Organ restored

After months of painstaking work involving its complete disassembly, this beautiful and historic organ has been granted a new lease of life.

The restored organ has recently been returned to its position in the west end gallery. With the support of the Friends of St Swithun’s, the programme of artistic and ecclesiastical activities is now expanded to include lunchtime recitals, individual organ practice and tuition, and an organ scholarship for a talented young musician each year to focus their organ studies around the music of the Baroque period. In addition, the organ will at last play an important role in occasional acts of worship held at the church, such as during the annual St Swithun’s Festival (St Swithun’s day being 15 July) or the Christmas period.

The Churches Conservation Trust and the Friends of St Swithun’s gratefully acknowledge the generous contributions of the following foundations and individuals which have made possible the restoration of the Gray brothers’ organ:

• Heritage Lottery Fund

• The Pilgrim Trust

• The Leche Trust

• The Idlewild Trust

• The Ian Addison Charitable Foundation

• The many private contributors to the Friends’ Pipe Sponsorship Scheme.

The church participates enthusiastically in the annual Worcester Festival and the triennial Three Choirs Festival. Families are welcome to enjoy the church, and there are activity sheets to help younger visitors explore its many surprising secrets.