Tolling a Bell of Remembrance

Members of St Vigor’s Church in Fulbourn and St Nicholas’ in Great Wilbraham have had an idea. Churches have been closed for many weeks now, funerals have been severely limited as to the numbers of mourners allowed to be present – and so it has not been possible for the churches to acknowledge in the usual ways the passing of a loved one.

So the idea was born for a single bell (the tenor bell with the deepest, most solemn sound) to be tolled – or chimed – for a short period on Sunday evenings at 6pm, beginning this coming Sunday.

In this way those of us who can hear the bell can be prompted to remember a someone known to us, or indeed every person who has died recently, and give thanks for that life, or all those lives.

This is a local initiative which may perhaps be replicated elsewhere.

St Vigor’s is also very proud to be flying from its Tower a Rainbow flag in support of our National Health Service – we understand we are the first in the Country to be doing so! St Nicholas’ would follow suit – if only its Tower had a flagpole!

Nick Toovey