THANK YOU
Celebrating the impact of your support this year Highlights Report 2024/25
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
As I look back across the past year, I am filled with pride for all that the Trust has achieved, from launching Small Sounds, to growing the financial support we provide to choral foundations.
The dedication of our staff, trustees and volunteers continues to give me great hope for the future of cathedral music in our country. Yet, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without the incredible support we receive from you, our committed friends and patrons.
Undertaking the first part of my Choral Challenge, cycling between all of the cathedrals and churches the Trust has Funded, I have witnessed how that support is spread right across the UK.
Whilst we know that financial challenges remain, I am heartened by the consistent quality of music-making provided everywhere I have been. We really do hold the torch for a unique and vibrant tradition that spans centuries and can be proud of how we are helping it to endure into future generations.
Next year marks 70 years since a group of inspired people came together to form the Friends of Cathedral Music, it is with continued pride and optimism that I look forward, with confidence, to the Trust’s work in 2026 and beyond.
Thank you!
Jonathan Mayes CEO, Cathedral Music Trust
Image © Croydon Minster
Front Cover Image
© Croydon Minster
ENHANCING EXCELLENCE
Our support has enabled Hereford Cathedral’s choral and organ scholarship programme to flourish in 2024/5.
The programme allows three choral scholars and one organ scholar to join the Cathedral community for a whole academic year. For most, this forms a gap year between school and university.
Scholars receive intensive training to help them gain the skills and experience they need to perform alongside the professional lay clerks and organists.
A highlight of the scholars’ year is the Three Choirs Festival, during which the scholars have the experience of singing in high-profile concerts to sell-out audiences. In 2024/5, one scholar assisted in leading a music outreach project at a local primary school. This project has been so successful, the Cathedral plans to repeat it in the future.
My time in Hereford has transformed me in so many ways. … I have had the chance to develop my singing significantly, particularly in a choral context … In addition, it’s been huge fun living with and becoming friends with the other scholars. In so many ways, this scholarship sets you up for life.
Sophie Harbridge, Choral Scholar 2024/5
WIDENING PARTICIPATION
As part of our commitment to music education, Lincoln Cathedral has used funding from the Trust to establish enduring musical partnerships with local primary schools.
Jack Holliday, the Music Outreach Officer, visits three schools each week, leading singing sessions with over 300 children in Year 3 and Year 4.
A number of the children have taken their singing further, joining after-school choirs, led by Jack as part of the programme, and attending ‘Be a chorister’ days at the Cathedral. Some children from the partner schools have already successfully auditioned as choristers.
‘It has been an amazing first year, and we are so grateful for the enthusiasm, expertise, and inspiration that Jack and the Lincoln Singing Partnership have brought to our school community. This project has created wonderful opportunities for our children and fostered a genuine love of singing that we are excited to see continue in the future.’
David Gibbons, Headteacher, Nettleham C of E Junior School
‘Mr Holliday makes singing really good, even when we sing the hard songs.’
‘I wish we had singing class every day because it makes me so happy!’
‘Mr Holliday’s singing class makes Tuesdays better.’
Year 3 pupils from partner schools
INCREASING SUSTAINABILITY
The Trust’s work, in supporting the future of choral foundations and music-making in cathedrals and churches, continued to grow in 2024/25.
Alongside providing financial support through our grants programmes, we actively sought ways to strengthen working practices in the sector. In November 2024, we were pleased to co-present the inaugural ‘Championing Cathedral Music’ conference with the Association of English Cathedrals.
The event brought together clergy, musicians and lay staff from all 42 Anglican cathedrals, and beyond, to debate the most pressing issues facing cathedral chapters and their music departments and help all those involved to find ways to address such challenges.
We are encouraged by the innovative ways in which music is being sustained, and we continue to support cathedrals and churches through providing and signposting advice, encouraging collaboration, and sharing best practice.
Our public profile, enhanced by our Patrons and Ambassadors, alongside the series of events we run nationwide, remains vital for increasing support for cathedral music across the UK and beyond.
Event highlights in 2024/25 included:
• Our first Academic Conference, inspired by our Future Leaders – ‘New Generation Perspectives’, attracted over 100 attendees across two days at Sarum College in Salisbury
• Politician, broadcaster and economist, Ed Balls, hosted a fundraising event at the historic Charterhouse in London, helping us to extend our network of friends and supporters
• National Gatherings at Salisbury and the North East (Newcastle Cathedral, Hexham Abbey & Durham Cathedral) attracted over 250 supporters
• Local Gatherings have been held at cathedrals and churches in: Manchester; London; Bradford; Lichfield; the Tower of London; Blackburn; Inverness; Edinburgh; and St Bartholomew the Great in partnership with the Prayer Book Society
Your donations in 2024/25
In 2024, £500,000 was awarded in grants to 28 organisations
Choral Foundation Sum Purpose
Cathedral Music Support Programme
Blackburn Cathedral
Bradford Cathedral
Carlisle Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral
Derby Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
Guildford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
Leeds Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral
Newcastle Cathedral
Peterborough Cathedral
Ripon Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
£30,000 To fund lay clerks’ salaries
£15,000 To support the employment of a team of professional lay clerks
£12,000 To support singing lessons for choristers
£28,900
£29,500
£30,000
To support a new post to provide administrative support for the music department
To support the expansion of the schools’ singing programme and the launch of the keyboard programme
To support a new post to provide administrative support for the music department
£6,600 To support a schools and colleges Evensong project
£20,500 To support the choral and organ scholarship programme
£29,500 To support the Cathedral’s choral and organ scholarship programme
£20,000 To support the role of the Music Outreach Officer
£15,000
To support the expansion of the Schools Singing Programme and Junior Choirs in new areas of the Liverpool Diocese
£28,000 To support the role of a Chorister Programme Supervisor and Administrator
£30,000 To support the role of Music Department Administrator
£30,000
£29,500
To support chaperones and vocal training for choristers, outreach, and professional development for Lay Clerks
To support a new post to provide administrative support for the music department
Choral Foundation Sum Purpose
Salisbury Cathedral
St Davids Cathedral | Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi
St Deiniol’s Cathedral | Cadeirlan Deiniol Sant
St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh
Tewkesbury Abbey
Truro Cathedral
Church Choir Award
All Saints’ Church, Kingston-upon-Thames
Church of St Mary and All Saints, Chesterfield
Church of St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich
Crediton Parish Church
St Ann’s Church, Manchester
St Lawrence Parish Church, York
St Paul’s Church, Withington
£5,500 To support the Youth and Junior Choirs
£15,000 To support the role of Choir Chaperone and to provide travel bursaries for choristers
£29,500 To support increasing the working hours for the lay clerks
£20,500 To support the new post of Assistant Organist
£15,000 To support a new schools singing programme
£30,000 To support the role of the Assistant Director of Music
£5,000 To support a primary-school singing programme
£700 To support a programme to increase the number of choir members
£5,000 To support the Church’s youth choirs project
£7,000
£5,500
To support a project to reestablish choral scholarships and improve the training of junior members of the choir
To support a project to recruit post-graduate singing students to provide vocal coaching for associate choir members
£3,300 To support the development of the choir and the introduction of mid-week services
£3,500 To support a Saturday morning choir club
FUTURE PLANS
Our Small Sounds programme, for 0-5s and their caregivers, launched in September 2024 in Chester, Derby, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, and Rochester Cathedrals.
With over 450 families enjoying weekly music sessions and overwhelmingly positive feedback, we are pleased to be extending the programme in 2025/26 and beyond. A second cohort of cathedral musicians received specialist training in July 2025.
Small Sounds is launching in a further seven settings this autumn: Gloucester Cathedral; Ipswich Minster; Lincoln Cathedral; Portsmouth Cathedral; St Gabriel’s, Pimlico; St George’s RC Cathedral, Southwark; and St James the Greater, Leicester.
Fantastic music sessions that have hugely increased my confidence and reinforced the importance of singing with not just my baby daughter who I took to the sessions, but her brother has also benefited from the music cards and more singing at home. The leaders are amazing and Small Sounds was my favourite class from my maternity leave.
In 2026, we will be initiating a pilot programme to strengthen pathways for teenagers new to cathedral music. Over three years, we aim to establish partnerships with cathedrals in 15 areas of the UK experiencing high levels of deprivation, to kick-start new sustainable choirs and help develop existing provision.
Our advocacy work will continue, campaigning for public awareness in support of the cathedral music tradition thoughout 2025/26.
Image © Carla Guest Photography
2024 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
In 2024, the Trust made 28 awards totalling £500,000, including funding for chorister training, school engagement programmes, lay clerk positions, and administrative support.
• 2024 saw continued growth in income through fundraising, exceeding over £350,000 in donations, appeals and grants for the first time
• Direct financial support for cathedral music increased by 7% to £500,000, with further funds invested to deliver the Small Sounds pilot
(including grants, educational events and publications)
• Our partnership with the Royal School of Church Music continued with the third year of the Church Choir Award, with the Trust providing project funding for seven choirs which would not normally qualify for our main programme of financial support
• In 2024, we launched a new website and have subsequently seen a 44% increase in engagement, as well as continued growth of interaction with our social media platforms
(Events, merchandise, and publications)
Figures provided in this section are drawn from our 2024 Annual Report covering the period JanDec 2024, in line with Cathedral Music Trust’s financial year
We gratefully acknowledge the individuals and organisations who generously supported our work in 2024/25
DONORS & SPONSORS
The Atlas Fund
All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Steven and Ann Berzin
Dr Belinda Board
Brereton Memorial Fund
The George Cadbury Fund Ltd
Canopus Trust
The CPF Trust
The Rainbow Dickinson Trust
Ecclesiastical Insurance
Office plc
Edington Music Festival
Hymns Ancient & Modern
In memory of Phyllis Grout
In memory of Patrick Littlejohns
The Pamela Matthews
Charitable Trust
The Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks
Steve Martin
James Nye
Friends of Schola Cantorum, St Peter’s Cathedral, Belfast
Scops Arts Trust
Michael Steen
The Tanner Trust
GJ Ward Charitable Trust
The Westminster Foundation
Neil Westreich
The Dick and Charles
Williams Trust
Stephen Zinser
And several anonymous donors
SIBTHORP CIRCLE
Michael Antcliffe
The Revd Sarah Bourne
David Bridges
Michael Cooke
Eric Merton Cox
Stephen Crookes
Robert Frier
Clarendon and Rodney Gritten
Edward and Rosemary Hart
Sheila Kemp
Dr James Lancelot
Robin Lee
Jonathan Macdonald
Kate and Roddie MacLean
Tom Hoffman MBE
Iain Nisbet
Martin Owen
John Pettifer
Denis Roberts
Mark Starling
Margaret and David Williamson
And several anonymous supporters
VOLUNTEERS TRUSTEES
Jonathan Macdonald, Chair of Trustees
Jason Groves (until Dec 24)
David Hill MBE
Sue Hind Woodward
Stuart Laing
Dr James Lancelot
Giverny McAndry
Heather Morgan
The Revd Canon James Mustard
Dr Isobel Pinder
Gavin Ralston
Simon Toyne
James Gurling MBE (from Feb 25)
COMMITTEE & WORKING GROUP CHAIRS
Henrietta Fraser, Chair, Events
Working Group
Sue Hind Woodward, Chair, Development Committee
Dr Isobel Pinder, Chair, Programmes Committee; Interim Chair, Grants Assessment Panel
Gavin Ralston, Chair, Finance & Audit Committee
Image St Paul’s Choristers © Graham Lacdao and St Paul’s Cathedral
REGIONAL COORDINATORS
Dr Mark Bellis – South and East
Rosemary Downey – Wales, North and West
Dr Robert Horton – Scotland
Adam Tunnicliffe – London
LOCAL AMBASSADORS
Arnold Wills – Bath and Wells
Jeremy Duerden – Blackburn
SJ Rhodes – Borders
Ian Thompson – Canterbury
Dr Mark Bellis – Chelmsford
Paul Stockbridge – Chester
John Maxwell-Jones - Derby
Eddie Tunnicliffe - Durham
Tara Bungard - Ely
Stewart Aylward – Gloucester
Chris Smythe – Inverness
Graham Thorpe and Dr Ed Jones – Leeds
Catherine Lamb – Lichfield
Graham Curtis – Manchester
The Revd Canon Janet
Chapman – Newcastle
The Revd Canon John Paton – Oxford
Anne McDonald –
Peterborough
Peter Gould – Portsmouth
Rosemary Clemence and Chris Royall – Rochester
Christopher Barnard –Salisbury
Richard & Sarah Malins –Southwark
Susan Dawson – Southwell and Nottingham
Adam Tunnicliffe – St Paul’s
Simon Webb – Westminster
Abbey
Alistair Timmis – York
FUTURE LEADERS
Elizabeth Leather, Co-Chair
David Whitworth, Co-Chair
Ophelia Appleby
James Bartlett
Nicholas Bown
Isobel Chesman
Alistair Donaghue
Victoria Eyre
Dr Charlotte Gauthier
Alexander Hamilton
Guy James
Iris Lam
Libby Marsland
Imogen Morgan
Dr Elizabeth Preece
Meg Rees
Jordan Theis
Ben Thompson
Graham Thorpe
Daisy Widdicombe
ADVISORY GROUP
Peter Allwood
Christopher Gower
Terry Duffy STAFF
Jonathan Mayes, Chief Executive
Cathryn Dew, Programmes Director
Amanda Walsh, Finance Officer
Hannah Capstick, Volunteer and Events Coordinator (from May 25)
Jessica Lock, Director of Finance & Resources (until June 25)
Daniel Bishop, Director of Finance & Resources (from Sep 25)
Victoria McDougall, Interim, Development Director (until June 25)
Leila Alexander, Development Director (from Aug 25)
Katy Ashman, Development Officer
Anna Elliss, Programmes Manager (from Apr 2025)
Anna Kent, Digital & Communications (until June 25)
Laura Cottrell, Digital & Communications (from Sep 25)
Image St Paul’s Choristers © Peter Li and St Paul’s Cathedral
Royal Patron
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester
President
Harry Christophers CBE
Ambassadors
Alexander Armstrong
Anna Lapwood MBE
Honorary Patrons
Archbishop of Canterbury
Designate, the Most Revd and Rt Hon. Dame Sarah Mullally
Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, His Eminence
Vincent Nichols
+44 (0)20 3151 6096 info@cathedralmusictrust.org.uk www.cathedralmusictrust.org.uk
Cathedral Music Trust
27 Old Gloucester Street
London WC1N 3AX
Registered in England as a charitable incorporated organisation
Registered charity number 1187769
Registered company number CE020570
CathedralMusicTrust
@cathedralmusictrust
CathedralMusicTrust
Image © Croydon Minster