A 12-YEAR-OLD bell ringer has designed a 2026 calendar to raise much-needed funds for a historic Fareham church.

Brandon Joyce, from Swanmore, has created the calendar, which showcases images of St Peter and St Paul Church in Fareham. He is now selling copies and putting the proceeds into its building fund.

The ancient, grade II listed building in Osborn Road needs essential repairwork. Initial repairs have already taken place to the roof of its church hall. The old, leaking roof has been replaced with more modern roofing in a project that took around four weeks this autumn. Some refurbishment is now needed inside to make the hall operational again.

Now the church’s bell tower needs significant work to ensure that its historic clock starts working, to repair its deteriorating cupola, and to allow bell ringing to begin again. The PCC has now committed itself to around £300,000 of repairs.

Brandon was already ringing the church bells at St Barnabas Church, Swanmore, but became involved in bell ringing at the Fareham church before the tower was closed. At one point he was practising bell ringing in Fareham on a Monday and in Swanmore on a Friday.

“The bell tower at St Peter and St Paul needed to close for repair, so I asked how I could help,” he said. “I enjoy drawing, and I was the cartoonist on my school magazine, so I thought about doing a calendar.

“Some of the drawings are inspired by photos, some are things that I’ve seen. I really like expressing my feelings by drawing. I actually had more than 12 drawings, so had to select which ones would be suitable for a 2026 calendar.

“I hope we can raise £700 from the initial printing of the calendar, but we’ll print more if we sell out. I’ve also got some ideas for a Christmas card and an activity trail. Ultimately, I would love to be captain of the bell tower at St Peter and St Paul, after it reopens. I’m happy to do whatever we need to do to raise the money so that can happen.”

Brandon’s calendar is now available for £10, plus £2.50 postage and packing for calendars that need to be posted. Orders can be made by emailing: SsPeterAndPaul2026Calendar@hotmail.com

Bell ringers in the Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers have been first to snap the calendars up, as well as worshippers at St Peter and St Paul itself. Sales have also reached international buyers with orders coming in from as far afield as Thailand. In just the first week, more than 40 per cent of the stock has already sold.