Ever since I can remember, the Parochial Church Council,
in addition to having a general fund for numerous purposes, has had a fund for restoration of the church bells. Donations to the fund were made by private individuals and from the proceeds of events such as the Village Fayre. Those who contributed indicated their desire that the bells should be restored to working order. However, the total amount of money held in the fund was relatively modest and well below the 1995 estimate of the £12,000 that would have been required to carry out a partial restoration of the bells.

In 2002 several people including Philip Bilton,
Liz Cottingham, John Boulton, Peter Sale and myself, set about forming an informal group with the intention of raising funds for the repair and maintenance of the church fabric and its fittings. The latter category included the bells. We invited Christopher Pope to join us and, later on, Wayne Hughes, Jan Grocott and Colin Jackson.

We became known as the ‘Friends of St. Mary’s, Stratton’.

With regard to meeting the costs of full bell restoration, since reduction or waiving of VAT on repair to church fabric did not apply to church fittings, it was obvious from the start that the provision of Gift Aid at 28% was going to be absolutely vital and although the Parochial Church Council had charitable status, the requirements of the Charity Commission for the ‘Friends’ to become an independent charity proved too stringent. We recognised that there were potential donors who were reluctant to contribute unless they could be assured that their gift was going to be used solely for repair and maintenance of the church fabric and its fittings.

The ‘Friends’ did get as far as opening their own bank account although, at the time, they were not in a formal relationship with the Parochial Church Council. We were stuck for quite a while until, in the autumn of 2003, two events occurred. Christopher Pope was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and another Christopher, Chris Love, Assistant Diocesan Secretary, issued a circular in which he indicated that groups, such as the ‘Friends’ could, in fact,
be sub-committees of Parochial Church Councils. Charged with the responsibility for fund raising for the repair and maintenance of the church building, its fittings and the churchyard wall, the ‘Friends’ could now obtain the great benefit of Gift Aid.

When I told this to Christopher Pope, after the 2003 Carol Service, he took it to be the best news he had received for along time. It was Christopher’s great wish to hear the bells of St. Mary’s, Stratton ringing again.

Sadly, Christopher died in March 2004 before the refurbishment of the bells took place. Generous donations from his family and friends, made in his memory, contributed greatly to the 2005 restoration.

Further financial assistance has been provided by subscribing members, donations from individuals and groups within the village and beyond and in the form of a sizeable discount on cost of removal and rehanging of the bells by two village members giving their voluntary assistance to the bellhanger. In addition, grants have been received from the Llewellyn Edwards Bell Ringing Trust, the South Western England Environmental Trust (operating the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme) and the St. Andrew’s Trust.

Although the bells are now ringing again, the ‘Friends’ work goes on. Fund raising continues, with the aim of providing the means for the ongoing upkeep of the fabric of the church.