Renovation work to begin on Portsmouth Cathedral as £120,000 fundraising target reached

More than £100,000 has been raised by a cathedral to carry out urgent repairs to its historic belfry.

Portsmouth Cathedral launched its ‘Top up the Tower’ appeal earlier this year, to raise the final amount needed for specialist conservation work on one of the city's most iconic landmarks.

The money will be used to repair and protect the timber belfry, which sits at the top of the cathedral tower, overlooking Old Portsmouth. The structure has deteriorated over the years, due simply to its age and exposure to the coastal environment.

Reaching the £120,000 target means the essential work can now go ahead and help protect this part of Portsmouth's skyline for future generations.

The appeal attracted support from across the city and beyond, including charitable foundations, members of the congregation, visitors and local supporters. A number of anonymous donors also contributed to the campaign.

The Very Revd Dr Anthony Cane, Dean of Portsmouth, said: "We are enormously grateful to everyone who has supported this appeal. Every gift, whether large or small, has helped us reach this important milestone.

"Portsmouth Cathedral belongs to the whole city, and it is wonderful to see so many people coming together to help preserve this much-loved landmark for future generations."

There is a particular urgency to completing the work this year, as delaying the work could result in significantly higher costs in the future.

Specialist steeplejacks can apparently carry out the repairs without the need to put extensive scaffolding around the entire cathedral.

Sarah King, head of fundraising at Portsmouth Cathedral, said the campaign had demonstrated how highly people value the building and its role in the city.

She said: "This campaign has shown just how much people value Portsmouth Cathedral and its place in the life of our city.

"We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters and are incredibly thankful to everyone who has helped make these repairs possible.

"Reaching this target means that essential work can now go ahead to protect an important part of Portsmouth's heritage."

The cathedral is approaching its centenary in 2027, when the repairs will form part of efforts to safeguard the building for the future.

Work on the belfry is expected to begin later this year.