Today, All Saints’ Church, Roos PCC has received £44,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for an exciting project to restore the historic pipe organ in the Grade 1 listed church. The organ will be dismantled in the early summer, taken away and refurbished using authentic materials. It will be returned in time for Christmas having been restored to its original condition. The project also includes the renovation of the organ chamber.
The organ was built in 1881 by K. C. Reiter, a renowned Hull organ builder, and is one of only two to have survived in an unmodified state. Damp and woodworm have affected it badly and it has been unplayable for 25 years. There is a tremendous amount of support for this project within the Roos community. Roos C of E Primary School has close links with the church and the children will be able to witness at first-hand the restoration of an important element of their village heritage. Once completed, the organ will be used regularly for services and concerts. It will also be available for tuition and will serve the community for the next 100 years.
All Saints’ Roos is a Grade 1 listed building which is much loved within its rural community. The organ is a central and important feature of the church and its restoration is long overdue. When it fell into disrepair in the late 1980s the unfortunate decision was made to purchase an electric organ rather than spend money on restoring the historic instrument. The electric organ has now developed some major faults and so now the pipe organ will be restored to its rightful role as the centre of music making within the church.
Commenting on the award, project coordinator Mrs Helen Audley said “Receiving this wonderful award is a tremendous vote of confidence in our project. Restoring the organ is important to many people in our village and its current derelict state is a source of embarrassment. We hope as many people as possible will take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn from and witness history in the re-making and will enjoy the result.”
Fiona Spiers, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “This project will totally rejuvenate the Reiter organ, bringing it back to life and restoring the musical tradition of the Church. The project will open up the restoration process and provide information about the history of the pipe organ and how they work for the wider community.”
Phil Thomas, Church Buildings Officer & Secretary to the DAC said, "The tireless and successful fundraising campaign at Roos is a wonderful example of what many parishes could, and hopefully will, achieve. This is a church with tremendous vision, and the Diocesan Advisory Committee and Church Buildings Officer fully supported and encouraged its projects to augment and restore the bells and to bring its historic pipe organ back into to sparkling condition. We are already being fully consulted about other exciting schemes in the future."