All the bells celebration this morning - did you ring yours?

St Barnabas Ealing joined the nation this morning, using its brand new bell, the installation date for which was specifically set to be in time to ring "All the Bells" for the Olympic opening.

The beautiful, 70 kilogram bell was forged at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry (which also made Big Ben and the Liberty Bell) and installed by them on 10th July, replacing the small, inferior bell which had been there since the church's opening circa 1915.

Just seventeen days after installation, one of the bell's first jobs, was to join in ringing "All the Bells" this morning as the London Olympics begins.

The local community thronged to provide accompaniment on a merry cacophony of children's bells, hand bells, bike bells, school bells, mobility scooter bells, and even the local school bell!

Much creativity was displayed with pot lids and crystal glasses also used as instruments. Bacon was fried outside for a community breakfast, the smell of which lured many commuters down from the local bus stop to join in.

27th July 2012