David Hambleton - our gardener at HRI -  is swapping petunias for (organ) pedals as he is guest of honour at the recommissioning of a former Huddersfield church organ in Switzerland.

The organ was built locally by Peter Conacher,  Springwood in 1895 and was played at Ingbirchworth Methodist Church until the chapel closed a few years ago.  David helped to organise the disposal of the fittings and it was sold off to an organ dealer and then bought and rebuilt piece by piece at a cost of £50k by the church in Switzerland

Now he's been asked  to play at its first service this Sunday and for David, 59, a hospital gardener for 40 years, has had to get his first passport! 

He said: “I am looking at flying with some trepidation really which is a nonsense these days as everybody does it. I never done anything like this in my life.The invitation was one I couldn’t resist and came out of the blue and although the words and language to the hymns will be different the music stays the same."

He is self- taught out of need as he used to play the piano for residents at Storthes Hall and had to switch to the organ when the porters once forgot to get the grand piano out.

“I have to learn on the spot and carried on from there. I have played at so many wedding funerals and services it led to some wonderful times for me.”

His favourite organs pieces are:

• Widor’s Toccata
• Bach’s  Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
• Highland Cathedral
• Sweet is the Work, My God, My King to Deep Harmony.