A north community is rallying behind the restoration of a 90-year-old church organ following the award of crucial funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Nairn St Ninian’s church was yesterday given £32,800 from the HLF for the full renovation of their nationally recognised historic church organ.
The lottery money represents 68% of the project funding requirements of the planned £48,250 expenditure.
It is only the fourth time in the instrument’s life that it has been cleaned and overhauled, and this will be the most comprehensive work ever carried out.
The organ was built in 1924 at a cost of £2,309, which is the equivalent of £122,000 in today’s money.
As part of the restoration project, children from Millbank Primary School in Nairn will be learning about the organ’s history and the work involved in dismantling and rebuilding it.
They will also be producing information boards and visitor leaflets for a permanent display in time for the organ’s completion in the summer.
Pupils from Nairn Academy’s music department will also be playing the organ at regular public events and will contribute to the rededication recital being held on August 1.
Once the project is finished, local children and the community will also be able to take lessons from church organist, Donald Maclagan.
Mr Maclagan said: “After almost 12 years as organist and director of music at St Ninian’s I am overjoyed that the organ is to be cleaned and overhauled, effectively re-built. This will ensure that it continues to support public worship for many more years – probably until well after my tenure here.
“It will also ensure that the organ is suitable for use both as a solo instrument and as accompaniment to concerts and recitals.”
Grigor Mckay, church elder at St Ninian’s, said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund for this project and are confident this will return our historic organ to its full operating potential for the enjoyment and pleasure of the congregation, community and visitors now and in the future.”
Gavin Cormack, a teacher at Millbank Primary, said: “The pupils are so excited to be involved in such an important and historic community project. We have already been busy learning to play tin whistles, writing letters, designing logos and making newspaper adverts.”