Member Article

University rings the changes for appeal

The University of Sunderland has raised £1,000 for the Sunderland Minster Bells appeal, taking the charity one step closer to its aim of raising £50,000. The money was raised from the sale of university Christmas cards.

The bells at Sunderland Minster have rung out to the city for almost two centuries, but the equipment is badly damaged. If it is not replaced, it is feared they will be silenced forever. The Sunderland Minster Bells Appeal is hoping to raise £50,000 to restore the cracked eight-bell frame and upgrade it by adding another two bells.

Frank Nicholson, Chair of Friends of the Minster, said: “This is a fantastic contribution from the university, and takes us a step closer to our final target. “We’ve now raised almost £40,000, so that enables us to start getting on with the job of fixing the bells and get them ringing out across the city sooner rather than later.”

The University of Sunderland Christmas card appeal was sponsored by Statex Colour Print, who waived its printing fee for the cards and also donated free envelopes. The Christmas card was designed for free by University of Sunderland graduate Ben Quigley, who is managing director of Newcastle-based design firm Different. If you would like to contribute to the Minster Bells appeal you can contact Sunderland Minster on 0191 5654066 or email: theminster@lineone.net.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .