The 2025 series of organ recitals at St Ia’s Parish Church begins on Wednesday, June 11 at 1.15pm with Jeffrey Williams, St Ia’s director of music, putting the church’s very fine 1907 Hele Organ through its paces in a varied programme of English, French and German music.

Over the last three years the summer recitals have built up quite a following, with all donations received going to the St Ia Organ Fund, which needs an additional £12,000 for a planned overhaul and renovation of the instrument in 2027 (the first major work for over 30 years) to coincide with the 120th anniversary of it being installed in the church.

Jeffrey said: “St Ia is very grateful to the performers who give their time and talents freely in order to help us reach this target. We are committed to ensuring that the organ, acknowledged as one of the best in the county, is able to fulfil its role in the spiritual and cultural life of both the church and the town, and continues to inspire all who hear and play it.”

The recitals will run until October with local organists and visitors from further afield performing a 45-minute programme that will showcase the organ’s versatility outside its more usual liturgical role.

The second June recital will be on Wednesday 25th with Jeremy Wan, the talented organ scholar at Truro Cathedral as the soloist, and on September 18, as part of the St Ives Festival, the cathedral’s Director of Music, James Anderson-Besant, will give his first recital at St Ia’s.

In July the performers will be Richard Osmond from Truro School and Michael Stoddart from Norwich Cathedral, with Sean Tucker from Bournemouth on August 20 and Timothy Rogerson from Romsey on September 10. Two local organists, Alastair Johnston and Clive Ellison will complete the series in October.

New for 2025 is a booklet about the Hele Organ, written by Jeffrey Williams, that will be available to purchase in the church and at the recitals, proceeds from which will further boost the organ fund.