Congratulations to Ron East, who has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in June’s Jubilee Birthday Honours for services to bellringing and church bell conservation in Cumbria.
Ron has been Carlisle Cathedral’s Tower Captain for 9 years and Diocesan Bell Advisor for 23 years. He began bell ringing in Carlisle in the early 1990s and has been described as an “enthusiastic, skilled, and committed ringer”.
He helped to set up the Millennium Project to replace Carlisle Cathedral’s eight bells which were in a poor condition. The appeal was so successful that 13 new bells were bought for the Cathedral’s tower. In total, he has completed 130 projects.
He said: “Getting the Queen’s medal was a total surprise but I’m very pleased. I’ve had to keep it a secret for weeks.”
