Woodworm attack leaves Minster organ wheezing

A campaign has been launched to raise £11,500 to save the 80-year-old organ at Howden Minster after the church warned that wedding fanfares could have to be swapped for piano music if nothing is done.

A series of fundraising concerts will be held every month through to September. The first will be a visit from the The Hallgate Camerata from Cottingham on Saturday April 7 at 1pm.

The problem has got so bad that the organ – played at weddings and funerals as well as at services – makes a hissing noise which only stops when it is turned off.

The Minster called in organ builder Andrew J Carter, from Wakefield, to try to solve the problem. He said: “There are three bellows in the north chamber of the organ that need repairing; most of the leatherwork is original and nearly 100 years old. There is also much evidence of a serious woodworm infestation which needs urgent attention.

“Unfortunately, the nature of woodworm is that if the problem is left, the risk of it spreading across the rest of the organ is high, which will only end up increasing the costs.”

The Minster’s director of music Matthew Collins said the infestation could make the organ unplayable in a short space of time: “It may mean that wedding couples will have to forego the sounds of the fanfares in the Wedding March or Widor’s Toccata for simpler music played on the piano. As a community, we simply cannot let this happen.” Tickets for The Redeemer by Martin Shaw, cost £5 and will be available on the door.