Sir, When we came here seven-and-a-half years ago, the tower bells of St. Mary's were silent and had been so for some time, except when visiting teams stopped by to ring. After a campaign to restart bellringing, and with the help of some bellringing friends from elsewhere, the tower bells of St. Mary's rang once more that first Easter after we arrived. Several new members joined the bellringers under the captaincy of Clive Webb and the support of the many former bellringers. Sadly, with the passing years, the number of bellringers has decreased. Some committed bellringers have moved away, one died (Struan Morris) and several young bellringers came for a while before moving on to other things. We are now in the serious position that if we do not attract some new bellringers as soon as possible, the present team will find great difficulty in continuing to ring. We need eight or 10 or more bellringers and we have just six if all are available. I am sure that none of us wants the bells of St. Mary's to be silent on a Sunday morning, or at weddings - but that is the possibility if no more ringers are forthcoming. It does involve commitment of course - an hour or two on a Friday night in the tower at present, to practice. If anyone feels able to volunteer to help with tower bellringing, please contact Clive Webb on 843504 or the clergy in the first instance - or if you know someone else who might be interested, please encourage them to do the same. We would like to continue the tradition of tower bellringing in St. Mary's for years to come. Please help us to do that - we need your help.
Canon David Jenkins, Rector,
St. Mary's Rectory, Church Park, Tenby.