(Image: Dylan Connell)
THE York Minster bells will ring for eight hours straight next month as a team of 12 bellringers will embark on an endurance challenge.
The event, taking place at York Minster on October 10, marks the 100th anniversary of the cathedral’s ring of 12 bells and aims to raise £10,000 for Restore York - a charity supporting people experiencing homelessness.
Ringers will attempt to complete 10,000 changes - continuous sequences of bell sounds - on the 10th day of the 10th month.
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The full challenge will take around eight hours to complete without breaks or substitutions for the team of 12 ringers, aged between 23 and 70.
Among the ringers is Ewan Hull, who learned to ring in York and will attempt to ring the almost three-tonne tenor bell single-handed for the full duration.
It is believed that no one has previously continuously rung a bell of this weight single-handed for so long, with Ewan training on heavy bells, including at Exeter Cathedral, to prepare for the challenge.
Reverend Canon Maggie McClean, Acting Dean of York, said: "This is an ambitious and memorable way to celebrate 100 years of York Minster’s magnificent bells and the contribution of York’s ringing community to the soundscape of our city, whilst raising money for one of our partner charities.
"Ringing continuously for around eight hours will require enormous stamina, concentration, and teamwork from the whole band but Ewan’s task is particularly exceptional—I don’t envy him.
"As with every peal attempt, success can never be guaranteed. We hope people across York will support the ringers and help us raise £10,000 for Restore’s vital work with people experiencing homelessness."
The event is organised by the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths, one of the world’s oldest bellringing societies.
Members of the public will be able to hear the bells throughout the day from outside York Minster and across the city centre.
Donations can be made at www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/yorkminsterbells