Rochester Cathedral Trust
Rochester Cathedral is a site of national and local importance. For centuries it has been a place of worship and pilgrimage. It costs around £1.3 million a year or £5 a minute to keep the cathedral open. The cathedral receives no government money, very little income from central Church of England funds, and is almost entirely self-funding. Projects to maintain its ancient buildings, to improve its music and amenities, or to develop its outreach depend on charitable giving, sponsorship, grant aid, and legacies.
The Rochester Cathedral Trust (Reg. Charity No. 291616) was created in 1985. Its charitable objects include
The endowment of the cathedral’s music, choral tradition, and musical outreach into the community
The preservation and maintenance of the cathedral’s historic fabric
The promotion of the cathedral’s heritage as a historic landmark and holy place
The development of the cathedral’s estate, grounds, and amenities
The Trustees take a proactive and strategic approach to grant-making based on the cathedral’s development plan. The Trust honours the cathedral’s Benedictine roots and is guided by the Chapter’s key aims to ‘enrich, resource, and grow’ the cathedral’s mission to be a place of worship, prayer, community, and service.
Fundraising
In 2022/23 the Trust raised £359,916 and was able to grant £218,577 to cathedral projects during the year. Significant activities included the lighting project, the sound system, drainage works, repairs to the medieval Bishop’s Gate, and financial support for cathedral’s music, including the community choir. The Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts for the past financial year can be viewed here.
Each year the Trust runs fundraising events and hosts several social events. Information about these and other initiatives undertaken by the Trust can be found in the link to the Rochester Cathedral Trust Newsletter, the Gundulf Society, and the Business Guild. Information about upcoming events can be found below.
Upcoming events for Rochester Cathedral Trust
Patrons
We are very honoured that HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO is Patron of the Rochester Cathedral Trust. We are also extremely fortunate to have Jools Holland OBE DL as our Music Patron and a most generous supporter of the choir for many years. They are joined by Rory Sutherland who is Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Mather, an attractively vague job title which has allowed him to co-found Ogilvychange, a behavioural science practice. Historian Simon Heffer who used to be Deputy Editor of the Daily Telegraph and is Professor of Modern British History at the University of Buckingham is our Vice Patron, along with The Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Lady Colgrain.
HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO
© 2013 The Royal Household Bagshot Park/Image by Millie Pilkington
Lady Colgrain, Lord Lieutenant of Kent
Jools Holland OBE DL
Photo by Mary McCartney
Rory Sutherland
Simon Heffer
Trustees
The Rochester Cathedral Trust is supported by a group of trustees. Find out more about the current trustees here
News from The Trust
Development Office and Contact Information
The Trust is administered by the Trust Administrator, Becca Mitchell-Lowe.
The Fundraising Administrator will be pleased to handle all enquiries and to offer every assistance about the Trust’s activities and how you can best support its work.
Get in touch becca.mitchell-lowe@rochestercathedral.org
Find out more
The Business Guild works as a part of the Rochester Cathedral Trust to provide a direct link between businesses with commercial interests in Medway and Kent and the Cathedral. It does so through a lively programme of seminars, social events, concerts and conferences. You can find out more about the Business Guild here.
