York Minster Fund smashes fundraising target for Camera Cantorum repairs

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A spectacular effort to raise additional funds for vital repairs to York Minster’s Camera Cantorum has exceeded its target in just four months.

The York Minster Fund (YMF) set itself the task of raising an extra £100,000 for repairs to the stonework and roof of the Camera Cantorum.  The Fund this week announced that it had exceeded its target by £10,000 - providing more than £110,000 of additional funding for the restoration of the building.

Dating from 1415, and located on the south side of the Minster, the Camera Cantorum is a two storey structure, which currently houses the Minster shop and the Minster Song School and is where generations of choristers have been trained.  Twelve former choristers and an Alto song man were killed on active service in the First World War. 

Commenting on the achievement, Dr Peter Spence, Director of the York Minster Fund said:

“We launched the appeal in our Christmas 2014 newsletter.  It was important to raise the funds quickly to allow the work to the Camera Cantorum to proceed.  But I was quite unprepared for the speed with which our supporters responded.  My team and I are enormously grateful to all those who rose to the challenge“.

The York Minster Fund was originally established in the 1960s to raise money for urgent repairs and conservation to the Minster’s Central Tower. The Fund now responds to requests from the Chapter of York for support for a wide range of projects at the Minster including conservation and restoration work. Those who would like to support the Fund’s objectives can do so either by contacting the YMF at 01904 557245 or online at www.justgiving.com/yorkminsterfund/

York Minster Fund’s outstanding fundraising effort is a welcome addition to the £300,000 allocated to the Camera Cantorum work from the government’s First World War Cathedrals Repair Fund. 

For more information about the York Minster Fund please contact:

Dr Peter Spence - Director of the York Minster Fund – t: 01904 557245 m.07710 505043 peters@yorkminster.org

For more information about York Minster please contact:

Sharon Atkinson – Director of Communications – t: 01904 557248 m: 07785 615457

sharona@yorkminster.org

Leanne Woodhurst – Communications Manager – t: 01904 559534 m: 07824 017585

leannew@yorkminster.org

Stacey Healey – Marketing Executive – t: 01904 559545m: 07557 110718

staceyh@yorkminster.org

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