The Church Appeal (2002-2009)

Five years ago in November 2004, we launched an appeal to make improvements to St Margaret’s Church. Three projects were planned. The first was to create a new entrance with new steps, new doors and a welcome area screened from the rest of the church. This was completed in 2006 at a cost of £60,000, donated by a wide variety of people. It was awarded the Topsham Society Award and is much appreciated by visitors as well as the regular congregation.

The second project was the installation of a new organ. The existing organ, dating from the 19th century had been rebuilt and improved over the years but was unsatisfactory in many ways and in need of a complete overhaul. In 2002 we had the offer of an exceptionally fine organ built by Nicholson of Malvern in 1959 for the Wesley Methodist Church in Plymouth which was now due to close. This organ was bought for St Margaret’s and stored in part of the church until the money was available to install it. To do that, it was necessary to make improvements to the existing organ chamber, replacing the floor and adding surrounding sound-reflecting walls. A new blower had to be purchased and a lot of electrical work done on the organ itself before it could be rebuilt.

The money needed for all this (totalling about £120,000) finally came in by the end of 2008 and work started early in 2009. The organ was eventually in place and in working order in October 2009. The console is on a movable platform in the nave and we now have a magnificent addition to the church, versatile enough to accompany the choir and congregation and also provide a wide variety of sounds and volume for recitals and concerts. We are most grateful to all who have generously contributed to the entrance and to the organ and to all who worked hard to make these projects so successful.

Tony Yates, the Director of Music at St Margaret's, has written an article about the organ including its specifications. Some pictures of the new organ are shown below.

The third part of the appeal was for a platform for a nave altar, also to be used for concerts and other presentations. At present we do not feel it is an opportune time to make a further appeal for funds, but we are experimenting with a nave altar, using the space that we have and we hope in due course to introduce something more permanent.

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