BLACKBURN Cathedral has launched a £1million fundraising campaign for its choir.

The initiative prompted a leading councillor to question whether church leaders had got their priorities right.

Church officials said they were aware that the appeal was coming at a ‘very challenging time'.

The move came as the cathedral announced it was looking to appoint a banker, laid off during the recession, to fill the new £40,000-a-year ‘head of fundraising’ role.

Cathedral leaders defended the £1million choir appeal and said it would ensure a tradition dating back to 1514 continued.

Blackburn Cathedral is renowned for having one of the best music programmes in the country, they said.

Currently £80,000 a year is spent on the choir. But church leaders want to up this to £150,000.

The cash will be spent on new outreach schemes with local schools as well as to pay for robes, lessons and staff costs.

The cathedral wants to get a pot of £1million so that the future of the choirs are secure without having to be reliant on sponsorship.

The choir is split into several sections, including groups for boys, men, girls, children, young people and the Renaissance Singers group.

Canon Andrew Hindley said: “Cathedrals are defined by their musical tradition.

“It is of key and paramount importance that we raise this money to ensure that tradition, which goes back to 1514 here, carries on.

"The £1million is a capital investment which will fund the choir for 10 years.”

But County Councillor David Whipp said: “It’s certainly ambitious.

"But I do have reservations given the state of the job market and economic downturn.

“Is this the top priority? I do have a bit of unease about it, but if they genuinely think it's worthwhile then I wish them luck.

“I do think music and celebration can provide a great uplift to people who attend and maybe it is worthwhile from that point of view.

“I do think fundraising is vital, but perhaps we need to be raising for other things.”

Blackburn with Darwen Labour leader Kate Hollern said: “I wish them luck but I think it’s very, very ambitious.

"Even without the current economic climate £1million is a lot of money.”

As well as £1million to develop the choir, they are also striving to raise £1.5million to upgrade the building and a further £1million to increase community cohesion work.

The overall appeal was announced earlier this year, but no details were released of what it would be spent on.

A £40,000 head of fund-raising post is being created. This individual will be tasked with raising the £3.5million in just two years through grants, sponsorship and fundraising.

Dean of Blackburn Christopher Armstrong said: “We fully realise this appeal will be launched at a very challenging time, as international finance exhibits almost unparalleled crisis.

“But the demands of Christian mission do not stand still.

"If anything they accelerate in times of turmoil, and we are seeking the right person now to help us by directing our ambitious appeal.

“We know our Cathedral is a place greatly loved as a centre of sanctuary, culture and worship, and we dearly want to enhance that, as finance permits.”

Cathedral building

THE fund-raiser must secure £1.5million for improvements to the fabric of the cathedral.

While Canon Hindley said the building was in “extremely good condition” there are projects that have been identified.

Re-wiring is expected to cost £500,000 and there is to be a complete refurbishment of the Jesus Chapel, which is located behind the altar.

Cash will also be spent on external floodlights and general work to complete “the cathedral that we have all been waiting for since the 1920s”.

Canon Hindley said: “The last major appeal we had was in 1996 was for £1.3million for the Lantern Tower and since then we have raised £4million for maintenance.”

Community cohesion

BLACKBURN Cathedral has already become a driving force of work to encourage community cohesion.

And now church leaders hope to raise £1million to develop these projects.

They want to create a new study centre and employ more members of staff.

They will then create educational programmes for children.

At present, the cathedral has ExChange, a community cohesion, education, outreach and inter-faith agency.

This is spearheaded by Canon Chris Chivers and Anjum Anwar, the dialogue development officer.

Ms Anjum is the only Muslim to be appointed to a cathedral staff any-where in the world.

Fundraising post

BLACKBURN Cathedral is to target bankers who have lost their jobs in the credit crunch for the fund-raiser post.

The diocese is creating a £40,000-a-year role for an ‘expert fundraiser’ to spearhead the campaign.

They initially launched their hunt for an appeal director last month but after creating a shortlist were unable to make an appointment. Now the position will now be advertised in the specialist financial press.

Canon Hindley said: “We are looking for someone with transferable skills and someone who has lost their job in any relevant field, including banking, may be just right. The sums we are looking at mean we need a candidate who is the cream of the crop.”

To apply for the post, email pauline.rowe@blackburn.anglican.org.