Pipe Up for Pipe Organs

17/09/2026

If you would like to support this channel to save more neglected pi...

12/09/2026

A lovely afternoon visiting the wonderfully dedicated team at Mount Zion Methodist Heritage Chapel and hearing first-hand the progress being made on their historic Grade II listed Anneessens organ, dating from 1891.

Another Sleeping Beauty is awakening! 🎶

03/09/2026

25/08/2026

A chapel organ on which the rugby anthem Cwm Rhondda was composed is to enjoy a new lease of life in time for its 120-year-old anniversary.

The 750-pipe instrument at Capel Rhondda, in Hopkinstown near Pontypridd, has not been played in more than 20 years.

In 1907, John Hughes composed the hymn, also known as Bread of Heaven, and played it for the first time just before Christmas.

But the Grade II-listed building, and its organ, has fallen into disrepair and has been bought by a campaign group.

Rhian Hopkins, who led the effort to buy the chapel, hopes the Blackett & Howden organ will be completely restored ahead of its anniversary in 2027.

19/08/2026

A Welsh “Sleeping Beauty” is sounding again!

The historic Blackett & Howden pipe organ at Capel Rhondda, Hopkinstown, where the hymn tune Cwm Rhondda was first performed almost 120 years ago, has taken an important step towards restoration.

Members of Pipe Up for Pipe Organs joined local volunteers and enthusiasts for a major community clean, led by Pipe Up co-founder Martin Renshaw and Wales-based organ builder Kingsley Robinson.

All 764 pipes were carefully removed, cleaned and replaced, helping to clear decades of dust and debris from this remarkable instrument.

This weekend’s work marks an important milestone in the wider project to fully restore the organ ahead of its 120th anniversary in November 2027.

13/08/2026

A lovely demonstration by Melanie Plumley of the 1887 Vowles organ at St Teilo’s, Llantilio Crossenny (Abergavenny, NP7 8SY) recently restored to playing order through our “Sleeping Beauty” scheme.

These grants help bring neglected instruments back to life, on the condition that they remain available to local and visiting organists.

Organ builder Kingsley Robinson identified a wind-supply fault and made a simple adjustment to the reservoir string, which had slipped off its pulley and caused over-inflation. A new blower capacitor and some final tuning restored the organ to enjoyable playing condition!

This organ has recently been a beneficiary of the Pipe Up for Pipe ...

29/07/2026

Organ builder Kingsley Robinson has brought a historic 1907 pipe organ back to life after it was written off and faced being sent to landfill 🎵 Supported by funding from Pipe Up for Pipe Organs, the instrument was carefully restored to fill its building with music once again. The achievement highlights how traditional craftsmanship can protect Britain’s musical heritage at a time when around nine church organs are lost across the UK every week 🎹 Now rescued from silence, the instrument is set to bring music lovers, choirs, and local musicians together for generations to come.

08/06/2026

Out on a job today at a very sick organ - This is what happens when someone decided that the organ would make a good storage facility! This believe it or not was a church prayer kneeler that a family of mice moved into while wrecking the leather work of the organ!! Organs are not storage facilities!!!

06/06/2026

Earlier this year, we relaunched our Sleeping Beauty Campaign alongside the publication of our report, Silencing the King. Today, we’re delighted to share some wonderful news.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we unlocked the full £13,000 of matching funding generously provided by the Dalgleish Foundation. As a result, the Sleeping Beauty Fund now stands at over £36,000.

Now we’d love to put that fund to work.

If you know of a “Sleeping Beauty” pipe organ that could be returned to playable conditions with a grant of up to £1,000, please get in touch via www.pipe-up.org.uk — we would love to help bring it back to life.

21/04/2026

The wonderful Isaac Abbott organ at St Mary’s, silent for two years due to a blower fault, is now back in voice thanks to support from Pipe Up and the work of M. C. Thompson.

Completed in just two days, the repairs meant the organ was ready again in time for Christmas carols.

This is why Sleeping Beauties matters: small interventions, big impact, and another historic pipe organ brought back to life.

You can read more on the success story here: https://www.pipe-up.org.uk/success-stories/st-marys-chaddesden