Wartime spirit ringing out for Slapton's church bells!

Their ambitious charity team, The Spirit of Slapton, has been busy organising a series of events in a bid to raise £80,000 for repair work, so their Holy Cross Church can join in the November 2018 national bell ringing commemoration to mark 100 years since the end of World War One.

The villagers are hoping to buy a new ‘bell two’, and fund support work inside the tower, including a new steel frame and a ring beam. Fundraising has proven successful, with their most recent event, World War Two ‘Cockney Night’, held at New Bury Farm.

Jayne Tardieu, of The Spirit of Slapton, said: “We decorated the room with flags, had pies from London and a London Underground archway.

“Everybody enjoyed dressing up and some of residents who lived through the war brought their own items, including some silk Christian Dior stockings, a corset, and one granddad’s wartime flag!

“The village wants to get our bells ringing as the Great War affected so many families in our country. We want our bells to ring as they did 100 years ago.”

The organisation’s latest fundraiser is a quiz night on Friday, July 7, at 7.30pm in Slapton Village Hall.

David Wright, 78, of The Spirit of Slapton, said: “ The old ‘bell two’ dates from 1641, so it will be preserved in the church, while the Keltec Trust has also donated a new ‘bell six’ to Holy Cross to attract more bell ringers.”

The village is also holding a summer fete on August 26 and 27 held in an equestrian field on New Bury Farm, Mill Road.

http://www.charitychoice.co.uk/8he-spirit-wf-slapton-257400