A tireless fundraising campaign by locals and bell ringers to raise £30,000, has seen the restoration of six 200 year old bells at St Mary's Church in Builth Wells, Powys. The bells, weighing almost half a tonne each, were winched out for restoration in October 2010.

Whites of Appleton Ltd, the oldest bell hanging company in the UK, sent the bells to London for re-tuning and the headstocks to Kent-based steel finishing specialist, Medway Galvanising, for a new lease of life.

A crucial component that attaches the bell to the wheel and is pivoted on two pins set into the bearings, the headstocks had rusted and posed a potential risk should they have failed and fell. In need of full restoration, Medway Galvanising was called in to strip, galvanised powder coating, ensuring many more years of safe bell ringing in the village.

Without a galvanised coating, oxygen in the air would react with the metal headstocks and begin to corrode the untreated steel. Operating to stringent quality control processes and fully accredited to all the latest BS and ISO standards, Medway Galvanising worked fast to restore the headstocks. Now complete and powder coated in Whites of Appleton's trademark blue, they promise years of corrosion-protection and trouble-free performance.

"We send all our bell fittings to Medway Galvanising to be galvanised and powder coated because, not only are they the closest firm to us with the capacity to treat the huge girders we often need treated, but they offer a supreme service that includes collection and delivery – saving us the need to hire transport," explained Brian White, Owner of Whites of Appleton Ltd.

"We are always very happy with the service Medway Galvanising provides and hope to work with them for many years to come."

Medway galvanising offer their galvanised powder coating services to the surrounding area, for almost any steel .

The works have been an important part of village life in Builth Wells, where bell ringers can be regularly heard at St Mary's Church, the oldest building in the area. Locals worked hard to fund the restoration and even organised an abseil down the church with the vicar volunteering to go first!