Paint, Pipes, Pupils, Prizes and Planes

A new organ is in the process of being installed at Manchester Cathedral, which will be at the heart of the building and support the worship and musical life of the Cathedral, now and for the future. The Manchester Cathedral Development Project launched the “Paint a Pipe” project to provide educational opportunities for school pupils, to learn about the organ and discover more about Manchester Cathedral itself. Pupils from 24 schools across Greater Manchester decorated pipes from the decommissioned organ (which had C19^th origins and was restored after extensive WW2 damage) on the theme of “Musical Manchester”.

Representatives from each school attended the “Paint a Pipe Prize-giving” and participated in a series of workshops relating to “Musical Manchester,” on Monday 8 February 2016.  Judging the entries were the Archdeacon of Manchester, the Venerable Mark Ashcroft; the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith; Mrs Kathleen Lowe from the Stoller Charitable Trust (which funded the £2.5m organ scheme) and Manchester’s Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Carl Austin. 

The prizes were awarded as follows:

1^st Prize, £1000 St George’s Central Primary School, Tyldesley

2^nd Prize, £700 St Hilda’s CE (VA) Primary School, Prestwich

3^rd Prize, £300 St Andrew’s CE Primary School, Bolton

Highly Commended, £100 Springbrook School, Oldham

The prizes were generously funded by the Lord Lieutenant, Warren Smith and The Stoller Charitable Trust. 

We are delighted that the Musical Manchester pipes will be displayed in the spring (date TBC) at Manchester Airport by their Artist in Residence, Andy Leigh. The pipes will be hung from the ceiling of the Bus, Train and Metrolink interchange station, thus showcasing the artistic talents of Greater Manchester pupils to a wide audience.

The Very Reverend Dean Rogers Govender, the Dean of Manchester, said: “Congratulations to all schools, both staff and pupils, who participated in this unique project to decorate our organ pipes on the theme of “Musical Manchester”. We are delighted with their efforts, which will undoubtedly result in a spectacular display at Manchester Airport. As well as showcasing the talent of Greater Manchester’s young artists we hope the exhibition will inspire and encourage even more pupils to discover Manchester Cathedral’s rich cultural heritage.”

Manchester Cathedral Education Department offers active learning in an inspiring setting. We welcome pupils of all ages, abilities and backgrounds an exciting programme of trails and workshops designed to bring learning to life across the curriculum. Contact Pam Elliott, Education Officer [email protected] 0161 817 4814 to discover more.