SPONSORSHIP LATEST

The committee has been very fortunate in attracting the required level of sponsorship and to achieve the targets set at the start of this project.  Efforts are still being maintained to maximise the pledges, in an attempt to boost the total sum to meet the future funding of the Music Development Fund.  This fund will be, apart from the restored organ, the legacy of this project.


Since the last update of the site there has been a huge uplift to the pledges.  As listed below the committee was very pleased to be awarded the maximum grant from the Common Good Fund of the City of Inverness.  It is particularly appropriate that this award was made considering the significance of the Old High Church not only in the history of the city but also in the continuing involvement the building has in the present day life of the city.


Another success has been the award from the Pilgrim Trust of £15,000.  Although the Pilgrim Trust is very supportive of this type of project, it does demonstrate their generosity to the most northerly of our cities.  Almost at the same time the Anne Duchess of Westminster’s Charity donated a cheque for £1,500 and it is recognised that this Charity is very generous in their encouragement of the efforts in the Highlands.  The committee is grateful for the Charity’s support.

The principal donations are concluded with the generous donation of the Appeal’s Patron Mr David Sutherland CBE who has pledged £20,000.  From his invitation to become the Patron of the Appeal Mr Sutherland has provided not only his considerable business acumen in guiding the Appeal but also his interest and support from the outset.

It was recorded in our last update that awards had been received from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Culture Programme of the Highland Council and these reflect some 32% of the pledged total.  Both these bodies expect the involvement of the local communities, particularly the schools, as well as the furtherance of the Gaelic language and these are being pursued.

 Of course the appreciation of the giving must not exclude the considerable effort in the individual donations and the money collected from special events.  The sum raised is still short of the targets set at the beginning but it is hoped that the gap will be reduced once the work on the restoration is under way.  The events have involved a lot of people and all sorts of events including choral works, recitals and coffee mornings and are still ongoing.

The table below demonstrates the spread of the pledges and the pie chart provides an easy way of displaying this information.  The percentages shown are the target figures and in brackets are the actual amounts achieved.
 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

There are several ways you can contribute to the Organ Appeal Fund and you can do so individually, as a family, school, group, organisation, or as an employer or business.

To help us realise our targets you can contribute a one-off donation, give regular contributions, sponsor the reinstatement of an organ pipe(s) or give a legacy promise. You can also organise or host a fund raising event with the Appeal Committee.

In sponsoring a pipe there are over 1000 pipes to choose from, varying from £25 to £250 per pipe. By sponsoring a pipe as a gift, or in memory of a loved one, the contributor will be entered in a specially commissioned book of acknowledgements which will be held in the Old High Church.

With your consent, 10% of your donation will go towards the Music and Community Development programme which will be an integral part of the organ restoration.

MUSIC DEVELOPMENT FUND

We intend to establish a Development Programme, and invite donors to allow us to contribute 10% of their donations to this work. This will enhance our congregation's buildings for use as concert venues, support music  activities, and to continue our existing funding of the traing of future organists and church musicians.

The church will be opened on a regular basis and particular emphasis will be placed on the history of the area and the church with the intention of involving schools as well as increasing the interest of visitors.

CHURCH ORGAN DONATION FORM

To make a donation use the Form which can be downloaded here or obtained from any office bearer or from:- 

The Appeal Coordinator, Jim Monro,
146 Culduthel Road, Inverness IV2 4BQ.
Tel: 01463 231172 
Email: jim@jimmonro.com

You can make a regular donation by filling in a Standing Order form from here .

The Appeal Fund leaflet is available here .

Read about how we intend to involve schools here .

Please give your support.

Your help is now urgently sought, so please contribute in this important work for the benefit of future generations of music lovers, followers of the Christian faith and the wider community.