THE RACE TO SAVE THE EAST END OF LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL

The Herkenrode Glass of the Lady Chapel in the East End of Lichfield Cathedral is one of Europe's greatest artistic treasures, and it needs your help. Designed and made in the Abbey of Herkenrode in Flanders during the sixteenth century, the glass panels were purchased for Lichfield in 1803, to save them from the destruction of the Napoleonic Wars that claimed so much of the Low Countries' artistic heritage. The Herkenrode Glass is among the finest remaining unrestored examples of its kind in the world.

Having survived so many religious and political upheavals and a perilous journey to England, the glass has, ironically, faced its biggest threat from exposure to over 200 years' worth of condensation, grime and pollution, and the crumbling of the sandstone supporting it, which had become so severe that by 2009 complete structural collapse was imminent. Fortunately, emergency funding from English Heritage and other benefactors allowed us to remove the glass to safety and to repair the masonry.

Now, we have a target of approximately £800,000 to complete the painstaking conservation programme to bring the glass back to its former glory, and restore it as the central icon of the religious and spiritual life of the Cathedral. We need your help to win The Race to Save the East End of Lichfield Cathedral, part of the InSpires programme.

How to Donate to the East End Appeal:

• Donate online through JustGiving.
• Send cheques to the Fundraising Office, 19a The Close, Lichfield, WS13 7LD.
• Set up a regular donation using our Banker's Order Form.

Don’t forget to Gift Aid your donation. If you are a UK tax payer we can claim back 25p for each £1 you donate,  at no expense to you. Simply download and fill in this form for the East End Appeal.

The East End Appeal is a three-stage project comprising the strengthening of the South and North Choir Aisles, the replacement of the external stonework of the Lady Chapel and the conservation of the Herkenrode Glass. The Appeal is the first phase of Lichfield Inspires, a long term programme of conservation and development.

For updates on the Appeal, advice on raising funds for it yourself or to become an Appeal Ambassador, please contact the Cathedral Fundraising Team by  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone on 01543 306106.