£50,000 win for Little Paxton's bell restoration
The Revd Annette Reed, Vicar of Little Paxton and Peter Hagger, Treasurer together with parishioners receiving a cheque for £50,000 from the The People’s Millions programme. © Christine Hagger
Little Paxton Has Bell Appeal has received a cheque for £50,000 from the The People’s Millions, a grants programme run by the Big Lottery Fund, in partnership with ITV. The money is to be used to restore the church bells dating back to the 18th century. The Revd Annette Reed and parishioners received the cheque the day after winning the TV vote on the the finals of the National Lottery - People's Millions Programme on 24th November 2010.
In response to their appeal winning the TV vote, Peter Hagger, Treasurer of Little Paxton, writes:
"A very big thank you to everybody who voted for Little Paxton Has Bell Appeal. I am delighted to tell you that we won last night's vote in the Anglia TV region and today received a cheque for £50,000. This will mean work on our bells and clock can start very early in 2011. Thank you for your support and please pass on our thanks to anyone else you asked to vote for us. We will keep you informed of progress on the project via our web site, www.littlepaxtonchurch.org.uk.
Thanks again we could not have done it without your support."
The bells in St James' Church, Little Paxton have not been rung regularly for about 100 years. One of the bells was made in St Neots in 1791 by John Taylor and the company who are to carrying out the restoration work, John Taylor & Co, are effectively that same company. The clock is unique and is also thought to have been made at John Taylor's works in St Neots although its age in not certain.
At present the bells are hung in an ancient wooden bell frame believed to date from about 1700. This frame will be preserved, but a new steel frame will be constructed to take the existing four bells plus a further two second hand bells. A small twenty four inch bell will be hung in the old frame to be used for when the clock chimes. The clock face was restored as the Village Millennium Project and it is fitting that the movement is now restored.
Read more in the Revd Annette Reed's blog