UK Registered Charity Number: 1154107

Conservation by Re-use

Helping churches acquire surplus and/or redundant bells to be hung for

English-style full-circle bell-ringing.

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Bishops Lydeard, Somerset, (single chiming bell)

Ridge, Hertfordshire, (2nd of augmentation to a ring of 6)

Gabraville, Gabon, (single chiming bell)

Barnburgh, South Yorkshire, (treble of augmentation to a ring of 5)

Shellingford, Oxfordshire, (2nd of augmentation to a ring of 6)

Vilafortuny, Spain, (single chiming bell)

Dunecht House, Scotland, (acquisition of an 8 bell chime by the Scottish Association, now hung for ringing at Haddington)


It must be stressed that in many cases the “lists” played a very minor role and it is certain that some projects would have found second-hand bells without our help.

An early assessment of the impact on bell-founding work suggested that few of the churches which acquired second-hand bells would have placed orders to cast new bells. Perhaps the most surprising observation came from the Australian market as churches were keen to acquire individual bells to form the basis of a ringing peal of bells. Once several second-hand bells had been acquired, there was a willingness to fill the gaps with newly cast bells. Indications suggest that far from being detrimental, the “lists” were helping to create bell-hanging and bell-founding work.

It was clear that the lists were of benefit to the ringing exercise. Some churches were able to augment or install peals of bells they otherwise would not have been able to afford. Other churches embarking on a restoration scheme could sell surplus bells at prices in excess of scrap value. The next step was to formalise the operation of the lists. With advice and help from Bob Cooles (Central Council of Church Bell Ringers) and the Charity Commissioners the trust was formed and registered as a charity in February 1997 (charity no. 1061224).

During October 2013 the Trust applied to the Charity Commission to convert to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. This was granted and charity no. 1061224 was wound-up after completion of the 2013 financial  year and operations started with charity no. 1154107 at the beginning of the 2014 financial year.


David J Kelly, Secretary.