AFTER seven months with its hands stuck at 11.20, the clock of St John’s Church in Barmouth is now working again thanks to £2,000 raised by local people.

Tracey Whitehead and Julie Jones, of Cerrig Camu, a residential service for people with learning difficulties, who regularly attend services at the church, sold tombola tickets at the Tal y Don Hotel in Barmouth and raised £70 towards the repair of the clock, which graces the tower of the Grade II-listed building.

Andrew Papirnyk, service manager at Cerrig Camu, said: “Tracey and Julie were very keen to do their bit, and delighted to raise so much money towards the clock repair.

“They contacted the organisers and offered to man the tombola stall, which had prizes such as cuddly toys, wine, perfumes and chocolates.”

Julie said: “It was a brilliant afternoon and I felt very happy when people were buying the tickets for a chance of the prizes on the table.”

The total cost of repairs came to £3,000, with £1,000 being contributed by Barmouth Town Council, and the balance being raised by several small dedicated groups and individuals within the community who organised fund-raising events like Tracey and Julie’s tombola, and a host of other activities such as sponsored walks.

Specialist engineers from 150-year-old bespoke clock makers Smith of Derby, carried out the repairs over a two-day period.

A spokesperson for the church said: “We are now hopeful that following this repair, the equipment in the bell chamber will continue to work

for quite a number of years to come.

“We are of course extremely grateful to everyone who has donated both their time and money to this cause to repair an iconic part of Barmouth and that the fruits of their labour are there for all to see when people want to check what time it is in the town.”

Julie and Tracey were both invited to the church for a cheese and wine evening organised as a thank you to fund-raisers for their achievements.

Andrew said: “This fund-raising was a great way to build Julie and Tracey’s confidence, and they were so pleased to join in the campaign to get the clock working again. It makes them feel an important part of the community – which they are.”

“Our mission at Cerrig Camu is to support people with complex needs to become increasingly independent and learn new life skills, and their involvement in this project proves what great results our service users can achieve with the right support.”