Friends News

FRIENDS NEWS

SUMMER 2021 • www.southwarkcathedral.org.uk

Friends News SUMMER 2021 FROM THE CHAIR CATHEDRAL

Clare Johnson RE-OPENING

A positive thing to have come out of the The Cathedral is slowly reopening and now lockdown in my opinion has been the you’re able to visit without the restriction of online broadcasting of talks and lectures by only visiting for private prayer or to attend authors, experts and venerable institutions a service. The shop and café are open each – including Southwark Cathedral – for all to day and Friends receive a discount of 10% enjoy. This year I’ve attended book launches, on purchases. Please use the voucher within academic lectures, talks, exhibition previews, this newsletter to show in the shop or café plays and of course Cathedral events, all when you pay. without leaving the house. Highlights have included the Dean’s talk with Stephen Café opening hours Cottrell, Archbishop of York, in April and Daily 10am to 5pm in the café. In addition also the programme of talks that our own there is a ‘pop-up’ café in the churchyard at Guy Rowston has kindly been giving for the weekend (weather dependent) the Friends. Guy has led three virtual walks around London for us – through Shop opening hours Westminster, Camden and the Strand – and Monday – Saturday 11am to 4pm has treated us to illustrated talks on the Sunday - 11am to 3pm hidden treasures of Southwark Cathedral, as well as its stained glass and monuments. Friends Voucher To request your 10% discount in the café or 10th July when he will be leading us along shop please cut out and use the voucher on ‘TheGuy’s Street final virtual of Shame’. walk Tickets in the areseries £5 isand on you page 4. can buy them online or email/call Kate Dean. Thank you to Guy, and also to all the Friends who have supported us by attending. DEAN’S

Coming up, we are hoping to begin our ANNUAL REPORT practice walks for the pilgrimage to Each year the Dean writes an annual report Canterbury (see enclosed booklet) and we are which is available to read on the website. If planning a group trip to the Thomas Becket: you would like a hard copy please contact Murder and the Making of a Saint exhibition at the British Museum (for how to register your stamped addressed envelope and we will sendthe office you aon copy 020 7367 6724 or send a we have made it simple to join the Friends onlineinterest so message please do Kate let yourin the friends office). know Finally, if they’re interested in joining us.

Friends News SUMMER 2021

“There’s many many stories I could tell of FAREWELL things which have happened over the years but I’ll save them for another day or maybe as Cathedral Secretary even a book, if ever I get time. Bridget Abbott says goodbye after 29 years What has always been clear over the years diverse range of tasks taking place keeping is just how important The Friends are to theThe Cathedral Cathedral open. office is This always month busy Bridget with a the life of the Cathedral from Jo, Sarah King, Kate and of course yourselves. You should all be proud of how well you look after our CathedralAbbott says Secretary goodbye and after is 29one years. of the She longest beautiful Cathedral and now I’m leaving the standing,has been working serving membersin the Cathedral of staff. office as Cathedral as a working environment I have asked Kate if I can join you too.” Bridget writes: “So, looking forward to getting to know you all” at Southwark Cathedral, the Covid pandemic has“After helped nearly me 29 decide very happy it’s time years to retire working and We wish Bridget a wonderful retirement concentrate more on family and making sure and look forward to welcoming her back to a I start on my ‘to do’ list.” Friends event very soon.

“I came one evening to help my friend Leah (Cathedral cleaner and tea lady) wash up FRIENDS EVENTS after an event at the Cathedral. I have to say I’d never heard of the Cathedral and didn’t have a clue where it was! That was a start of many washing up evenings with Patrick and Margaret Stables always taking us home. I they knew I could type I joined them in the met the Office Girls - Liz and Kate and once all started. Kate is still a great friend to me.” office a few hours a week. And that’s how it “David Edwards, Roy White, Paul Timms and his brilliant Vergers. Garry Swinton, Peter Virtual walk Wright, our lovely John Trevor Williams, Online illustrated virtual walk with Guy Eric Tucker and Roger Royle stand out as my Rowston – Saturday 10 July at 11am This month we follow the road that leads Secretary of the Friends and Mavis Fabling from Charing Cross to Blackfriars, in first working memories. Jo Churchill was helped her keep everything organised. company with Dr Johnson, Rumpole of the So, with the Cathedral family being so Bailey and Marje Proops. We learn of the welcoming, it was an easy decision to stay.” early days of printing, London’s oldest pub, the other Hodge, a riverside theatre, a royal

Friends News SUMMER 2021 palace and a notorious women’s prison. SOCIAL MEDIA For tickets: https://thestreetofshame. eventbrite.co.uk The Zoom link to join this Tessa Bartley walk will be sent a couple of days before the event. There has been an extraordinary international response online to content Programme of walks shared by Southwark and other cathedrals Last year we hoped to make a pilgrimage from Southwark to Canterbury Cathedral to pandemic. The Friends of Southwark Cathedralon social channels are looking during to build the COVID-19 our own reach and we were not able to undertake the walk. across social media and will be publishing a Instead,mark Becket this year,2020. we Sadly have events planned overtook a series us of interesting walks in anticipation of making work and to encourage more supporters to the pilgrimage from Southwark in stages joinseries our of community, members’ profiles ultimately to promote supporting our from January to September. The enclosed booklet should give you all the information the cathedral. Please follow us on Facebook, you need and also includes links to book. Twitterthe maintenance, and Instagram repair and and share beautification our posts of on your own channels to help us reach a wider audience. If you would like to submit

please contact Kate Dean. @S_warkFriends your profile to be shared on social media, KEEP IN TOUCH

by email: [email protected] Contact Kate by phone: 020 7367 6724

by post: Friends Office, Southwark Cathedral, Annual General Meeting FollowLondon us Bridge, on facebook, London Twitter, SE1 9DA Instagram The Friends Annual General Meeting and LinkedIn.

Cathedral and via Zoom. You will need to bookwill take to attend place onin eitherSaturday mode 19 as June there at the are receive your newsletter by email. limited ‘in-person’ places. The meeting Please email the office if you would like to us online the Zoom link will be sent out on FRIENDS VOUCHER Thursdaystarts at 2.30pm. prior to Ifthe you meeting. are wishing to join

Quiz Night – Friday 1 October Booking information will be in the next 10% OFF edition of the newsletter but why don’t you in the Shop and Café start organising your team now.

Friends News