Annual Parochial Church Meeting Sunday 13 September 2020, 12.30pm

CONTENTS THE ’S FOREWORD ...... 3 CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ...... 4 COUNCIL ...... 4 FUNDRAISING AND COMMERICAL EVENTS ...... 5 CATHEDRAL FABRIC ...... 6 CHANCELLOR ...... 7 EDUCATION ...... 8 CANON ...... 10 VERGERS ...... 11 MUSIC AND CHOIRS ...... 12 THE SOCIETY OF CATHEDRAL RINGERS ...... 13 SERVERS ...... 13 THE CATHEDRAL’S MINISTRY OF WHOLENESS AND HEALING ...... 14 MOTHER AND TODDLER GROUP ...... 14 BECKET’S BUNCH (SUNDAY SCHOOL) ...... 14 GUNWHARF CHAPLAINCY ...... 15 HOSPITAL WHEELERS ...... 15 COMPANION LINK WITH ST ANSELM’S CATHEDRAL SUNYANI (GHANA) ...... 16 FOOD BANK DONATIONS ...... 16 UNIFORMED GROUPS ...... 16 CHURCHWARDENS ...... 17 SERVICE WELCOMERS ...... 18 DUTY CHAPLAINS ...... 18 HOLY DUSTERS ...... 18 CRAFT AND CHAT GROUP ...... 18 CATHEDRAL CLUB ...... 18 FRIENDS OF CATHEDRAL ...... 19 PARISH LUNCH CLUB ...... 19 THE FLOWER GUILD ...... 19 CATHEDRAL GUIDES ...... 20 RESEARCH GROUP AND ARCHIVE ...... 20 THE CATHEDRAL SHOP ...... 21 CHRISTIAN AID AND FAIRTRADE ...... 21 REFLECTIVE AFTERNOONS ...... 22 MEMORIAL GARDEN ...... 22 THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY ...... 24

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THE DEAN’S FOREWORD ‘If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans.’ It’s an old joke, but it seems especially applicable to our current situation. At the turn of the year, who could ever have imagined the many ways our lives – and the life and the work of the Cathedral – would be affected by a global pandemic? Nonetheless, for all the disruption and deprivation (not least of access to our own Cathedral building), there has been much to give thanks for, including the commitment, compassion, and adaptability of our staff and clergy, our volunteers and worshipping community. Daily live-streamed worship is an obvious example of the changes we have seen. The following is extract from one of the many messages I have received about this: ‘What sustenance Portsmouth has provided over the past six months – How much we have appreciated the constancy, regularity and variety (punctuated by occasional humour as when Kitty’s dog appeared at ) – what a team you have.’ I do indeed feel fortunate to have such an outstanding ‘team’ at the Cathedral, and am extremely grateful to every one of them. In saying this, I should make clear that I am referring not only to the ministry team and staff, but to our churchwardens, volunteers, members of , and everyone else who contributes to the life and work of the Cathedral. The rest of this report illustrates what a busy and productive ‘year’ it has been (it is actually nearly eighteen months since our last APCM). We have said goodbye to some wonderful members of staff, and welcomed outstanding newcomers. We have redoubled efforts to address the Cathedral’s financial situation. We have taken the opportunity to take a fresh look at how we do things as a Cathedral, and what we might do differently in the future. A good example of that is the decision to revise our pattern of Sunday worship, adding a service aimed at attracting new worshippers to our existing pattern. I look forward to beginning this as soon as we are able, alongside the return of choral music and our fantastic choirs. We are living through a period characterised by significant uncertainty. Waiting for government and church guidance, and then trying to make sense of what that means for us here, has been a continual task and sometimes a trial. In such a time it has felt vitally important, in the midst of so much else, to keep working at a new Vision for the Cathedral. Fortunately were able to hold a number of public consultations about this right up until the day before lockdown. I am delighted and excited that we are able to launch this Vision at this year’s APCM, making clear our sense of what God is calling us to be and do in the years leading up to our centenary in 2027. It occurs to me that in the new Vision we are indeed being so bold as to tell God our future plans. In my introduction to the Vision, I write that we are seeking to be ‘a community always open to God’s will, affirming the good things of past and present, while also seeking further growth and development.’ We are hoping, therefore, for divine approval rather than divine laughter! We pray that by God’s grace, Portsmouth Cathedral may indeed be a ‘beacon and safe haven, anchored in Jesus Christ’. With my prayers and best wishes, Anthony Cane

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CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER In writing this I looked back at the draft that I had started in early March 2020 in advance of our scheduled APCM in late April 2020. While some significant changes had begun to happen in late 2019 and into 2020, any plans for the remainder of 2020 were overtaken by global events as the Cathedral worked to manage through the unprecedented impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The nature of this report has also been changed in subtle ways too, with some reports reflecting what has been happening since late March 2020. This includes on the back page, where we record both our 2019/20 choral and organ scholars as well as those are now in place for 2020/21. I am very grateful to the staff who remained unfurloughed throughout the lockdown, for their dedication in responding to the, at times, hourly changes in Government and Church guidance. Through their work and commitment, the Cathedral community has been exceptionally well served enabling the Cathedral to be flexible and nimble in the face of what at times seem impossible challenges. On all occasions the challenge was met and usually exceeded. I also want to acknowledge the 80% of staff who agreed to go on the Government’s furlough programme from 1 April. This was a crucial contribution enabling the Cathedral to access very necessary Government financial support. It was regrettable that as the Cathedral emerged from lockdown it was necessary to reduce staff numbers and this saw Graham Kidd (Assistant Verger) and Clare Draycott (Administrative Assistant) leave. I thank them for their time and service in the Cathedral. As the Dean launches our new Vision to take us to the centenary in 2027 there is much about which to be hopeful and yes, much joyful work to be done. Richard Abraham Chief Operating Officer (Chapter Clerk)

CATHEDRAL COUNCIL There were several changes to the membership of the Council since the last APCM in April 2019. Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Canon John Draper, Sarah Page and Dr. Simon Kolstoe all stood down from Council since the last APCM. Joining the Council over the past 17 months were: Councillor Chris Attwell, Canon Bob White, the Reverend Connie Sherman and the Organist and Master of the Choristers, Price, as the staff representative. A full list of Council membership through the year up to May 2020 is available in the Audited Accounts. The Council met three times in the year including, once, as usual, with Chapter at the end of April 2019. It has met once since then in a joint meeting with Chapter in May 2020 when Council formally received the 2019 Accounts. In November 2019 Council agreed a budget that, while cutting some expenditure, also dedicated resource to supporting the work of the new Head of Fundraising and Events, Sophie Henstridge-Brown, who started with the Cathedral in February 2020. However in light of the negative impact of Covid-19 compounding the already challenging financial position of the Cathedral, Council, in its joint meeting with Chapter in May 2020, agreed an in-year change to the 2020 budget to reduce the projected deficit from £320,000 to £217,000. Further, a provisional 2021 budget was agreed to return spending to 2011 levels at £670,000 (a 38% cut) with a projected operating deficit of £134,000 for 2021. Since March 2020 meetings of Council and all meetings related to Cathedral governance have been conducted via Zoom and this has proved an effective way to carry out the oversight necessary to run the Cathedral efficiently. Council also noted the excellent work being done by the clergy and staff to move services online during the pandemic with up to 4 online services a day being offered.

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Looking forward to the Centenary of the Cathedral in 2027, the Dean led a presentation about the new Vision which will now be launched on 13 September 2020. Council continue to be updated about the progress of the Measure. The earliest this Measure will go before General Synod is November 2020 and there is no firm timetable for it to be ratified by Parliament. The enactment of the Cathedrals Measure will likely include the reconstituting of Cathedral Councils. Richard Abraham Clerk to the Council

FUNDRAISING AND COMMERICAL EVENTS 2019 was a year of change for Fundraising and Commercial Events. Tim Sledge, former Head of Fundraising, moved on to a new role and there were several months when the role was vacant before my appointment in November 2019. Nevertheless the Cathedral ran a successful campaign in December 2019 to raise the funds to reopen the South West Door. Thank you to everyone who supported this important project.

I started in the newly formed role of Head of Fundraising and Events on 18 February 2020 and was immediately struck by how valued Portsmouth Cathedral is. Valued not only to those who are closest to it – the congregation, staff and volunteers – but also to the many people who engage with projects such as Cathedral Sing, the Pop Up Cathedral, and school visits, or who simply come for a visit.

My role is to support the Cathedral to continue being a place of welcome, meaning and sanctuary to people from many backgrounds by ensuring financial sustainability through fundraising and commercial events. My initial plans have, inevitably, been impacted and changed by the restrictions in place due to Covid-19.

Fundraising

General approach: to promote philanthropic giving to Portsmouth Cathedral and secure the support needed to keep the Cathedral open for all to visit and to meet the ambitions of the new Vision and Strategy. This will include raising funds from external sources such as charitable Trusts and Foundations, and also by encouraging a greater culture of giving within the Cathedral community.

Work during 2020: the focus during 2020 has been on applying to external funds set up to help organisations through Covid-19. The success rate of these applications has been very high; however it is important to note that these funds are one-off and time-limited. They are not likely to replicated in future years and do not help tackle the ongoing Cathedral financial deficit.

Alongside this, we have been encouraging all members of the Cathedral community to consider their financial support. Many of you already support us as members of a Planned Giving Scheme, supporting a particular area of the Cathedral’s work or pledging to leave a gift in your will. Thank you to everyone who already supports us financially and to those who have made a new or increased financial commitment to the Cathedral in response to Covid-19. Your generosity is vital and valued.

We still have a significant way to go to achieve financial sustainability, and in the short term, will be reliant on increases in Planned Giving to enable the Cathedral’s new Vision. If you have yet to think about your giving and stewardship, please do so and let me know if you would like a confidential conversation about this.

Other work during 2020 includes:  Formalising and documenting fundraising processes and policies.  Introducing contactless giving in the Cathedral. We anticipate this will increase donations from visitors, and the contactless donation points will have many uses, such as at Lunchtime Live, services and events.  Procuring a database to enable the Cathedral team to manage data more efficiently. This will make it much quicker and easier to find the information we need, whilst managing your data securely and in line with our privacy policy.

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Commercial Events

General approach: to increase the number and profitability of commercial events. We are incredibly fortunate to have spaces that are not only beautiful but also flexible to accommodate a wide variety of events from wedding receptions and concerts to product launches and dinners. I will be working to make the most of these resources, whilst recognising the Cathedral’s primary role as a place of worship.

Work during 2020: due to Covid-19 work to develop our commercial events business has been limited. This will be a priority as we move into 2021.

We have re-imagined the Christmas Fair to introduce local traders, craftspeople, artists and small businesses alongside the stalls run by volunteers from the Cathedral community. The newly named Christmas Market will take place on Saturday 5 December with appropriate Covid-19 measures in place.

Sophie Henstridge-Brown Head of Fundraising and Events

CATHEDRAL FABRIC

Fabric Advisory Committee (FAC) Membership The FAC is responsible for advising on and overseeing works to the Cathedral building and curtilage. It met four times to the end of April 2019 and then again in June 2020 under the chairmanship of Jane Jones-Warner. Long serving member of the Committee, Emeritus Professor Michael Purvis, died in 2019. The Committee noted that his contribution towards the Committee’s work and particular in the area of environmental matters would be greatly missed.

Quinquennial The last Quinquennial Inspection of the Cathedral took place in 2016. This document is used to highlight and direct works required to the Cathedral. The Committee was pleased that a fundraiser to mark the installation of the new Canon Chancellor, Canon Kathryn Percival, has raised the necessary funds to refurbish the South-West door of the Cathedral. This work is scheduled to be carried out in late 2020. The budget for repairs to the fabric of the Cathedral continues to focus on on-going maintenance to avoid more expensive works being required in the future. However, the quinquennial report highlighted major repairs including to the south tower window, and the lead finials of the west end towers as well as the need to upgrade the heating and lighting system in the cathedral as the Church of moves toward a Zero Carbon target in 2030

Energy Carbon Footprint Thanks to the use of regular monitoring, improved insulation and solar panels, amongst other steps, the Cathedral has made significant progress. Since 2013, the Cathedral’s energy usage has decreased by just over 21%. Any significant gains in the future will come from a replacement of the boilers and heating system in the Cathedral, boilers in Cathedral House and a new LED lighting system in the Cathedral.

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COVID-19 The Committee approved temporary variations to the floor of the Cathedral to enable social distancing stickers and marking to be placed on the floor. Whilst the Committee has met via Zoom since March 2020 rather than in the Cathedral, the building was been regularly monitored including a site visit by the Cathedral Architect and Chair of the Committee in August.

Vision and Centenary Project 2026/2027 The Committee participated in the consultation process for the new Vision and welcomes the emphasis that is being placed on conserving the built environment as the Cathedral looks forward to planning ways to mark its centenary. Richard Abraham Chief Operating Officer and Secretary to the FAC

CANON CHANCELLOR It is a great pleasure to be writing my first report as Canon Chancellor, nearly nine months after my installation. The first three of these were a wonderful opportunity to meet many people, and to start to learn how things work here; the six remaining months have of course been a learning curve of a different kind, but it has been very good to work with such an inspiring team in finding practical and creative responses to our new ways of being, through lockdown and beyond. I have very much enjoyed getting involved with some of the numerous Cathedral groups: Lunch Club, the Cathedral Club, the Friends (who so generously support the Education Department), Pub Church, Becket’s Bunch, and the Toddler Group (now continuing online), as well as the Guides and Welcomers, to name but a few. I have also recently taken on the mantle of Chapter Safeguarding Lead, from Canon Jo, and am working with colleagues in the Cathedral and Diocese to continue to ensure that we are following best practice in all that we do. What follows is a brief summary of some of the other key aspects of my role. Education The Cathedral once again hosted many thousands of children during 2019, as participants in educational workshops, visits, and services. Our workshops have been made possible by our excellent team of education volunteers, and are closely tailored to the National Curriculum, and Sarah Page’s report covers these in more detail. Early 2020 saw the first outing of the new Pop-Up Cathedral, a large marquee, custom printed with some of the Cathedral’s artefacts and features, which enables us to take the Cathedral out to schools and other institutions. It managed one outing before lockdown, and was extremely well received, and bookings are already being taken for the autumn. It was not possible to host Leavers’ Services in the way we usually do, but instead, and I contributed to the Diocesan Leavers’ Video, which was streamed into schools and homes at the end of the summer term. I have been glad to work with Steve Hunt, Chaplain to Portsmouth Grammar School, on school visits and assemblies, and have been appointed as a Governor of Portsmouth High School, where I have assisted with the leading of services and have taken assemblies.

The Pop-Up Cathedral was the inspired idea of Sarah Page, our Education Officer, to whom we sadly said farewell in the spring. Sarah has brought a huge amount to the life and witness of the Cathedral, and will be much missed 7 as she goes on to pursue new challenges: we wish her well. Eve Davenport, the Pop-Up Cathedral Assistant, who joined us last year, has done much valuable work with schools in the meantime.

Our adult nurture has included stimulating and well attended public lectures, including a series on ‘Faith in Politics’ organised by Canon Anthony Rustell, as well as a pub Lent Course, which managed a few sessions before lockdown.

Art Advent saw the installation of Pete Codling’s striking and thought-provoking Naivety, a contemporary reimagination of the Nativity, and his Treadgold Fish took up its position on the Cathedral Green in mid-December. In January, we hosted Tear and Repair, a series of woven hangings created by Nicola Clare Moody, arising from her work with the charity Azalea Luton, which works with women caught in commercial sexual exploitation, and thanks to the generosity of the artist, we still have in the Cathedral Nicholas Mynheer’s Sarum Cycle, installed round the ambulatory during Lent.

Cathedral Curates Matt Bray continues as Cathedral Curate, and meanwhile, we have been delighted to welcome Catherine Edenborough as our new Cathedral Curate this Petertide. She has initially been licensed as a Lay Worker, due to Covid-19 restrictions, but will be ordained Deacon in October, and she already has a much-valued ministry among us.

Inter-Faith In January, we hosted our annual Muslim Christian evening with Muslims from the Wessex Jamaat, which was a warm, sociable, and inspiring occasion, involving words, music, and a delicious supper. The Dean and I have also attended (both in person and by conference call) the city-wide Inter-Faith Network meetings, which are an excellent opportunity to discuss our shared challenges, joys, and responses to the pressing issues in our communities.

Deanery and Ecumenical relations I am the Cathedral’s clergy representative for the Deanery, and am now a member of its Standing Committee. We have continued to meet via Zoom, as has the group of Christian leaders across the inner city, with whom the Cathedral clergy usually catch up over breakfast every few weeks.

Kathryn Percival Canon Chancellor and Vice Dean

EDUCATION NB This report was written at the end of 2019 Over 4,500 primary school age children have engaged with the Cathedral during 2019. Children of all ages have learned about the Cathedral in diverse and creative ways; paused and reflected on their own spirituality; prayed for their loved ones and others in need and have enjoyed learning about the Christian message. Feedback received from teaching staff and children has always been extremely positive, with repeat bookings year on year.

Workshops and School Visits Primary Schools 2019 began with a special schools’ event to commemorate 50 years of Christingle. Over 100 children took part in activities and a service led by Christopher and attended by Matthew Reed, CEO of the Children’s Society.

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Throughout the year, themed workshops have included:  Symbols in Christianity and the lchthus  Church & The Sacred  Spirituality & Prayer  Angels as Messengers  St George’s Day & Heraldry  The Cathedral of the Sea; History of the city of Portsmouth  Remembrance  Jesus’ Miracle Stories & The Divine  Salvation

All of these have linked activities and references to the National Curriculum. Our Seaside Art workshop also provided an opportunity to focus on theme of recycling and looking after God’s wonderful world. In July this year, we led activities on a theme of Bees for over 760 Year 6 children attending the Church School Leaver’s events, with an additional 600 joining us for the services over three days (a total of 35 schools).

Secondary Schools The Aldro School from Godalming experienced their first visit to Portsmouth Cathedral with their Year 7, 8 and 9 students and intend to rebook for next year too.

Families & School Holidays Family Activity Days are offered during the school holidays. The themed activities for “On This Day 28 October” focused on our links to local, national and international events in history. Booklets ‘Looking ahead to Easter’ adapted from the school’s Easter trail, helped visitors during Lent to engage with prayer stations around the Cathedral.

Interactive displays and creative craft activities were also set up for the children and families to enjoy during the D-Day 75 Commemorations, and also the Heritage Open Days in September.

Other roles & Training I continue to benefit from support and fellowship as a member of the Cathedrals-Plus Council, a network of all Education and Visitor Experience Mangers in our nation’s great sacred places. I also serve on the DBE (Diocesan Board of Education), supporting the Education Team in their work and keeping abreast of schools’ needs and challenges. This informs my planning for school visits, and facilities conversations with teachers about the Cathedral’s offer as a resource for learning and a life experience for everyone visiting.

Volunteers A dedicated group of volunteers continues to support school visits to the Cathedral and I remain always grateful for the commitment, enthusiasm and time that they give to enable my work to be so successful.

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Pop-Up Cathedral As at the end of 2019, excitement abounds for the Pop-Up Cathedral project with the appointment of a part- time Education Assistant. The outreach project involves the production of a fully printed pop-up gazebo, with images inside and outside of the Cathedral. This will visit schools across the diocese providing activities and time for learning and reflection for school children and teaching staff on school sites. Sarah Page Former Education Officer

CANON PRECENTOR As the last report was being completed in early 2019 we had just celebrated the arrival of our new Dean Anthony. What a lot has happened since then. We had a profound Holy Week, with addresses by Canon Angela Tilby entitled ‘In the end, God…’ exploring the challenge of the resurrection of Christ to contemporary loss of faith. Easter itself was particularly joyful with a large number candidates including our own from the Cathedral being confirmed at the Vigil. On the Sunday after Easter we said farewell to Canon Peter after the APCM and wished him and Mark every joy as they crossed the Solent – with a good number of congregation and Chapter and going later in May to Peter’s installation as Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight. The Annual City Service was celebrated for the first time as a Eucharist, and many Councillors and civic supporters were significantly moved to share in the form of worship that we most authentically offer here to God. Beating the Bounds again took a number of us around the parish, walking and singing together, with a quick sail on the ferry to the far side of our parish boundary across the channel. D-Day 75 events started with a BBC broadcast of Sunday worship at 8am on Radio 4, and we went on to record Choral Evensong for broadcast during the week on Radio 3 – with our own service of Matins in between. We welcomed Monty’s grandson and granddaughter to do readings at these services, at the start of a full week of commemoration. The Portsmouth Festivities were marked in the Cathedral with additional concerts and recital – and our now-traditional sermon by one of the Head Choristers. We were delighted to host the Federation of Cathedral Old Choristers’ Associations conference at this time – as well as, later in the year, the Cathedrals’ Assistant Organists’ Conference and the Mothers’ Union national conference which saw an attendance of 600 MU members at each of two special Eucharists in the Cathedral. The annual theme of Living Well was followed through a series of monthly sermons at Evensong ‘Lighten our Darkness’ with invited preachers reflecting on different aspects of Mental Health. Other special Evensong services included a memorial for Monica Ditmas for which Bishop who returned to Portsmouth to preach, and a joint Evensong with the Children of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’ Palace. Our Cathedral Choirs had made an excellent start to the new choir year in September with what promised to be a ‘vintage’ year of new Choral Scholars – and a Harvest Barn Dance with Hog Roast organised by the Portsmouth Cathedral Choir Association to start the autumn term with a swing. Two services that were highlights of the autumn were the Baltic Campaign Centenary Commemoration (attended by the Estonian and Latvian Ambassadors, among others), and a special Cathedral Sing Evensong

10 on 22nd November which had more than 180 schoolchildren as ‘choristers’ singing with Choir Church and our Cathedral Choir for St Cecilia’s Day. All this made the way the year turned out with the lockdown this spring all the more disappointing for choristers and older choir members alike. The new Annual Theme of ‘Pilgrimage’ was launched on Advent Sunday, looking forward to the 800th Anniversary of ’s Translation which was due in 2020 (part of a national recognition of 2020 as ‘Year of Cathedrals: Year of Pilgrimage). There was so much that we had planned and put in place and were looking forward to this year, including two pilgrimage days to Canterbury, a series of sermons by all our Honorary Canons and many visits from parishes and pilgrim groups from the Diocese and further afield. Nevertheless, Advent and Christmas was uplifting and glorious with music and worship, including our own Carol services for all four ‘stages’ of the season (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Candlemas), and a new Carol Service for the Volunteer Cadet Corps among the myriad other events, services and concerts at this time. It was especially good to welcome Kathryn Percival as Canon Chancellor with her installation here shortly before Christmas. To look back on all that we were able to achieve in 2019 to God’s glory and for the support of our congregation and community is an encouraging perspective as we begin to unlock further after returning to public worship in the Cathedral only recently. Many things have changed, many things may be different now, but the essentials are still the same: to offer worship to God and allow space for people to discover, explore and grow in faith, worship, understanding and response through the Cathedral’s presence and resources and the outreach these make possible. We have a beautiful prayerful space, and the awe- inspiring experience of music and singing to share – which children and adults can respond to from a variety of backgrounds. It is a joy and a privilege to be trustees of this spiritual legacy, and I am grateful to all those I had the opportunity to work with and minister with through the year. Jo Spreadbury Canon Precentor

VERGERS During 2019, Maria Mann and Graham Kidd continued to work as Assistant Vergers alongside me as Head Verger. Their commitment to the Cathedral has made it possible for us to be able to cover an increasingly busy schedule of events in the building. With the departure of Bradley in September 2019, the verging department have stepped in to help take on some of his work in the short term. Christine Ratsey has been appointed to assist with the cleaning work undertaken by Tina Cartwrith. I would like to thank the various volunteers who have assisted us over the past year. Ronald Rabbetts has operated the sound system and helped to refresh the woodwork within the Cathedral. Celia and Anne have looked after and refreshed the linen stock. The Holy Dusters do a wonderful job in keeping the building clean. The Cathedral Guides and Welcomers have worked hard to make visitors feel welcome and the Flower Guild have put a lot of effort into preparing floral displays throughout the year. I would like to thank Canon Jo and all the clergy and staff who have enabled me to work efficiently and with confidence in my role at the Cathedral. Malina Green Head Verger

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MUSIC AND CHOIRS How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? When the Choir Year came to a close in July 2020, as ever, there was a chance to reflect on all that had taken place in Portsmouth Cathedral, on tour and in concert, during the previous ten months. We celebrated the myriad opportunities to sing in our wondrous building; to sing to God; to sing to each other; and to aid those who attend services and concerts here in their journey of faith - or their quest for solace and calm. We celebrated Christmas when we welcomed thousands through our doors; we entertained many more thousands through our daily appearances on 'Christmas with ClassicFM', with our new recording from earlier that year. We celebrated our tour to Finland in January - a trip that feels a world away now. Flying further north than most of us have ever been to a frozen land far from our shores, we experienced the now distant world of choir singing in close ensemble to a packed house in snowy Lapland; a place of saunas and close huddled roasted marshmallows in a Sami Laavu. Back home we celebrated singing Monday with the Scholars and Lay Clerks, with the timeless simplicity of plainsong. We celebrated the small successes of new boy and girl choristers and we celebrated our leavers who had offered years of service - for some of them half a lifetime - as they move on into senor school and university. But what of recent months? Much of it was a kind of bereavement. Yes we managed online rehearsals, virtual evensongs and choir socials. But this is only half of it. Not even half. All choirs thrive when they sing together - that is the point of singing in a group. The sum is greater than all parts. It is even more so for Cathedral Choirs, because they sing together a good deal. The daily round of rehearsals and services define our Cathedral Choirs. Our own choristers normally have over fourteen hours’ contact time with the cathedral and its music staff in any normal week. Through this remarkable offering of time and talent, a vast well-spring of musical endeavour and a joyful exploration of faith is made possible. We watch boys and girls develop their music-making from tentative steps through to being expert and professional leaders. We see Choral Scholars learn to hone their skills, and we benefit from the experience and insight of our Lay Clerks who in turn watch and learn from their peers. All this ceased abruptly in March when much of the world stopped. The Song School was deserted and the choir stalls and pews were bereft of life. School ties forlornly left amidst dishevelled robes personified the messy nature of our shutting down. The physical ties of School and cathedral stopped abruptly, and we were tasked with maintaining virtual and spiritual ties. And what has happened in the meantime? Children and adults alike have risen to the challenges, online rehearsals undertaken and virtual evensongs attempted...... But all of this frenetic activity has only been a holding station. The much celebrated virtual life of choirs has had a place in our coping strategies but it is no more than that. Cathedral Choirs need daily interaction; our youngest boys and girls learn by osmosis from being surrounded by their more experienced elders; our adults blend with their colleagues in time and timbre as much by telepathy and honed camaraderie as any direction from the conductor. And, speaking for myself, the monotony, strain and stress of all the necessary administration and its daily aggravation is made worthwhile by the creative interactions that frame our daily routine; the privilege of rehearsing an energetic group of children at 8 o'clock every morning culminating in more rehearsals after school with the sole aim of producing music at daily Evensong in the cathedral is the reason I entered this profession. As I write this note, we are gradually navigating music’s way back into cathedral worship with the start of a new Choir Year. It will be a joy to hear voices in our cathedral again and to pick up our work with all our singers. Cathedrals are primarily about sacramental worship and the arts. Both point us to the divine. We should marvel at the commitment of the Church of England to its choral tradition - for even in these stormy times, the CofE is

12 one of the most generous patrons of music and musicians in England. The Lockdown has shown us that both of these things matter deeply to people and we must urgently reclaim them before it is too late. David Price Organist and Master of the Choristers

THE SOCIETY OF CATHEDRAL RINGERS Since last February we have welcomed Marie, who as the result of a lot of enthusiasm for ringing is making solid progress. Welcome Marie, and I hope you will enjoy ringing with us for many years to come! Firstly, a huge thank you to our core Sunday service ringers. Ringing on Sundays over the past year has been consistent with Grandsire Triples and Caters being the mainstays of our touches. It is your loyalty, both to our band and as a volunteer to the Cathedral that makes all or our ringing possible. Thank you. We are often joined for ringing for weddings and other special services by some of our regular visitors and I would like to record my thanks to you for supporting us with these. Thursday practices continue to attract a considerable number of both visitors and existing Society members and as ever it is fantastic to have you all with us. As I have said before, the wide range of ability levels catered for on the majority of Thursdays does make my job harder but I would absolutely not wish it to be any other way. The fact that as a band we attract ringers of all abilities who feel welcome to ring with us means a great deal. Our special third Thursday 12 Bell Practices continue to be well supported with us ringing designer touches of Spliced Maximus to a very respectable standard over the past couple of months. In March 2019 we welcomed Anthony Cane as our new Dean of the Cathedral and a peal of Yorkshire Maximus was rung on the day of his installation which included a number of our regular attendees. Welcome Anthony and we are very much looking forward to working with you in the future. I would also like to thank David, both personally and on behalf of the whole band, for being Tower Captain in all but name over the many weeks of 2019 I was unable to attend Thursdays due to work commitments. In the event that you wish to elect me as Tower Captain for 2020/21, and I am very happy to be so elected, then I would like to be in a position to consider handing the reins to someone(s) new at our next AGM in 2021. I do feel strongly that it is important for the health of any band, especially in one as diverse as ours, for new ideas and enthusiasm to be continually brought forward. I will finish once again by offering my sincere thanks to each and every one of you who contribute to ringing at the Cathedral at all levels. I continue to feel extremely privileged to be part of ringing in Portsmouth and it is all of you who make it happen Benjamin Carey Tower Captain

SERVERS Sitting at the front during services we feel very much at the heart of the worship in the Cathedral, and feel very privileged to be able to participate in this way, to feel God’s presence in the sacrament, in silence and in song. This year our team of servers has continued to provide faithful and reliable support and give valuable assistance to vergers and clergy. Olivia, Emilia and Steph, who were new recruits a year ago, are now confident servers, all able to ‘go solo’. Steph is not only a capable acolyte and crucifer, but is now a very able thurifer. It is great to have these capable young people at the heart of services. One of our older recruits, Mike, has come a long way and now feels comfortable in his role as server. The variation in ages of all the servers goes to show how the part of server is very much open to all ages.

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We are still in need of more servers. The duties do not have to be onerous: some serve once a month, or whenever other commitments allow. If you feel moved to volunteer to join our team of servers, full training will be given. Please speak to Canon Jo, or to me. Cheryll Sewell Head Server

THE CATHEDRAL’S MINISTRY OF WHOLENESS AND HEALING Prayer for wholeness and healing, both for the world and for individuals, is an important part of our life together at the Cathedral, trusting that God will meet us at our point of need. In addition to our weekly intercessions, the Cathedral is a special place that people can visit during the week for a moment of quiet, and perhaps to light a candle or leave a written prayer request. Many people value the Cathedral’s simple midday Eucharist, with its focus on prayer for wholeness and healing, held in St Thomas’ Chapel on the first Wednesday of each month. Following the tradition of the early church there is opportunity, for any who wish, to ask for prayer, either for themselves or on behalf of a friend or relative. Some find it helpful to be anointed with oil at this time. Others chose to remain quietly praying in their seats. The service can be a source of great strength and comfort, especially when facing challenges on our journey through life. Why not come along and join us one month? Marion Syms

MOTHER AND TODDLER GROUP We have continued to attract new members and welcome back old ones. Sadly, most of our parents/carers can only be with us while their maternity leave lasts. However, we do have some grandparents who attend regularly with their grandchildren. The Rev. John Shepherd takes many of our services and the rest are shared by the group leaders and Nicola, Cheryll and Lauren. We welcome Canon Kathryn taking a more active role here since, however good we are, the parents do really expect to see a member of the clergy, especially when they want to discuss baptism. Ayu and Kanae do the refreshments and Kanae masterminds clearing up, helped by the children. We still provide baby stuff and sanitary wear for the asylum seekers during Advent and Lent. Recently, many mothers received gift tokens for helping a paediatric A&E Consultant at QA with his research project (and we, a donation to funds). We run a very successful and much valued toy/children’s clothing stall at the Christmas Fair. The experiences of the three retired clergy wives who run this group, Cynthia, Anne and Carole are invaluable, as many of our members are military wives with no family close by to talk things over with. We thank the clergy husbands helping out with regular toy cleaning and also the vergers who put the toys out for us each week. This is an important part of the church outreach and a lovely group to belong to. Toddlers has continued online since lockdown, with a weekly streamed session over Facebook Live. Carole King

BECKET’S BUNCH (SUNDAY SCHOOL) Becket’s Bunch runs most Sundays during school term time. It is run by a small group of volunteers, and we are always looking for new people to help us. The Cathedral clergy are getting involved, and Canon Kathryn and Canon Anthony are now joining us as leaders, while Georgianna Rustell has helped us add singing to the sessions. There is a small core of mainly preschool to 6 year olds who come. Many parents also stay with the children so the teaching reaches across families. We look at the Church themes through storytelling, drama, play and art and

14 craft to try and help children understand something of what it means to be a Christian and to become familiar with Key Bible stories and events in the Church’s year. Mostly though, we want them to enjoy being with us, as part of our Cathedral family! We welcome news of the revising of Sunday worship to include a new 9.30am service, and welcome and invite more members of the Cathedral community to be involved in our work. Carole King

GUNWHARF CHAPLAINCY Come with me to Pret a Manager at 9.30am on a Thursday morning and have a coffee, before moving on to visit the shops, or brand partners as they are known in the jargon. At 10 o’clock there are a few customers, so there is freedom to meet with the shop staff and listen to their personal concerns. I usually start the conversation by asking how sales have been in the past week or over the preceding weekend. We then move on to upcoming events; Mothers’ Day or Easter, perhaps, particularly if you are a chocolatier. We then move on to more personal and wider matters. Chaplaincy is notoriously difficult both to define and evaluate. In my previous roles as a chaplain I have defined it as ‘lurking with intent’. As to measuring results, invitations to take tea in the, often minuscule, staff room is a winner, as is viewing the latest addition to the family on a mobile phone. Although retail appears to be a very glamourous business, in reality it is far from it. Long hours, disruption to family life, uncertainty, both with regard to time off and job security and the constant need to perform to targets make for a stressful environment. Having someone to listen to one’s concerns, without judgement, appears to be something valued by many staff. That’s what chaplaincy is all about for me – listening, but it is often low key and therefore easily overlooked and undervalued by others. But our experience is that it is valued by those whom we visit. To our surprise, if we miss a visit, we are actually missed. ‘Have you been away?’, ‘is everything alright at home?’ are both questions which have been asked of me. So this becomes a two way street given the opportunity to build continuing relationships. And thereby hangs another issue: churn or turnover among the units, often at very short notice, makes it hard to build long term relationships. David Stickland

HOSPITAL WHEELERS There have been noticeable changes to the Chaplaincy team since 2018. The Lead Chaplain is Dawn Banting; we remember her as our Curate. The team includes Chirathilattu Biji,John Mills,Julie Jones –Daniel Agber, Susan Bishop, and Linda Field.. We seem to have fewer patients to ‘wheel’, but they are still very much in need of time away from their ward in a place where they can find peace and fulfilment in the service. It may be just to sing hymns which they may not have sung in many years, if at all, or just to remember the last time they were in their own church before going to hospital for whatever reason. There may be fewer people to wheel on Sunday, but it remains for volunteers to meet them in their ward, bring them to the chapel to be greeted and supported, before and during the service and then returned to their wards ready for their lunch. The numbers fluctuate week by week. To become a ‘Wheeler’ volunteer is simple and it is an easy and valuable task. After an initial meeting with the Chaplaincy team and wheelchair safety training, it is just a case of choosing the Sunday which suits you best. Arriving at 9.30am we meet the Duty Chaplain, and discuss the patients to be collected and any special needs. We want to make their experience as good as it can be. After the service we leave about midday. We chose the

15 fourth Sunday in the month, some 25 years ago, and have never looked back except to be glad we were introduced to this valuable task. Most volunteers come from churches within the Diocese and many have served as we have for many years – one for 35 years at Queen Alexandra Hospital. I would like to say, if there were no volunteers it would not be possible for patients to come to the chapel, as the ward staff and porters are not available; the patients need a congregation! For information about volunteering contact: - Su Bishop on 023 9228 6408 Alan and Judith Williamson

COMPANION LINK WITH ST ANSELM’S CATHEDRAL SUNYANI (GHANA) What a privilege to visit Sunyani in October and share in the celebrations to mark the 10th Anniversary of the consecration and enthronement of Bishop Festus. Celebrations started on Friday evening with an ecumenical concert by various youth groups. The climax was on Sunday when the joyful five hour service, involving many ‘awards’ to acknowledge work across the Diocese, was followed by a visit to the Penkwase Clinic for an official tape-cutting ceremony. My greatest joy was to see the way support from our Cathedral is helping the Church in Sunyani. For example the Toyota pickup enabling safer travel for Bishop Festus along the challenging roads of his large and very rural Diocese and the Penkwase Eye Clinic now emerging as a small General Clinic. What a privilege of journey alongside our partners as they continue to grow the Anglican Church in Ghana. It was good to reconnect with impoverished churches across the Diocese, some growing well and some struggling with practical difficulties in their respective contexts. Good, also to see the work of Catechists, many of whom we helped to train in past years. I was thrilled to meet-up with Edward Baffoe whom we supported through St Nicholas’ Seminary twelve years ago. Edward is doing steady work as Archdeacon at Busunya, a remote and beautiful part of the Diocese. I have treasured memories of chatting together under the orange tree in his small Mission House yard. My travelling companion was Linda Porter, the new IDWAL representative from the IOW, meeting some of the churches currently linked with Island parishes. Marion Syms Link Officer

FOOD BANK DONATIONS We continue to distribute the donations of food which are left in the boxes by the North Cloister door, to the food banks that support refugees and asylum seekers, and to the families identified by the Roberts Centre as being in need of help. Sincere thanks to all those who help, either by making donations or helping with delivery. Please consider adding extra items to your weekly food shop to donate if you don’t already do so.

UNIFORMED GROUPS Becket Hall is in regular use by Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Beavers. The following report gives a flavour of the activities of these groups.

12TH PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL GUIDES We started the New Year completing activities for the new Guiding program, completing Unit Meeting Activities and Skills Builders in cooking and sign language. The Taekwondo Academy came to us for two great weeks teaching us the basics in self-defence. We ended the spring term with Mother’s Day and Easter crafts.

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During the summer term the girls chose activities and we looked at camp activities. For the first time in 3 years, the weather was against us for rowing at the ECA. In June Clare Seek from Plastic Free Portsmouth talked to us about the dangers of plastic in our society. We did a litter pick along Old Portsmouth common and the beach. The rest of the term was spent with outside activities including a picnic on the beach for our last evening. In July we went to Foxlease for a week in the New Forest for our Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed summer camp. We had a great week, completing activities such as kayaking, swimming and a trip into Lyndhurst. Apart from one day of rain we were very lucky with the weather. In October we took 16 girls to Little Canada on the Isle of Wight for a weekend. Despite torrential rain on the Saturday we completed activities including abseiling, matrix, high ropes, zip wire and had a great time. Four of our girls completed their Baden Powel awards; this is the highest achievement that can be obtained in Guides. We attended the Remembrance Day Parade in the Guildhall. We finished the year with our panto, ‘Guidey and the Beanstalk’ and look forward to another busy year in 2020. Interested in Guides? Then contact [email protected] Judith Burr (Guide Guider)

CHURCHWARDENS In December 2019 we were delighted to extend a warm welcome to Canon Kathryn as Canon Chancellor and Vice Dean with James, her husband and their family.

During the year we have enjoyed an exceptionally busy calendar of civic, military and memorial services a highlight of which was the Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance to mark the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. It was therefore fitting that a Memorial Service for an actual D-Day veteran, John Jenkins MBE, was held at the Cathedral this spring. This not only attracted a large congregation but also national press coverage. Another memorable service was the Commemoration of the Centenary of the Baltic Campaign, attended by the Ambassadors of the Estonian and Latvian Embassies. Finally there were two services to mark the Mothers’ Union National Conference, attended by their Worldwide President.

None of these services would run smoothly without the unstinting help of our four deputy wardens and 25 sidespeople. We are grateful for their loyalty at our regular services and their flexibility to assist, sometimes at short notice, at additional services held throughout the year. We are also grateful for the regular and extra help of the Welcomers and of the Choir parents who helped cover the Christmas Carol Services.

After seven years as Deputy Warden and many more previously as a Sidesperson, Don Valler has stood down as has Barbara Sykes as long serving Sidesperson. We are indebted to both for their loyalty and support and wish them well for the future. We welcome Clive Arthurs as our new Deputy Warden and extend our appreciation to Canon Jo, the clergy and vergers for their support throughout the year. Sue Ward and Sheila Picton

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SERVICE WELCOMERS A few years ago an article written on church growth was entitled ‘The cathedrals secret’ and was featured in the Church Times, and our small team did read and study it. Under the heading, ‘All are welcome’, it went on to ask why people are motivated to attend cathedral worship, ‘…… one of the commonest responses people give is that they like the friendly atmosphere and the opportunity to make friends. One might contend that some choose cathedrals because their own parish is insufficiently friendly, too cliquey, or with too narrow a range of people, and not enough chances to make friends’. For us in St. Thomas’s, we hope and like to think, that we are a friendly community, which is expressed by the Welcomers at the 10.30 Sunday service. We maintain a small team with the sidespersons, and cover both doors, at a respectful sensitive distance without being intrusive. The opportunity may arise, when a newcomer appears to be a little overawed by the building, which gives us an opportunity to explain the layout of the Cathedral, and if agreed, show them to a seat. After the service, we join any visitors that may be enjoying a cup of coffee, or justsocialising, and use the opportunity to make them feel ‘at home’. As a team we meet once a year, when we share and iron out any difficulties and fine tune our important ministry of welcome. We also join the sidespersons meetings and assist them if required. Gerry Chilton

DUTY CHAPLAINS We are very grateful to the retired clergy and Readers who usually offer their time as Duty Chaplains from Easter to October, and to all who have provided ministry for the Cathedral’s opening hours during Covid-19.

HOLY DUSTERS Our friendly, committed group continues to meet at 8.30am on Monday mornings. We sweep, dust, vacuum and polish in all the different areas of the building. It is a great way to get to know the Cathedral. Our aim is to keep the Cathedral as clean and tidy as we are able, for the benefit of the many visitors and the congregation. Recently, the Energy Consultant for the Cathedral was pleased to see us dusting the radiators and around them; he said it makes a considerable improvement to their heat output. It is not all hard work; we also meet for coffee and lunch on occasions. We could certainly do with some more volunteers and, if you would like to join us, we’d love to see you. Please telephone the Cathedral Offices, who will put you in touch with us. Margery Rabbetts

CRAFT AND CHAT GROUP As of February this year, the Cathedral’s friendly needlework group will not be meeting until further notice. We are very grateful to Barbara Sykes for her leadership of the group.

CATHEDRAL CLUB We have had nine meetings on a roughly monthly basis since March last year, plus Christmas lunch at The Clarence. With interesting speakers, the talks have been on: The work of a Prison Chaplain on the Isle of Wight, the 25th Anniversary of The Rowans, Canon Angela Tilby on her time at the BBC, the Reverend Margaret Sherwin on living as a vagrant in central London, the Revered Matt Bray on his past career and his work as Curate at the Cathedral and Harbour Church, the work of a JP (Part 1), Mr Sachin Gunga, Cathedral Sub-Organist on his career and some musical favourites, Slides of the Holy Land and Round the World in 93 days. We have a regular core of loyal attendees but would welcome other members of the congregation or their friends to join us – a donation of just £1 is requested for attending with free tea/coffee and biscuits. The meetings are held on Thursday afternoons in Becket Hall. Ronald Rabbetts

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FRIENDS OF PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL Membership is open to all who, individually or collectively, wish to support the Cathedral by their prayers or interest in its life and ministry. The Friends have two main aims: to support the Ministry and Mission of the Cathedral and to assist financially the Dean and Chapter in preserving, maintaining, improving and enriching the fabric, furnishings, fittings and work of the Cathedral. Over the years the Friends have made many gifts to make the Cathedral more beautiful and functional; in the last year they have provided the Education Department with an annual grant of £1,000 plus £800 for the purchase of materials to support the Pop-Up Cathedral project. The Friends organise social events and cultural trips to local places of interest. Last year we visited The Vyne, a National Trust property near Basingstoke and had a wonderful day in both the marvellous house and beautiful, extensive gardens. Later, we went to Southampton and visited the City Art Gallery and the Sea City Museum, which describes the maritime life of the city and in particular the fatal voyage of RMS Titanic. Both visits were much enjoyed by the members. There was also a fun lunch following the AGM in late September. We publish an annual Yearbook plus two Newsletters in spring and autumn. We are always delighted to welcome new members to swell our support of the Cathedral. Membership details and an Application Form are available in the Cathedral and on the website. Please come and join us.

Andrew Slater Chairman of the Friends’ Council

PARISH LUNCH CLUB The Lunch Club is still a vibrant activity, thanks to the support of dedicated volunteer teams cooking delightful meals each week. Many thanks to Myrna and Derek Hall who have now retired after 10 years or more from helping once a month. To fill the breach Andrew, from the Duke of Buckingham, has kindly offered help on a permanent basis. There is still the ever continuing threat of volunteers deciding that they can no longer continue to support this long-standing commitment, now running for almost 40 years. The camaraderie the Lunch Club offers to a regular group of diners each week, anything from 30 to 45 people, is a vital support to the community. The Christmas lunch is always extremely well attended. Last Christmas, Sachin Gunga, the sub-organist superbly played the piano for us. Initially we were serenaded by the whole spectrum of Christmas songs and then after our meal he was instrumental in inviting us to sing Christmas carols. Yet again, the summer outing went to Bashley Garden Centre, New Milton; this time for lunch and was a huge success. Our return trip was a detour around the New Forest. My thanks to everyone who makes this activity so appreciated. Maureen Cole

THE FLOWER GUILD We have now accomplished our aim to use earth friendly arranging foam. It is more expensive but we feel it is essential to bear in mind the Cathedral’s carbon footprint policy.

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We are hoping to recruit more arrangers to join our three teams. Please consider joining us. We give training, help and encouragement in a friendly way. Arranging is not a huge commitment; we have three teams and arrange for two weeks each. At Easter and Christmas we all arrange together. It is a great privilege to arrange in the Cathedral at any time but Easter and Christmas are very special. Why not think about spending a trial morning with us without commitment? Last summer we were asked to arrange table decorations for a private party. It took a considerable amount of time in the planning and ordering of specially requested flowers. We created fifteen almost identical arrangements and were delighted with the appreciative comments from the hosts. The Flower Guild are happy to arrange a pedestal or a small arrangement to remember a loved one, or to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. We ask for a donation of £100 to the Cathedral. Please contact Sophie Henstridge-Brown for further details ([email protected]). Thank you for your kind comments on our arrangements; they are much appreciated. Rosemary Fairfax

CATHEDRAL GUIDES 2019 was a year of transition for Portsmouth Cathedral. Now that personnel changes are in place, we can move forward. In 2019, Guides recorded 18,869 visitors, (2018 = 17,827). Numbers are certainly higher because at busy times, it is impossible to record everyone. Also, visitors still come out with Guiding Sessions – 10am to 4pm. 15 Group Tours were provided and groups were asked to make a donation of £5 per person. Tours from the Diocese do not pay. This has provided since its inception, £1160 for Cathedral Funds. The Training Programme for new Guides and Guide Welcomers is almost complete. We are delighted to welcome eight new members, enabling us to enhance our service. In September 2019, we again took part in Heritage Weekend. 214 visitors were recorded over two days – slightly down on 2018 but 168 came on the sunny Saturday! The National Theme was People Power. We focussed on examples of this from the twelfth to the 20th century – even when it went away in the fifteenth – highlighting relevant Memorial Stones and of course, our newly discovered Apotropaic Marks. Bearing in mind Heritage Open Days’ original aim – to open up areas of buildings normally closed to the public, we organised Tours of the Singing Gallery, the Organ Gallery and the Bell ringing Chamber. Grateful thanks to the Bell Ringers for their workshop and to Sarah Page who organised excellent Children’s Activities. It was a real team effort. Thank you all for your support. Margaret Wilson

RESEARCH GROUP AND ARCHIVE The Group met five times in 2019. Although written in 2018 two new booklets were published in 2019: ‘Some items of Interest 2’ and ‘Fathers of the Dockyard’.

The ‘Golden Barque’ booklet was revised and updated and is now available in the Cathedral Bookshop. The ‘Window’ booklet is currently being updated. The main work of the Group has been to change the format of all the booklets to improve their display in the Cathedral Bookshop. About half of the booklets have so far been amended.

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Discussions have covered a number of subjects, including Heritage Open Days, D-Day commemoration events and the Cathedral Archives. Of particular note was the liaison with a D-Day veteran’s family to display the veteran’s story in the Cathedral. All the artefacts given to the Cathedral are now in the D Day Museum. As part of the D-Day commemorations Jo Godfree, the Volunteer Archivist, advised the BBC about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s pre-battle sermon to the troops in Portsmouth and accompanied the re-enactors along the Southsea promenade on 6th June. She attended for the first time the CALCA (Cathedral Archives, Libraries, and Collection Associations) conference in Salisbury in June. John Friars stood down as chairman in August after 17 years. He continues to be a member of the Group. He deserves special thanks for his long service. He formed the Group in 2002. I welcome Ronald Rabbetts, who has joined the Group for his computer and photographic skills. I would like to thank other members of the Group: Mike Jackson, Pat Valler, Margaret Wilson and Jo Godfree for their continued support and special thanks to Mike and Jane Jackson for their hospitality. Lt Col Jonathan Collins Chairman

THE CATHEDRAL SHOP The shop turned over almost £46,000 in 2019, The Cost of Sales was just over £27,000 resulting in a profit of £18,600. This is a great improvement on 2018 and would not have been possible without our Shop Volunteers to whom we are extremely grateful! We were unfortunately unsuccessful in recruiting one (or two) volunteer shop managers to take over the day to day running of the shop and so for the time being it will continue to be overseen by the Finance Officer. During 2019 we said hello to one new volunteer, Jan Graham who made a great start in the shop but sadly had to leave at the end of the year due to a change in circumstances. We also said good-bye to Anne-Marie Skilling and Sheila Clowes and are very grateful for all their hard work in the shop. We worked with Oasis Bookshop in Romsey during 2019 to improve our stock of bibles and children’s books most of which have been supplied to us on a consignment stock arrangement so we only have to pay for the books that we sell. We tried a similar arrangement with Oaks Jewellery and will look to expand this into other products to help with cash flow and minimise our risk of being left with redundant stock. As I write this the shop has been closed for 4 months and it seems like 2019 was a very long time ago! However, we look forward to the shop re-opening later in the year and being able to welcome our customers back. Nicky Taylor Roberts Finance Officer and Shop Manager

CHRISTIAN AID AND FAIRTRADE Climate change is now the foremost issue in Christian Aid’s campaigns as the world’s poorest countries feel the worst of its effects whilst having the lowest emissions. Fairtrade also helps tackle climate change effects by insisting on environmentally sustainable and people friendly methods. We have renewed our status as a Fairtrade Cathedral this year, undertaking to use Fairtrade products whenever possible and encouraging all users of our premises to do so too. By now we should be familiar with the advantages to poorer, developing communities of receiving Fairtrade status for their products: it means that they receive a fair and consistent price no matter what happens to the market, plus a premium, or extra bonus, to spend on community needs.

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Thanks to the hard work of a loyal team of collectors and helpers we were able to raise over £2000 as our Christian Aid Week total in May, through the house-to-house collection, Cathedral envelopes and a Big Breakfast. Fairtrade Fortnight in February/March brought a display of Fairtrade goods and posters and another enjoyable Cathedral breakfast, raising £225 for the Fairtrade Foundation which administers the awarding and monitoring of the Fair-trade mark and supports local groups in raising awareness of its importance. Our hope is that awareness of the needs of those so much worse off than we are will prompt more of us to commit to generous support of Christian Aid’s work and to buying Fairtrade goods whenever possible. In as much as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me Sue Ward, CA and FT representative

REFLECTIVE AFTERNOONS Previously known as Quiet Afternoons, the Reflective Afternoons are becoming increasingly popular. We meet in spring, summer and autumn in an Emsworth home and garden. A guest speaker leads and guides us on the afternoon’s theme, with times for relaxed discussion, quiet meandering, sitting, or day dreaming in the garden and conservatory. Transport to and from the Cathedral can be provided. Tea/coffee and biscuits (strawberries in the summer!) are available throughout the afternoon. All are very welcome. Watch the Weekly Notices for more details, or follow us on Twitter! Delia Curry

MEMORIAL GARDEN Well we couldn’t have predicted the events during the last twelve month’s in the Memorial garden – that’s for sure. The garden is primarily the work of Chris, Andy and Sergio, whose efforts have given the corner by the St Thomas’s street gate and under the willow tree next to it, a new lease of life.

Alan, Hoppy and Don are now cast as Managerial Gnomes – this means they have to wait for the sun to shine before they emerge to sit on the bench and offer their advice to anyone who will listen.

The garden changes before our eyes and our thanks are due to everyone who provides the funds and encouragement.

The garden plays its part in combating the virus, providing a peaceful and reflective space where visitors can meet and still maintain a social distance. We are particularly pleased that so many people take advantage of our efforts.

On a housekeeping note, the many floral tributes left in the garden are beautiful and we do try to take care that we only dispose of them when they are past their best. Please bear with us in this as we would not wish to cause distress to anyone.

We are proud of the garden and we hope everyone else is too. Thank you for the chance to cheer up this small part of the world. The Adams

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THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY as at September 2020

The Dean The Very Revd Dr Anthony Cane

The Chapter Emma Broome Canon Shelia Picton Richard Smout David Carpenter The Revd Canon Nick Ralph The Revd Canon Dr Jo Spreadbury Mary Makin (Chair of FIC) The Revd Canon Dr Anthony Linda Swinburne The Revd Canon Kathryn Percival Rustell

Chief Operating Officer Richard Abraham

Cathedral Curate Cathedral Reader Catherine Edenborough Kitty Price Matt Bray

Organist and Master of the Choristers Finance Officer & Shop Manager Dr David Price Nicky Taylor Sub-Organist Dean’s EA & Cathedral Office Manager Sachin Gunga Liz Snowball Education Officer Adam Field (2020/21) Samuel Jones (2019/20) Vacant Cathedral Sing Administrator Head of Fundraising and Events Adrian Green Sophie Henstridge-Brown Choir Matrons Head Verger Catherine O’Leary, Rachel Forder, Cheryl Sewell Malina Green Lay Clerks Assistant Vergers Nick Pepin, John Mitchell, Adrian Green, Bryn Maria Mann and Graham Kidd (until June 2020) Hughes, Alastair Ross, Tim Burtt (until August Administrative Assistants 2020), Jeremy Fisher (from September 2020) Sara Clark and Maria Mann Choral Scholars (2020/21) Cleaning Harry Mobbs, Oscar Farrell, William Collison, Harry Tina Cartright and Christine Ratsey Brooks-Owen, Francis Brown

Choral Scholars (2019/20) Thomas Law, Yiannis, Goeldner-Thompson, Karol Jozwik, Christopher Knight, Ben Rutt-Howard, Jeremy Fisher

Honorary Canons The Revd Canon Judith Bee The Revd Canon John Owen The Revd Canon Karina Green The Revd Canon Julie Price The Revd Canon Peter Hall The Revd Canon Peter Sutton The Revd Canon Will Hughes The Revd Canon Bob White The Revd Canon Tom Kennar The Revd Canon Hugh Wright

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Lay Canons Canon Bradley Albuery Canon Sarah McCarthy-Fry Canon David Bennison Canon Sir David Normington Canon Margaret Chappell Canon Sheila Picton - Churchwarden Canon Lucy Docherty Canon Neil Pugmire Canon Stuart Forster Canon Graham Salter Canon Adrian Jordan Canon Robert Solomon Canon John Gwynn Canon Sue Ward - Churchwarden

Canons of Honour The Ven Martyn Gough QHC Prof Graeme Smith The Revd David Lindsay The Revd Canon Angela Tilby

Honorary Chaplains and Clergy with Permission to Officiate The Revd Canon Peter Cotton The Revd Canon John Shepherd The Revd Steven Hunt The Revd David Stickland The Revd Canon Angela Tilby The Revd Dr Richard Wyld The Revd Dr Ruth Tuschling The Revd James Percival

The Cathedral Office, Cathedral House, 63-68 St Thomas’s Street, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2HA 023 9282 3300 [email protected] www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk Facebook: @portsmouthcathedral Twitter: @PortsmouthCath

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