THE team behind an ambitious project to safeguard a town’s bell ringing tradition are celebrating a major boost.

The £140,000 project to preserve bell ringing at Richmond’s parish church is £6,000 richer thanks to district councillors in Richmondshire..

The Society of Bellringers at St Mary’s Church is currently fundraising for a major restoration project on the bells and the bellframe. They are also seeking cash for soundproofing to reduce the impact of their practice sessions on local residents.

And that project has received money from the council – thanks to a grant from the Communities Opportunity Fund approved by members of the authority’s corporate board this week.

“This project is looking to safeguard the future of bellringing in Richmond by investing in the restoration of the historic bells in Richmond,” said the deputy leader of the council, Councillor Ian Threlfall.

“The sound control will reduce the impact from trainee ringers on the local community - which will mean more practice sessions too.”

The church has ringers ranging in age from 12 to 90 – and one of their recent trainees has now become a regular at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

For more information on the project visit richmondbells.com.