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The National Brain Appeal has teamed up with the Friends of University College Hospitals to revive a vital part of The National Hospital’s heritage
Bringing live music back to The National Hospital
The goal is to raise £125,000 to refurbish the organ in the hospital’s chapel. The organ, built by Robert Spurden Rutt in 1938, was awarded a Historic Organ Certificate Grade II in 2014 but has been silent since 2019 due to electrical safety concerns. Its restoration will take place alongside repairs to the chapel roof – paid for by Queen Square estates – with the organ being reinstalled this summer.
The project was conceived as a way of thanking staff at The National for their tireless work during the pandemic by enhancing a space that provides a haven of calm for many.
The restoration will be overseen by Chris Batchelor, a well-known organist and leading expert in organ building and restoration. Chris is a patient at The National and also a volunteer, distributing teas and coffees to patients and their families.
Chris said: “I’ll just make sure everything comes out and goes back in, is done to a certain level and sounds as it should.”
Theresa Dauncey, chief executive of The National Brain Appeal, said: “The chapel is a haven of peace and reflection for patients, staff and visitors alike. We’re very much looking forward to bringing organ music back there so it can once again be a space for singing, recitals and music therapy.”
Sponsor a pipe!
While the chapel will keep a permanent record of all those who donate to the appeal, donations of £50, £100 and £200 can be linked to specific pipes. Donors who sponsor one or more pipes in this way will receive a certificate showing exactly what they have supported, and there is also an option to sponsor a pipe in memory of a loved one.
To donate go to: https://nationalbrainappealfriendsofuclh.enthuse.com/cf/national-brain-appeal-friends-of-uclh