Music has received the attention of The Community Trust with a grant of £1400 awarded to Stanton Drew Handbell Team to purchase 3 new Whitechapel bells. Mary Payne, our local celebratory garden expert, also turns her hand to music and organises the team music. She explained that, “ the Stanton Drew Handbell Group has been going with the current set of Whitechapel bells for around 30 years. Prior to that a small set of bells was used to carol sing around the village. These bells, now well over 100 years old, are still used to let our audiences “have a go”. The addition of the 3 new Whitechapel bells, to our existing 20 bells, means we will have two octaves with all the sharps and flats which will increase our repertoire considerably.”
Sue Osborne, Trustee with The Community Trust said, “the team are amazing and often play to raise funds for good causes and can be seen playing at church services, garden club Christmas parties, WI’s, nursing homes, Chew Valley U3A, Chew Bowls Club, ladies groups with a repertoire which includes songs from the shows, classical pieces, hymns and carols, traditional songs in facts anything that takes their fancy”. Sue went on to say,” sadly any early ideas the team had of getting out and about with their new bells have been thwarted by COVID, but not to be constrained Mary has allowed the new bells out on a photoshoot excursion to model as The Community Trust 100 Club 2020 Christmas card designed by Martin Elsbury, another one of our clever members”
