Portsmouth Cathedral has reached its fundraising goal to restore its historic belfry, paving the way for conservation work to begin next month.
The appeal, known as ‘The Big Tower Top-Up,’ was launched earlier this year after the cathedral identified a rare opportunity to carry out essential repairs through a time-limited access arrangement, sparing the cathedral the expense of a full scaffolding installation, which would have increased costs by around fourfold.
The fundraising campaign was completed with the help of a significant anonymous donation, grants from the Benefact Trust and the Syder Foundation, together with contributions from members of the public.
Work on the landmark structure is now scheduled to begin in September.
A cathedral spokesperson thanked everyone who had supported the appeal, saying the project had only reached its target because of the generosity of donors, grant-making organisations, volunteers and those who had shared the campaign or prayed for its success.
“Together, you are helping to preserve Portsmouth Cathedral for future generations and ensuring that this much-loved landmark continues to serve our city as a place of worship, heritage, music and community life,” the spokesperson said.
The repairs come as England’s cathedrals continue to balance the preservation of historic buildings with growing financial pressures.
A recent report by Theos described cathedrals as vital “beacons” of worship, heritage and civic life, while warning that maintaining ancient buildings increasingly depends on a combination of Church funding, charitable donations, grants, commercial income and tourism.
The report found that 77% of adults in England had visited a cathedral within the previous three years, highlighting their continuing importance as places of worship, culture and community engagement.
However, researchers also cautioned that the gap between the public contribution cathedrals make and the financial support they receive is continuing to widen, making fundraising campaigns increasingly important for the long-term care of these historic buildings.
