Durham Cathedral's £7m vision (From Durham Times)

Durham Cathedral's £7m vision

8:30am Saturday 11th July 2009 in News

DURHAM Cathedral is inviting people to back a £7m fundraising drive aimed at expanding its role in the city and region.

Michael Sadgrove, the Dean of Durham, said if people wanted to see the cathedral flourish and give more back, its five-year development plan was a way of supporting that.

He said: “Durham Cathedral is part of the nation’s heritage and particularly part of the North-East’s heritage.

“I don’t believe there’s a single person in the North-East who doesn’t love Durham Cathedral and would not wish it well and want to see it flourish. At whatever level that love plays out, we want to encourage it.”

The development plan looks to businesses, residents, charities and cathedral visitors to help fund projects covering buildings and repairs, music and liturgy, the cathedral visitor experience and outreach and community work.

Among the big ticket schemes are the restoration of Prebends Bridge, the introduction of female choristers and the possible relocation of the cathedral shop.

Prebends Bridge, one of the most striking in the region, is more than 230 years old but could need up to £1m of repairs. The Dean and Chapter has asked English Heritage for £190,000 to investigate the extent of problems caused by water erosion.

The first girl choristers in the cathedral’s history have begun rehearsals and could start singing in services in October.

The introduction of ten girls, aged between nine and 12, is a break with more than 900 years of tradition. Originally, only monks were eligible for the choir. Laymen and boys were first admitted in the 16th century.

The cathedral shop could be moved next to the Great Kitchen.

Mr Sadgrove said: “We want the visitor experience at Durham Cathedral to be as good as it can be.

“The heritage that we’re responsible for is of priceless value and we want to show it at its best.”

Other projects in the pipeline include a multi-million pound visitors’ centre for the Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site and opening up the banks of the River Wear, with the addition of new footpaths and extra trees.

The cathedral is also expanding its community work, reaching out to young people, prisoners and minority ethnic communities; and asking what people want the cathedral to do more of in the city and region.

Since its launch last year, the development plan, which was five years in the making, has attracted a number of businesses to sign up as corporate partners, including minerals and transport operator Hargreaves Services, rail firm Chester-le-Track and restaurant outfit Oldfields Noted Eating Houses.

In return for an annual donation, firms can take advantage of a range of opportunities and events which would not otherwise be available to them, such as tours and receptions.

However, individuals can also support the cathedral’s work, through donations or other means.

Mr Sadgrove said: “It’s a cliche to say Durham Cathedral is iconic but it’s true. I think for many Durham people the cathedral is a very important image of life in the North-East and the association of the image with a company, agency, organisation or corporate partner is attractive to people.

“The cathedral belongs to the people of the North-East and we welcome people’s friendship and support.

“It’s a building that has a wonderful, perhaps unique, ability to touch people very deeply. We often find that’s reflected in people’s generosity.”

Durham Cathedral employs 120 people, attracts 600,000 visitors each year and costs £3m-a-year to run.

However, the Dean ruled out introducing an admission charge.

“There are always questions about whether to charge for admission. For Durham Cathedral, there’s a very strong conviction that it belongs to the people of the North-East.

“Many people come here from the locality. They have always seen the cathedral as their place. This cathedral has a particularly strong relationship with its local communities.

“If we were to charge admission, we would alienate that body of local support and commitment. It would undermine the mission very seriously.

“I think it would be a very retrograde step in terms of our relationship with this community.”

Durham Cathedral dates back more than 900 years, work having begun on the huge building in 1093. Built as a monastic foundation to house the shrine of St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, it is regarded as one of the world’s finest examples of Norman architecture.

The cathedral hosts more than 1,300 services each year, with an average 12 months containing an additional 130 special liturgical events and services. It is closely linked with Durham University, hosting many congregations, or graduations, throughout the academic year.

For more information on Durham Cathedral and its development plan, visit durhamcathedral.co.uk or call Ruth Robson on 0191-386-4266.

You can also become a fan of Durham Cathedral on the social networking website Facebook.