Chichester Cathedral Friends play a pivotal role in supporting the Cathedral's mission. Since 1939, they have been supporting the Cathedral's sacred heritage.
Building repairs and improvements ensuring the 900-year-old building is usable and meets modern requirements.
- Funding part of the lighting redesign and Cathedral Lighting Report
- Conservation of the Benker-Schirmer Tapestry
- Supporting infrastructure upgrades (e.g. IT systems, cameras, displays) including replacement of the organ loft camera system.
- Installation of a new toilet block in the North Transept, funding part of the £125,000+ toilet project
- Implementation of the Cathedral Database Project
Supporting music and the Cathedral's Choir
- Sponsorship of the Cathedral’s Music and Choir including a major grant to the Chichester Cathedral Platinum Endowment Trust for Music and the provision of new music folders for the choir.
- Funding chorister scholarships
- Paying for choir clothing (cassocks, vestments)
- Supporting festivals like the Southern Cathedrals’ Festival
Without this, the famous English cathedral music tradition would struggle.
Community, education and events
- Organising talks, concerts, and social events
- Mainstay sponsor for setting up and supporting the highly successful Cathedral’s Creative Learning team who have significantly raised the profile of the cathedral and support for furthering the Christian message through schools and children.
- Supporting outreach and educational work
- Helping fund exhibitions and visitor experience improvements
This keeps the cathedral active as a community hub, not just an historic site.
Community and daily life
We also support the cathedral as a living community space:
- Sponsoring events
- Funding kitchen refurbishments and facilities used by staff and volunteers e.g. Vicars Hall and the Pantelon.
- Running talks, coffee mornings, concerts, and social events
- Seatings and furnishings
These are the details that keep daily worship and events running smoothly.