|
The Keltek Trust helps to preserve our heritage by recycling redundant and surplus church bells. |
||
Hundreds of churches have closed in England in the last five decades. Some are vested in the Churches Conservation Trust, some are converted for other uses, and some are demolished.
The Trust is active in finding new homes for surplus and redundant bells. Most stay within the United Kingdom but some do go overseas. In particular Australia and the U.S.A.
The Trust was formally registered in the UK as a charity in February 1997. One of the activities which led to the trust's formation, namely the production and distribution of the Surplus & Redundant Bell Lists had been in operation since 1993. This has helped to find bells for a number of church bell augmentation and installation projects.
Not all bells come from Redundant Churches. Many come from churches undertaking a bell-restoration scheme. Some bells may be surplus to requirements, for example the re-modelling of a peal of bells into a lighter ring or some bells may be out of tune with the remaining bells. It was common practice for surplus bells to be broken-up and the metal re-used in the casting of replacement bells. Nowadays many bells are recycled and used elsewhere.
