The Winners – Newgate® Cathedral Volunteer of the Year Awards.

“I was blown away” Volunteers of the Year winners announced. Who won?

It’s the end of National Volunteer Week and we’d like to say THANK YOU to the thousands of volunteers that make our cathedrals the special places they are today and announce the winners of our first national cathedral volunteer awards, the Newgate® Cathedral Volunteer of the Year Awards.

The Winners – Newgate® Cathedral Volunteer of the Year Awards

It’s been a truly difficult task to choose the winners from the wonderful volunteers nominated by their cathedrals for this year’s awards designed to celebrate and say thank you to all our cathedral volunteers who give so much of their time and their talents at our cathedrals.

Every volunteer and volunteer team nominated here.

The Newgate® Cathedral Volunteer of the Year Awards is a new annual partnership project between the Association of English Cathedrals and Newgate® Motoring Solutions Ltd, a company which has long-specialised in affordable motoring schemes for clergy and those who work in cathedrals, or who give their time voluntarily.

The annual competition was launched for the first time this year in recognition of the vital role our volunteers play in the life of our cathedrals. Every cathedral was invited to nominate two volunteers, and we had around 50 nominations from almost 30 cathedrals.

The nominated volunteers ranged in age from their twenties to their eighties and together represented almost one hundred years of service, highlighting the value of giving back and the joy of making a difference.

Award sponsor, Nigel Williams, founder and owner of Newgate®, said,

‘I was blown away by the depth and range of volunteering offered by these wonderful giving people. 

‘They embody volunteering in its truest sense, that it isn’t simply an activity in someone’s spare time, but a calling, answered wholeheartedly and selflessly. 

‘It made choosing a shortlist and winners such a difficult task, and I want to acknowledge that loyal community of committed and steadfast people who make our cathedrals the wonderful places they are. 

‘We are very proud to be able to celebrate and thank them with these national awards.’

Anna Pitt, Executive Director of the Association of English Cathedrals, said:

‘We can never say thank you enough for all the contributions our volunteers make through their amazing efforts every single day.’

The winners are …

• Volunteer Team of the Year – The Big Table Café at St German’s Cathedral, Cathedral Isle of Man
• Volunteer of the Year – Christine Barker at Sheffield Cathedral

And our Runners Up are  Sue Hall at Blackburn Cathedral and the Restoration Team at Coventry Cathedral.

See all the finalists here.

Winner – The Big Table Café – St German’s Cathedral, Cathedral Isle of Man 

Every Monday the team of volunteers prepare and serve a freshly cooked three course meal as well as offering meals for later in the week, and they even deliver to the door if needs be.

Customers eat what they like and pay what they can – putting whatever they can afford into a sealed envelope anything from 20p to £20.

‘The Big Table motto of “eat what you like and pay what you can” is indicative of the spirit in which the volunteers commit to this project. All are welcome, with donations received by sealed envelope. Sometimes empty, sometimes a £20 note. ’

The team also spend time chatting to customers, offering a warm welcome and companionship.

The whole team is voluntary and is composed of some Cathedral congregational members but largely draws volunteers from the community, from all faiths and none.

There is a preparation team, a chef team, a waiting-on team, and a washing-up team and they work like clockwork, and they support each other, filling in the gaps when there are staff shortages in particular areas, to make sure no one goes hungry.

They serve around 60 people a week, from a range of backgrounds, making them all feel welcome, and offering them meals to take-away for the coming week, especially those who have limited means or limited catering facilities.

The team eagerly respond to special requests too, for example, providing in addition to the weekly lunch, a meal for all attending the Chrism Mass.

The Dean of Cathedral Isle of Man, the Very Revd Nigel Godfrey, said,

‘The project has been going for a number of years and its delivery service was a lifeline in Covid.

‘The volunteers give the impression that nothing is too much trouble, and it is the highlight of some customers week.

‘Big Table has gone from strength to strength over the years. Without the strong leadership and dedication of volunteers this would not have been possible. As Fenella leads the catering team and Liz the service team they follow in the footsteps of those who had the inspiration to conceive the idea and lay the groundwork.

‘Big Table café is a fine example of the commitment coupled with hard work put in by our volunteers to welcome and sustain – in body, mind and spirit – the vulnerable in our community.’

Winner – Christine Barker – Sheffield Cathedral, Welcomer, guide and seamstress

‘Christine shines through her unwavering commitment, diverse talents & the kindness she brings to her volunteering.”

With a friendly ‘hello’ as ‘Welcomer’, Christine creates an atmosphere of hospitality & inclusion. Her calm, approachable presence ensures everyone feels welcome & valued. Often the first face people see when entering the Cathedral, she represents our values of compassion & openness with grace and warmth.

As a ‘Guide’, Christine shares her deep knowledge of the Cathedral’s rich history and spiritual heritage with clarity and enthusiasm connecting visitors to this place and its meaning. Her passion is infectious, leaving a lasting impression on all.’

But it is in the role of ‘Seamstress’ that Christine truly excels.

With meticulous attention to detail, patience & quiet devotion, her skilled hands lovingly restore vestments, altar cloths, liturgical garments & military treasures, preserving the beauty & dignity of the Cathedral’s worship life. A highlight this year being the creation of a complete set of children’s vestments, Pilgrims’ capes & Nativity clothes.

She’s deeply passionate about needlework, which she’s done all her life – and takes care of all the cathedral’s needlework — from embroidery and restoration to altar cloths, vestments, children’s costumes and general repairs – and has made a complete set of nativity outfits and pilgrim capes for the children and the Schools Education Department.

She is currently working on restoring the Altar Frontal from the Shrewsbury Chapel, which features 95-year-old emblems. The process, known as “deconstruction,” involves carefully restoring areas that have deteriorated beneath the goldwork to make it as good as new.

She previously restored a beautiful altar frontal in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit featuring a golden leather dove, which had completely disintegrated. Christine painstakingly replaced each element by hand.

‘Christine embodies the best of this sacred space making it a more welcoming, beautiful & enriching place for all.’

Christine has been volunteering at Sheffield Cathedral for six years as both a Welcomer and Needleworker.

On winning, the Dean of Sheffield said

“Christine is a wonderful volunteer at Sheffield Cathedral. She turns her hand to anything, including fitting an emergency zip for me on one occasion! Her skill is incredible – every stitch is perfect and every piece she makes or restores is utterly exquisite. A true professional, the time she freely gives us is a wonderful gift. I’m thrilled she has won!’

Runner Up – Sue Hall – Blackburn Cathedral

Cathedral Archivist / Welcomer / Education Volunteer / Tours and Group Visits / Event Steward

Sue gives her time, talents and heart to Blackburn Cathedral, making a meaningful difference every day.

Officially she is the Cathedral Archivist, but her contribution extends way beyond this.

Not only does she single-handedly manage the Cathedral’s archive (taking on the entire task from scratch – busily cataloguing, preserving and expanding our collections for future generations), Sue is also part of our team of welcomers and is a key member of the Education Team. Her knowledge enriches the experience for every school who visits and she runs group tours and even acts as a steward at many of the events held at the cathedral.

Guests regularly praise her for all she offers as one group of heritage tour professionals recently noted:

“She was absolutely wonderful and quickly established rapport with the group and struck exactly the right balance – facts, personality and some delightfully quirky insights.  We all rated her very highly.”

‘Sue is motivated by a love for the Cathedral and our story and embodies the very best of our team – she truly reflects volunteering at its finest’

The Dean of Blackburn, the Very Revd Peter Howell Jones said: ‘I am absolutely delighted for Sue. We have some amazing volunteers at Blackburn Cathedral, and I know Sue would be the first to say that this award is for all of them.

‘Sue has done some phenomenal work here in the archive and in education, and she exemplifies the true value of volunteering in one of our 42 cathedrals’

Sue has been volunteering at Blackburn Cathedral for three years.

Runner Up – Restoring team – Coventry Cathedral

The love and care and craftmanship of this team has saved Coventry Cathedral £333,000.

The chairs at Coventry Cathedral, cherished since the opening of the New Cathedral in 1962, have begun to show their age.

With increased use due to a growing number of events and activities, many are coming apart and in urgent need of repair — hundreds await attention.

Over the past 18 months, dedicated volunteers, led by the cathedral’s Propery Services Manager, Andy Shelley, have lovingly restored more than 600 chairs — nearly a third of the cathedral’s entire collection.

Their contribution has not only preserved the heritage and integrity of the cathedral’s furnishings but also saved the cathedral over £333,000 — the cost of replacing them with like-for-like chairs is £555 each.

‘What truly sets these volunteers apart is the care, craftsmanship, and faith they pour into every chair.

‘Their skill, commitment, and spirit-led service have been vital to the continued welcome and comfort of all who visit the Cathedral.’

Jackie Skipp, volunteer manager at Coventry said, ‘I am so proud of all our amazing volunteers here. The Restoration Team are super-skilled and fastidious in their attention to detail when repairing the chairs.’

Special Mention: The judges also wanted to give Rosemary Clarke from St German’s Cathedral, Isle of Man, a special mention.

Rosemary Clarke – St German’s Cathedral, Cathedral Isle of Man

Cathedral Reader and community engagement volunteer

‘Rosemary is gifted in engaging with people from all walks of life. She knows what is the right thing to do at the right moment and gives the impression that nothing is too much trouble and she has all the time in the world as she engages with Cathedral visitors. 

‘One of Rosemary’s areas of responsibility is curating exhibitions and she is currently exploring one on the Lord’s Prayer and engaging with the 120 different ‘mother tongues’ spoken on the Island.

‘She was responsible for staging artist,Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon in the cathedral last year. This was a high-risk enterprise for a cathedral that receives no Church Commissioners funding and is required to raise its own funds for all its activities – but she managed the risk well. 

‘The Moon attracted 18,000 visitors in February of this year (the entire population of the Island is only 85,000). 

‘And Rosemary organised daily activities and persuaded a trust to sponsor one class from each of the 35 primary schools to attend, and led the teaching while they visited plus she organised a huge range of events to compliment the installation including pilates under the moon, a banquet, dances, lectures, concerts etc. 

‘The enterprise gave people a glimpse of what a Cathedral can be, and that was down to Rosemary’s unwavering commitment and service.’

A cathedral reader, she has given her time and talent as a community engagement volunteer for almost ten years.

The Dean, the Very Revd Nigel Godfrey, said,

‘Rosemary Clarke is another example of wonderful volunteer commitment. She enabled the Museum of the Moonexhibition by Luke Jerram to come to the cathedral. This brought in excess of 18,000 visitors through our doors. Rosemary organised it (and all of us!) from start to finish. The vision, raising the money, accompanying events, concerts, school visits, catering, banquet, stewards…….’

‘Rosemary is also one of the regular volunteer staff at Big Table, in particular offering pastoral care to guests. We are all very pleased she has received a special mention.’