the Guild’s website or can be obtained in paper form from the Guild Treasurer. It is very important that all the documentation requested in the form is made available to the Trustees. If an application is sent by email then it should also be sent through the postal system. All applications are acknowledged so if no acknowledgement is received within two weeks then a chaser should be sent.
The Trustees would like to thank all those who have donated time, energy and money towards the aims of the Bell Restoration Fund.
For and on behalf of the Trustees:
Mr R Milford
Trustee
Mrs R Barber
Trustee
16th March 2024