Residents and team members at St Wilfrid’s Priory care home in Arundel were delighted for their Activities Co-ordinator Vicky Chase, who was awarded the Order of St Richard by Bishop Ruth, at Chichester Cathedral, for her services to bellringing. Residents at the care home enjoy hearing bells rung by Vicky at St Nicholas Church next door to Arundel Castle where the home is situated.

Vicky shared her good news with residents at the care home and gave a talk about bellringing where she demonstrated how bells are rung with a small-scale model bell.

St Wilfrid’s Priory Home Manager, Kelly King, said: “We were delighted to learn that Vicky has received this well-deserved recognition for her contribution to bellringing across Sussex. Residents enjoy hearing Vicky talk about her passion and the community of bellringers.”

Vicky was nominated for the Order of St Richard by Reverand Vivien at St Giles Church in Graffham for her dedication to bellringing and her enthusiasm, tenacity, and effectiveness as Training Team Lead for the Sussex County Association of Change Ringers (SCACR).

Vicky attended the presentation along with 39 other recipients at Chichester Cathedral. On receiving the Order of St Richard, Vicky said: “I am enthusiastic about my bellringing and love to share and encourage others to learn to ring. Watching new recruits progress and enjoy the skill of bellringing as much as I do is a great reward.” 

Vicky first tried bellringing as a young teenager, and the returned to this skilled pastime when her twin sons had started pre-school. Since 2019 she has been ringing church bells several times a week, and now recruits and trains new bellringers for SCACR.

Speaking about the draw of bellringing, Vicky said: “I was looking for a hobby, a social activity outside the home. The bellringing community is very friendly, we usually go to a pub afterwards, and I can walk into any church in the country and feel welcome.

“Bellringing is an absorbing activity. I can forget everything else for that time. As the number of bellringers fell during the pandemic, I’ve taken an active role in growing the community. For my recent fiftieth birthday I took on a challenge to ring at 50 different church towers across Sussex in 50 days, either joining practice sessions or organising Saturday rings. I raised over £1750 for SCACR.”

For more information about becoming a bellringer email training@scacr.org.