Bells & Whistles Exercise Group were awarded £9,999.99 in March 2024 to complete essential maintenance work in the ‘Ringers room’ and where the Bells are positioned in the Tower of St Mary’s Church, Trusthorpe.
The group have 12 plus volunteers who help to run events and raise money to fund and maintain their Medieval Belfry.
They are the only regular 3-bell ringing Team in the area and are proud to have entertained travelling ringers from 8 counties in 2022.
The bells ring out loudly every Sunday morning and can be heard in Mablethorpe and Theddlethorpe, which is an important part of rural life.
Funding supported the group to redecorate and improve facilities in the Church’s Community Annexe, which is a useful meeting point for all members of the parish, who walk dogs, jog, cycle etc. People can stop and make coffee, sit-down for a rest or give their dog a drink. It is also a drop-off point for the local food larder in Mablethorpe and has been used as a warm-space during winter where people can make hot-drinks and microwave soup.
They also use the annex to host fund-raising events, attracting hundreds of people from nearby villages along the coast.
Situated in a large, well-stocked garden area and paddock with a small woodland area at the side, they host educational visits to photograph wildlife, flowers and animals. The Team have built a bird-hide and participate in the national RSPB big-garden bird-watch.
With funding from the GDF Theddlethorpe Community Investment Fund, they have been able to purchase of a hot potato oven, and tools to help the group to maintain the community space where they plan to do talks about the environment, teach children about the many different species of birds and animals, host wildlife photography events in the evenings including butterfly/moth surveys, and advertise craft or flower-arranging days for older people.