BRC Report to 2004 Council
The Bell Restoration Committee met in London in February, in Llandudno in May and in Surrey in October (2003). During the year Roddy Horton ceased to be a member of Council, and therefore of the Committee. We thank him for his work for the committee, particularly in revising some of our literature. There were, unfortunately, no nominations to fill the resulting vacancy.
Finding New Sources of Funding
We have continued to debate the way forward on this action which the majority of societies supported in the survey we carried out some years ago. As mentioned in our report to Council last year we have concluded that real progress requires activity by the Council, not just by our committee, and although there are some signs of progress, the issues at stake are of major import and achieving action on many fronts is proving to be time consuming. We have tried to find funds which would enable us to seek professional fund raising advice, but have so far drawn a blank.
We hope to have dialogue with the Education and Ringing Centres Committees on matters of joint interest. But in the meantime we have been actively seeking sources of funds not available to individual parishes or societies. This includes applying to grant making trusts which fund national rather than local schemes as and when such trusts come to our attention. We continue to try and raise awareness of the importance of legacies.
Ringing Roadshow
Experience from previous Roadshows meant that our stand was probably our best so far, thanks to the efforts of all committee members who had worked very hard. It was as a result of a suggestion made by this committee that English Heritage had taken a stand, and being next door to them had worked in both our favours. £200 was raised for the CCBRF from the quiz, which had provided an excellent opportunity for engaging with people.
The Committee continued to provide its core services to bell restoration:
Provision of Information and Advice
As predicted last year there has, for the first time in a number of years, been an increase in the number of new parishes contacting the Committee for advice (2000 - 50, 2001 - 44, 2002 - 25, 2003 - 35).
Sadly, the Council was unsuccessful in its bid for further Millennium funding, and John Barnes has started to follow-up disappointed applicants to offer them our services.
We have worked on the revision to our Guide to Parishes where we have suffered the perennial difficulties of trying to get too much information into too small a space.
Snippets from the Triennial Survey of Bell Restoration Funds have appeared in The Ringing World.
Twenty five Funderfinder searches for suitable grant making trusts were carried out.
We believe that we have found someone who is able and willing to provide unregulated financial advice to the committee and to parishes.
Administration of Funds
The Manifold Trust offered 9 grants totalling £35,000 during the year (2002 - 10 grants totalling £39,000). The Committee assists the Trust by the provision of administrative support.
Following the allocation of funds from the Central Council BRF in 2002 it was decided that insufficient funds remained for meaningful grants to be given to the likely number of applicants. It was therefore agreed to hold over the small amount remaining in the Fund until 2004 when it was hoped that further funds might be available. As agreed at the Council meetings in 1997 and 1998 the criteria for allocating grants and loans are attached to this report. There are no recommendations for changes.
The Fred E Dukes International Bell Fund offered the following grants, decided in accordance with the terms of the Fund, to:
Menangle, Australia - £1,450; Hillandale, South Africa - £890; and Pewaukee, USA - £500.
Subsequently the Pewaukee project was abandoned, the offer of a grant withdrawn and the sum of £500 added to the amount available for grants in 2004.
Future Work
In addition to continuing to take forward the work outlined above we intend to talk with other committees about a possible joint meeting with the "trade" to explore areas where closer liaison might be of mutual benefit.
We should soon have available guidance on how to make good applications to lottery funds, particularly the Your Heritage scheme administered by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Committee Members:
Kate Flavell (Chairman)
John Barnes
Peter Bennett
Ken Davenport
Carol Hardwick
David Kingman
Ian Oram
Laith Reynolds
Jackie Roberts (Secretary)
