The Friends of Wells Cathedral Grand Organ Appeal is pleased to announce that it has now raised more than £1m in donations and pledges towards its overall £2m target.

This landmark moment was achieved just before Christmas 2024, and is the result of the generous support of many people in Wells, across the South West and the wider UK.

The Friends of Wells Cathedral paid for the current Grand Organ case (pictured) as part of the 1974 refurbishment of the Organ by Harrison & Harrison. This will remain unaltered when the project is finished.

The Dean of Wells Cathedral, Toby Wright said:

“The Cathedral organ is in a rapidly deteriorating state, and it is becoming increasingly urgent that we restore this once magnificent instrument to its full glory.

“Until now, our wonderful organists have masked the decline of the organ’s performance, concealing its flaws from the ears of the thousands of people who come each year to attend Cathedral services, recitals and concerts.

“Reaching the appeal halfway point is a landmark moment and we owe our thanks to everyone who has found a way to support the appeal with such generosity.”

Image: the interior of the organ case showing the positive, which faces South towards the organ console.

Having achieved its first £1m, the appeal committee will now be refocusing its efforts on raising the second million.

The present economic environment is challenging for any fund-raising project, but the committee members remain confident that they will rise to the challenge.

In a further update, Chairman of the Appeal committee David Morgan Hewitt said:

“Progress being made on the fundraising side of the appeal has allowed us to begin more detailed planning and we now have a proposed timetable of works for the organ’s refurbishment.

“It is likely that the organ pipes will be removed at the start of 2026 and will be taken away for repair and refurbishment. At the same time, work will begin on crafting new sets of pipes for the 32 foot stops and the new trumpets.

“It is hoped that the organ will be reinstalled by the end of 2027 or early in 2028. The process of refurbishing the organ is a very complex, specialised, and labour-intensive challenge and will mean a couple of years with a temporary instrument.

“But the end result will be worth the wait and will create a greatly improved and fully revitalised instrument that is ready to continue its work for the next 50 years or more.”

Image: The Friends of Wells Cathedral was founded on the arrival of Dean Richard Malden in 1933 and was among a number of Cathedral Friends Associations founded in the 1930s. The Friends Building was part of the Wells Cathedral Development Project completed some 13 years ago. The Friends funded the full cost of the building at £1.83m.

With the support and generosity of donors from Somerset and across the United Kingdom, the goal is to ensure that Wells Cathedral is able to maintain the highest musical standards with a refurbished organ that is fit and ready for the 21st century.

To find out more about how you can support the Appeal, please contact the Friends of Wells Cathedral on organappeal@wellsfriends.org