Film celebrates village’s ‘ring for the King’

A short film to celebrate Burnham’s involvement in The King’s coronation is being shown this weekend to a select audience at Burnham’s St Peter’s Church.

‘Burnham Bells Ring for the King’, a joint venture between film maker Mike Pearcy and The Burnham Heritage Society, tells the story of how bell ringers at Burnham St Peter’s Church prepared for May 6 when the nation ‘rang in’ the news of His Majesty the King.

The 23-minute film features the importance of the ancient tradition and the key characters who keep it going in the village including bell tower captain Emma Warburton and 11 bell ringers plus seven handbell ringers.

The film follows the group as they Ring for the King not just on the historic day but up to and after the event as they involve care home residents, school children and community members in the celebrations.

Featured is 94-year-old Cliff Blundell who is one of the country’s oldest and longest serving bell ringers.

This was also the second time that he has rung bells for a coronation, having first joined in the celebrations for Her Majesty the Queen in 1953.

“Cliff is one remarkable person,” said Burnham St Peter’s Church parish administrator Pam Rogers.

“He’s incredible. He still goes up the tower every week to ring the bells before the service and then he does handbells during communion.”

Mike Pearcy said he learnt a lot about bell ringing and enjoyed making the film to capture a moment in Burnham history.

“I’m a retired photographer but I used to make industrial films so when Burnham Heritage Society came up with the idea I thought it was a nice project to do,” he said.

“Everyone in the land was invited to get involved in bell ringing to ring for the King in one way or another on Coronation Day and that’s what I filmed.

“Lots of Burnham got people involved in this was an opportunity to show people what goes on behind the scenes. Cliff is the thread that holds the film together.”