Jo Day announces early retirement

Jo Day, our CFO and Director of Corporate Services, who has been in post since 2019, has announced she will be taking early retirement in the New Year.

Andrew our Dean commented,

'Jo has played an instrumental role in helping to navigate St Paul’s through the pandemic and leading the organisation during the senior staff changes last year. Jo has provided me with incredible support and is a hugely valued senior colleague who provides insight and strategic leadership. I will miss Jo and wish her well with her exciting plans for (far too!) early retirement.'

Emily, COO, added,

'Since joining, it has been a joy to work so closely with Jo, who is a hugely capable and gifted leader and has a rare ability to relate well to people, understand strategy and manage complex finances. I couldn’t have asked for a better colleague and will miss her terribly - although I do intend to absorb as much knowledge and experience as I can from Jo before she leaves.'

Jo said,

'I have loved my time at the Cathedral, it has been an absolute privilege to be part of the wonderful team of ministers, staff, volunteers and contractors that are at the heart of this beautiful place. It has been a joy to work with the SLT and Chapter and especially to support Emily and Andrew in their induction into St Paul’s. There have been many highlights, with one of those being installed with Emily earlier this year. This photo will always make me smile.

'We have a lot to deliver over the rest of this year so I am not saying goodbye just yet. This long notice period will ensure that I can handover to the next CFO and make sure the fabulous Corporate Services team are in good hands.'

Jo’s final day is likely to be sometime in the New Year, enabling an opportunity for a good handover with a new CFO, a role which we shall shortly begin advertising for.

Latest update from Chapter

Chapter had a productive meeting on May 25th with an agenda which included:

A discussion of how the five Cathedral priorities (which we agreed earlier in the year) are being delivered. Under ‘Continuing the recovery’ Sandra Lynes-Timbrell attended and spoke of the excellent visitor numbers this year, and Jo Day outlined the positive financial results for Q1, which show us ahead of budget.
There were reports relating to the School, progress in the recruitment drive to find three new non-executive Chapter members, and an update about Girls' Voices and the plans to start welcoming girl probationers from September this year.
Plans for Tillingham Estate in Essex, which the Cathedral has owned since 640AD and includes agricultural land, residential property, a bowling green and stabling. Earlier in the month Andrew, Neil and Emily visited the estate and spoke to the land agents, tenant farmers and parish vicar [pictured below].
Proposals to move the Broderers to new accommodation in the Triforium, which will require further discussion at the Fabric Advisory Committee this month.

Volunteers' Week 2023

Volunteers' Week takes place between the 1st and 7th June every year, and is an annual celebration of the varied and invaluable contribution volunteers make across the country. Our Cathedral community is no exception, and so to all our volunteers across the teams, we all say a huge thank you for all that you do.

Volunteer story: Chris Allen

This week we're sharing the volunteer story of Chris Allen, Visitor Experience Volunteer and Tour Guide.

What first attracted you to volunteering at the Cathedral?

My son was working as a radio producer at LBC back in 2004 – they sponsored a coffee table book to commemorate 1,400 years of the Cathedral; he was invited to a service of celebration but couldn’t go so offered me the ticket. My wife and I were sitting in the gallery and the service was in the Quire. We had a wonderful view; the Bishop of London was resplendent in his robes. I also saw lots of people dressed in tailcoats and stripey trousers, showing people to their seats. At the reception in the Guildhall one of the stripey trousered folk was behind me in the queue. He told me about the Wandsmen and my wife said, 'Chris would love to do that'. As a young retiree I was getting under her feet, so she needed me out of the way! I was invited to join the Friends and after being interviewed by the Dean, I became a Wandsman in July 2005.

The following January I joined the Thursday 'working Friends' team – what we now call Visitor Experience Volunteers. I volunteered as a Welcomer for a month and was very fortunate to be offered a place on the tour guiding course. I loved it and I've been a qualified guide since July 2006.

Read Chris' full story

Filming at the Cathedral

3rd, 6th and 7th June

There is filming taking place at the Cathedral on the 3rd, 6th and 7th June.

On Saturday 3rd June, we will have services as usual but will open for sightseeing at the slightly later time of 9am. All visitors will enter via the North Transept on this day, and to help mitigate wait times, we will only be able to welcome pre-booked and open dated ticket holders.

On the 6th and 7th June, the Cathedral will be completely closed to visitors and services have been moved to nearby St Vedast. On these days, we kindly ask that you do not enter the Cathedral unless you have been asked to be part of the production. There needs to be silence during filming, so if you are in the Cathedral, we also ask you to please be aware of creating noise - chatting, radios, doors slamming, etc.

It's really exciting that we're involved in this production, and we thank everyone in advance for their cooperation with this.

What's on next week

Sunday 4th June, 4.30pm: Organ recital with Tom Daggett
Tuesday 6th June: Cathedral closed for filming and services moved to St Vedast-alias-Foster
Tuesday 6th June, 7pm, online: At the Gates - Sharing the stories of disabled Christians

Wednesday 7th June: Cathedral closed for filming and services moved to St Vedast-alias-Foster
Thursday 8th June, 5pm: Sung Eucharist for the Feast of Corpus Christi
Friday 9th June, 9.30am, Wren Suite: CALCA Annual Conference - Cathedral Collections, Digital Dilemmas

Job opportunities

Virger

Hours: Full-time, average 35 hours per week (280 hours over 8 weeks)

Salary: £30,000 - £32,000 per annum plus benefits

Closing date for applications: 16th June 2023

The Virgers support the delivery of mission and ministry at the Cathedral. They prepare for and assist with services alongside the Cathedral Clergy including administering the chalice at services of Holy Communion (Eucharist). They provide point of contact for visitors attending services or requiring pastoral support. The Virgers also work closely with other teams from across the Cathedral to ensure safe, smooth running of events and services and the proper care of the Cathedral fabric and collections. Find out more.

Senior Plumber

Hours: Full-time, 39 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Salary: £44,500 per annum plus benefits

Closing date for applications: 30th June 2023

Find out more.

David Ison receives Knighthood

We received some lovely news this week from our former Dean, David Ison. On 30th May, David was knighted by His Majesty The King, and invested with the Insignia of a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

David says,

'It was unexpected, as the audience with the King on Tuesday was only set up a few days beforehand, and when I asked what it was for, the Buckingham Palace office did not tell me what to expect, just that the King wanted to say thank you for the work I'd done at St Paul's. It was a lovely privilege to be with the King on my own for 15 minutes, and very kind of him to make the award. The trip from Devon was 4 hours on trains each way, but fortunately they all worked, and I was able to leave Hilary to look after our two eldest grandchildren for the day while I went off in a suit - not something I'm accustomed to wearing anymore!'

As it was a private audience, there were no photos taken of the ceremony, but David has kindly sent us this photo!

And finally...

Last Saturday the Schools & Family Learning team went to Westminster Abbey to join in with their family Coronation garden party celebration.

Activities focused on the Cathedral and the Abbey's shared love of mosaics, and with the activities that also took place at the Cathedral on that day, we were able to engage with over 200 children - wonderful news!

If you have anything to include in next week's news, please remember to email internalcomms@stpaulscathedral.org.uk by the end of Wednesday at the latest.

With very best wishes,
Laura