Main structure of Hope Bell is installed in Queen's Park

Published: Wed 4th September, 2024

The main structure of the Hope Bell in Loughborough, which will mark the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on local communities, has been installed.

The bell will be a tribute to the NHS and key workers and a reminder of how communities came together to support each other in challenging times. Located in Queen's Park, it will also be a space for reflection to remember those lost in the pandemic.

The installation is part of the Lanes and Links project, led by Charnwood Borough Council, which aims to better link the park and the town centre.

Bells are synonymous with Loughborough as it is home to the last major bellfoundry in the UK, John Taylor & Co, which is fittingly making the Hope Bell on behalf of the Council.

The project is being funded by Loughborough Town Deal, which secured £16.9 million from the Government's Towns Fund. The Town Deal is backing 11 projects which will bring in over £40 million of investment to the area.

The Hope Bell is a clock chime installation comprising four quarter chime bells and the main Hope Bell to sound the hours.

It is 7.5 metres high. The bells are supported by four steel pillars which symbolise people coming together to embrace in a hug, something people said was much missed in the early days of the pandemic.

A band of gold-coloured aluminium will be wrapped around the top, encircling the bells, and giving a visual feeling of sound emanating from them. A poem will be inscribed around the band.

The base will be made of Portland stone, a light-coloured high-quality stone which was also used for the construction of the nearby Carillon Tower.

Foundations for the bell have been put in place over the summer and on Tuesday 3 September, the four pillars and the bells were installed by Taylor's. The process took most of the day and involved a crane lifting the different elements into place.

The stone base will be added in the coming weeks before the area is landscaped. The installation is due to be completed in October and power will then need to be added to operate the bells to make them chime.

Cllr Anne Gray, the Council's lead member for open spaces, said: "I was delighted to see the bells being installed and the Hope Bell reach this significant milestone. It is a historic moment for the park and I look forward to the structure being completed."

Cllr Jennifer Tillotson, the Council's lead member for economic development, regeneration and town centres, said: "The Hope Bell is really taking shape and I was pleased to see it all coming together. The Hope Bell celebrates the town's unique bell-making heritage and marks an important moment in our history."

Martin Traynor OBE, Chair of the Loughborough Town Deal Board, said: "It was exciting to see this Town Deal-backed project coming together in the heart of Loughborough and I look forward to seeing its continued progression.

"We have a number of Town Deal projects completed, and also underway, so these are exciting times for Loughborough."

View more pictures from the installation

The Lanes and Links project has received £669,000 through the Town Deal. The project also includes improving lighting and adding banners to Bleach Yard and the addition of information points in Queen's Park.

More information about the Lanes and Links project including the Hope Bell is available at www.charnwood.gov.uk/lanesandlinks

To find out more about the Loughborough Town Deal projects, visit: www.loughboroughtowndeal.co.uk