RESTORATION AT CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL TO BEGIN

CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL RESTORATION & DEVELOPMENT TRUST ANNOUNCED RECENTLY THE ARRIVAL OF CONSERVATORS TO SAVE THE TUDOR PAINTINGS IN CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL. FOLLOWING A NATIONAL APPEAL TO RAISE £250,000 TO SAVE THE TUDOR PAINTINGS BY LAMBERT BARNARD IN CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL THE WORK HAS NOW BEGUN. ALISON GODFRY, DIRECTOR OF THE CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL RESTORATION & DEVELOPMENT TRUST SAID: 'SO FAR WE HAVE MANAGED TO RAISE £202,000 TOWARDS THE PROJECT. HOWEVER, THE PAINTINGS ARE IN SUCH A CRITICAL CONDITION THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO WAIT ANY LONGER BEFORE THE STABILIZATION COULD COMMENCE. WE ARE DELIGHTED THAT THE APPOINTED CONSERVATORS, THE HAMILTON KERR INSTITUTE (PART OF THE FITZWILLIAM MUSEUM, CAMBRIDGE) JOINED US ON 11.JANUARY TO BEGIN THIS VITAL WORK. THE PAINTINGS, OF INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, FEATURED ON THE BBC2 CULTURE SHOW IN OCTOBER 2010 AND THIS REALLY HELPED US RAISE THE MONEY. WE JUST HOPE THAT VISITORS, HISTORIANS AND ART ENTHUSIASTS WILL NOW HELP US WITH THIS FINAL AMOUNT THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED.' 'THE WORK THAT IS BEING CARRIED OUT IS CRITICAL AND WILL PREVENT ANY FURTHER DETERIORATION FOR THE TIME BEING. THE PAINTINGS ARE COMPLETELY UNIQUE, NOTHING LIKE THEM SURVIVES IN EITHER THIS COUNTRY OR EUROPE. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AFTER THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY SURVIVE FOR FURTHER GENERATIONS', SHE ADDED. THE CATHEDRAL IS OPEN EVERY DAY AND THERE IS NO ADMISSION CHARGE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE SERVICES AND RESTORATION VISIT www.chichestercathedral.org.uk