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FUGUE:
CHAPTER XII
THE
APPEAL: 1996-2000
Thelma
Collins, assistant organist since 1975, recollects:
“Towards
the end of 1995, I was to help launch the biggest appeal fund
that St. Bartholomew’s had ever undertaken in the 125
years since it was built, and with a target only marginally
falling short of the original building costs.
The
PCC had chosen the Churchwardens, Jean Smith and Dr. Colin
Robertson, the Curate,
Fr. John Gilbert, the PCC
Treasurer, Morris Fernyhough, Organist, Prof. Graham Barber,
and his two assistants – Dr. Chris Newton and myself,
and, of course, the Vicar, Fr. Timothy Lipscomb, to organise a
National Lottery grant application.
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After
some thought and consultation, Peter Panteli, of U.C.S., based in
Ilkley, was brought in to lead the way. He was costly, but worthy
of his hire. The Appeal needed to be planned on two fronts. Costs
of renovation work had to be worked out in detail, and, since the
Lottery Committee demanded that any awarded funding would have to
be matched by at least 25% (50% was stipulated at one stage!), it
was essential to raise our own funds.
On
the Organ side, two firms were asked to tender – Klais of
Germany and Harrison & Harrison of Durham. As you have seen,
the Schulze Organ already had the funds to proceed with
restoration – much fund-raising during the previous 24 years
and the amazing legacy of £300,000. So, in theory, St.
Bartholomew’s had a good deal of the matching funding for
the twin projects.
In
1997, two major concerts were held, the first in the Church, at
lunch time, and the second at Sledmere House, the Organist on both
occasions being the American, Carlo Curley. Money poured in from
many quarters, and by the end of 1997 we had raised
£24,935.09.
Meanwhile,
a huge dossier, full of facts, figures, and projections, was most
professionally presented to the National Lottery Committee for
consideration. All we could do then was wait. At last, the
all-important survey of the Church, by English Heritage, took
place in October, 1997, followed by that of the Organ. The Lottery
Committee met every three months, but our application kept being
put to one side – it was by no means a straight-forward
project. More inspections followed,
accompanied by
much
more of no news at all. A whole year went by, but we did not give
up hope.
Then,
in November, 1998, Fr. Timothy was informed that a grant for the
First Stage had been awarded. St. Bartholomew’s would be
required to provide 25% of this funding. We were, of course,
elated. Work could go ahead. But, our Vicar and Church Wardens
were ultra-cautious. What about the massive costs of the second
stage? Could we proceed without a written guarantee of funds for
the second stage? We could not use the Organ legacy money to fund
it because of the stipulations laid down in the Will. Re-assurance
was desperately needed.
Then
came the bombshell. At the site meeting held in February, 1999, as
various parts of the renovation work were being reviewed, the
Heritage Lottery representative declared that the Organ was not to
be included in the award. During the previous year, it had been
decided that Organ Restoration would no longer be considered by
the National Lottery Awards body.
There
was talk of doing some of the roofing, for half the cost, but this
was not really an option. Things went very quiet, but, behind the
scenes, the persuasions continued. It was forcibly argued that
Organs were being considered when our Appeal was launched, that
our Appeal was principally for our unique Organ, renowned
throughout the world, and that if our application had been dealt
with even 6 months earlier, the organ would have been
included.
Nothing
happened. Nothing was heard. But the Vicar and Church Wardens
continued with the phone calls and the meetings. They would not
give up.
I
received a phone call from Father Timothy on Tuesday evening, 25th
July,
2000.
“Are
you sitting down? I sat down.
“We have been awarded a
grant for all
the
work, Church and Organ.”
We had got there! Now, the
work would really begin!”
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