St Paul’s Church, Rusthall has always had an excellent musical tradition, supported by an organ since 1860. The present church organ is a fine three-manual pipe organ, built in 1931. At nearly 100 years old, despite regular maintenance and a partial overhaul in 1994, it has been gradually deteriorating for a number of years such that it has become unreliable and some elements are now unusable. Sadly, many church organs are falling into disrepair and we need to ensure that ours doesn’t become one of them. The organ is an integral part of regular church services, weddings, funerals, community parade services and local school carol services, as well as supporting our large and very active church choir. The organ also enables budding young organists to develop their skills and musicianship - some of whom have recently gone on to become organ scholars at Cambridge University, St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, St Andrew’s University and Westminster Cathedral.
We are still in the process of obtaining formal quotes from major organ builders for a substantial restoration, but an initial report suggests that we are likely to need at least £350,000 to save our organ. As a result, the renovation project is a long-term, major fundraising project. It aims to raise enough money to renovate the organ to its former glory and future-proof it for many decades to come.
Please look at our events page for upcoming dates in support of our fund. An enormous thank you to everyone who has already donated so generously.
More info coming shortly