Fundraising started in early May 2018, with a flurry of letters and applications. We were encouraged by two early successes. The first in late May, was £1,000 from Cornwall Council Community Trust, generously recommended by our Councillor Dorothy Kirk. This was closely followed in early June, by £850 from the Norman Johnson bequest which was awarded by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. These two awards turned out to have been granted with incredible speed, many others would take months before decisions were made. We had to be patient, it would be another six weeks before other funds would be forthcoming. Meanwhile we designed and printed our leaflet and distributed it around the local villages.