Organists come together to raise funds for Cranham’s church organ

15 different organists will be playing in St James the Great Church in Cranham on Saturday 9 March in a non-stop ‘Organathon’ from 9am to 6.15pm. This all-day performance is being staged to seek donations towards the Cranham Organ Restoration Fund.

The organ in Cranham Church was installed in 1894, having been built by well-known organ-builders Lewis and Co in Brixton and has served the worshipping community for the past 130 years. The organ last had major work done on it in 1954, but now needs extensive restoration to ensure it functions effectively in future, costing nearly £26,000.

Looking for ways to help pay for this work, the PCC came up with the idea to hold an all-day organ-playing fundraising event, which they called the ‘Organathon’. Organists from in and around the Diocese of Gloucester have been invited to take part, each of them playing for up to 45 minutes.

The play list includes renowned organists Christopher Boodle, Julian Elloway and James MacDowall-Scott; Dominic Hamilton, the General Manager of the Painswick Rococo Garden; and John Wright who is a Trustee of the Holst Victorian House in Cheltenham. Composer Gustav Holst has a special link with Cranham as his mother was born in the village and she is said to have played an early harmonium or organ in Cranham Church. Holst later wrote his famous tune to the Christmas Carol ‘In the Bleak Mid-Winter’, naming it ‘Cranham’. The performance will start and finish with music played by Cranham resident Beryl Berry, who has been the church organist since the early 1970s.

Visitors are welcome to come to St James the Great Cranham throughout the day to support and encourage the organists, and to donate to the Cranham Organ Restoration Fund. Entry is free and refreshments are being served, with bacon butties and soup provided in the morning and cakes and biscuits in the afternoon, as well as tea and coffee all day. Anyone who is not able to attend on Saturday 9 March can make an donation at bit.ly/cranham-organathon

Sylvia Ardron, a member of Cranham church who will also be playing on the day, says, “We’ve got people coming from all over Gloucestershire to play music, of their choice, continuously throughout the day. Hopefully it will be a successful day; it will be a fun day I’m sure.”