AS chair of the Bell Tower Appeal Committee I would like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who has supported our appeal this year, and that includes the Evesham Journal.

We now have just £40,000 to raise from our original target of £500,000.

This is a fantastic achievement and one of which the people of Evesham should be very proud.

It has been wonderful to see how the appeal has gripped the town and how people have come together to help ensure that our iconic landmark can be preserved for future generations.

"It's what makes Evesham so special" is a comment we have heard so many times this year.

It's true, the bell tower is very special and so important to our heritage, but Evesham has a lot of other things that make it special too.

As we go into the new year, we might be nearly there with the appeal, but there is still work to be done to reach our target, so please keep supporting us for a while longer.

Dr Sue Ablett

Evesham Bell Tower Appeal Committee