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Growing God’s Kingdom

Executive Report2016 - 2021

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Growing God’s KingdomExecutive Report2016 - 2021

ContentsPage No

1. Introduction

2. Committee Structure

3. Mission & Vision

4. Working out the Priorities

5. Values

6. Eight Structured Areas

6.1 Worship6.2 Growth6.3 Welcoming & Pilgrimage6.4 Education6.5 Building & Development6.6 Partnership & Outreach6.7 Communication6.8 Finance

7. Four Mission Areas Reports

7.1 Group 1: Growing Our Worshipping Community7.2 Group 2: Promoting Our Spiritual and Built Heritage7.3 Group 3: Serving the Diocesan Bishop in Mission7.4 Group 4: Engaging with the Issues and Needs of the World

8. Finance and Resourcing

Appendices

1.2.3.4.5.6.

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An Introduction from the Dean

Ripon Cathedral has an exciting vision and bold plan for serving the people of Yorkshire and beyond: Growing God’s Kingdom.

Developed by a Cathedral with a building that reaches back to the seventh century, this is a vision that stems from the mission of Christ himself. It is energised by the conviction that Christ wants fullness of life for all people in every age. While having a clear Christian motivation, Growing God’s Kingdom is very much about Ripon Cathedral developing and using its resources to enhance the lives of all people who come into contact with it, regardless of faith, gender, ethnicity or age. It seeks to serve the benefit of all.

Growing God’s Kingdom has been discerned through a process of reflection and consultation that began in 2014; it has involved many hundreds of people from across the region and within the Diocese of Leeds. In this newest and largest diocese of the Church of England, the Cathedral of Ripon serves alongside those of Wakefield and Bradford. It is clear that Ripon Cathedral has a distinctive and essential role, resulting from several important characteristics, including: the unique historical building of Ripon Cathedral (its Crypt is the oldest built fabric of any English Cathedral) with stunning sacred space that attracts pilgrims and tourists alike from far and wide; its Benedictine foundation; its setting at the gateway to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales; the Cathedral’s potential as a centre for life-long learning and promoting a high standard of choral music; and the heart-felt commitment to serve the diverse communities of the whole region.

It has become clear that Ripon Cathedral needs to develop in radical and extensive ways to enable it to take advantage of all its potential for effective and fruitful twenty-first century Cathedral mission. I believe that God is calling us to do this and I invite all those with a heart for Ripon Cathedral and North Yorkshire to offer generous support in all the ways that they are able. This brochure makes clear the vision and development plans and the different ways in which people are able to become involved. I am grateful to all those who have given of themselves so far and welcome your prayers and contributions.

Mission & Vision

Growing God’s Kingdom identifies four main areas of mission for Ripon Cathedral, each with its own specific share of the overall vision to Grow God’s Kingdom:

Growing the worshipping community(The vision of Ripon Cathedral is to be a worshipping community that is growing numerically and spiritually)

Promoting our spiritual and built heritage(The vision is to develop the Cathedral as a centre of pilgrimage; enhance the ‘visitor journey’; provide buildings and facilities to deliver the Cathedral strategy)

Serving the Diocesan Bishop in mission(The vision is to support the Diocesan Bishop in mission by developing outreach, partnership, fellowship and relationships which are centred on sharing our faith)

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Engaging with the issues and needs of the world(The vision is to engage with our local communities, the region and the wider world; in particular to become known as a Cathedral that acts for and speaks with integrity on the issues of market towns and rural communities)

Working out the Priorities

Following the considerable work from the working groups there has emerged a number of proposals and aspirations as well as a long-term vision for the Cathedral to follow:

Provide an excellent standard of Worship across all services, developing the existing Cathedral style and exploring new types of worship. Connect better with people attending Cathedral events. Encourage growth in the number of regular worshippers and nurture all in the Christian faith. Enable everyone to participate in the life of the Church.

Create a Cathedral Precinct that is fit for purpose for our current and future needs. Develop Interpretation and Information on our work today, our history and our faith.

Develop the Cathedral as a Centre for Pilgrimage reflecting its Anglo-Saxon historic heritage, its unparalleled associations with Wilfrid and other early saints and its importance as the centre for the introduction of the Rule of St Benedict to England. Interpret the Cathedral and its stories in a way accessible to a wide range of visitors and pilgrims.

Develop Learning Programmes and provide high quality resources, expertise and experiences for children, young people and adults to learn more about the Christian faith.

Extend our Partnerships across the region. Develop and strengthen our links across the City, Borough and County. Build effective relationships with military organisations in the area. Continue to develop our key ecumenical partnerships.

Act as a catalyst for change. Be a Cathedral, which acts for and speaks with integrity on the issues facing market towns and the rural communities of the Dales. Form partnerships with people already working in these areas so that we can speak with a more powerful voice to benefit our community. Respond promptly and effectively through prayer and action to significant events that affect us all, both locally and nationally.

Reduce the impact our work has on God’s earth. Develop a creation care policy to address environmental issues in the Cathedral church life (such as: managing the churchyard, worshipping, engaging in the community / environmental projects). We also need to identify Cathedral activities and practices that could be improved in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint through reduced energy use and increased levels of recycling.

Values

In undertaking this work, we have attempted to merge our findings into an overall strategy. It seems clear that Jesus longed for each person to enjoy life in its fullness and the themes that seem central to his preaching appear like threads holding together the emerging values of:

Putting God First Celebrating God’s image in everyone Honouring all that God has given us Being a blessing to the world

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Eight Structured Areas for Delivering Strategy

In order to fulfill the Strategy and Vision it will be necessary to form eight structured areas to concentrate our efforts effectively. Each of these areas will be led by a member of the Cathedral Chapter. They are:

Worshipo Overseeing and implementing the parts of the Cathedral Strategy relating to worship and

liturgy. Planning worship to support the Cathedral’s growth agenda. Reviewing the musical offering within worship. Monitoring the progress of the music outreach strategy.

Led by: Canon Precentor (Paul Greenwell)

Key Priorities – 2016/17

- Sustain formal Cathedral-style, choral tradition for a high proportion of services including every Sunday at 10.30am and 3.30pm.

- Develop a monthly new Sunday service which is distinctly more informal, takes place after Evensong and is supported by the Parish Music group.

- Enable wider engagement in the daily Eucharist, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer.- Produce a Liturgical Plan for the Cathedral that explores new, creative and innovative

ways of using the space and the resources of the Cathedral. This will strengthen the engagement with all ages, with newcomers and established members of the Cathedral community.

Church Growtho Delivering the numerical and spiritual growth of all the Cathedral’s congregations.

Implementing the Chapter’s Pastoral Care Policy. Developing the Cathedral’s ecumenical partnership working within the City of Ripon. Developing the Cathedral’s charitable and social engagement within the City of Ripon. Providing the ‘social events’ calendar of the Cathedral congregation.

Led by: Canon Evangelist (Ruth Hind)


- Develop a ‘seasonal invitation’ programme providing inclusive services throughout the year, including Christmas Eve, Mothering Sunday, Good Friday and Harvest Festival which the wider community are more likely to attend when invited. At the end of each service an invitation to the next such service is given to every attendee.

- Improve the Ministry of Welcome at all Cathedral Service.- Support baptismal families in their faith journey.- Enable regular worshippers, visitors and enquirers to find an appropriate personal

pathway for nurture.- Initiate and / or participate in community building activities, such as those engaged in

local partnership.

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Welcome, Pilgrimage & Heritageo Training and overseeing of Guides and Welcomers. Promoting the Cathedral as a venue for

Pilgrimage. Developing the ministry of welcome. Developing new ways of interpreting and celebrating of the Cathedral’s heritage.

Led by: Canon Myra Shackley


- Introduce at least two internal Cathedral devotional pilgrimage trails available to visitors and pilgrims on a guided and self-guiding basis.

- Plan for the implementation of at least two external pilgrimage trails linking sites of historic Christian interest across the region with the Cathedral.

- Develop an interpretation plan as part of the Cathedral HLF application, identifying the key stories the Cathedral needs to tell to its audiences, the key people in those stories and their relationship to the building seen by those who visit.

- Review the training of Guides and Welcomers, enabling them to communicate these stories to a wide range of visitors.

Education & Continued All Age Learning o Overseeing the Cathedral Education Volunteers Team. Promoting the Cathedral as a venue

for School visits. Planning of the St Wilfrid Debates, with the support of partners. Developing regional family events.

Led by: Canon for Rural Engagement & Education


- Appoint a Canon for Rural Engagement & Education who will take a lead in further extending our education offer to community as well as church schools.

- Strengthen the relationship with the Diocesan Board of Education and the Education Team which is mutually supportive and builds on our relative areas of expertise.

- Use Thorpe Prebend House more for educationally based activities.- Establish an Education advisory group with Head Teacher / Principal representation

from local primary and secondary schools, further education establishments, and the Diocesan Education Team. This will inform the ongoing development of our educational offer.

Buildings Developmento Overseeing the implementation of the Buildings Development elements of the agreed

Cathedral Strategic Plan. Defining and overseeing the implementation of an Estate Maintenance Plan. Led by: Canon Colin Harrison

Key Priorities – 2016/17- Deliver the agreed elements of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) initial grant to provide

a business plan, training programme and communications plan for the future operation of the Cathedral.

- Define, agree and submit a proposal for a major investment in the Cathedral buildings to the HLF by the end of 2016.

- Develop and gain support for an integrated Estate Management Plan

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Partnership & Outreacho Working in partnership on issues of social wellbeing. Promoting the Cathedral’s partnership

with and service to: Lieutenancy, civic authorities, health and social services across the city, district and region, rural and military communities, the Diocese and parishes.

Led by: The Dean

Key Priorities = 2016/17

- Establish a Cathedral Group to facilitate rural networking.- Act as a catalyst for change, for example, by initiating local and regional summits to

encourage stakeholders to work together to maximize advocacy and influence. Organise a summit of interested people and agencies on a theme of rural issues.

- Strengthen the Cathedral, with its Chapel of Justice & Peace, as a spiritual home for the regional military communities; offering worship and events that look forward, in addition to the established acts of remembrance.

- Discuss with key regional military personnel ways in which the Cathedral can best serve military communities in North Yorkshire.

- Establish and foster relationships with the many agricultural shows and larger rural charities in North Yorkshire.

- Establish and foster relationships with the NHS and other local health care providers.- Extend the partnerships with the diocesan rural advisors and their ministry across the

Diocese; including developing a prayer diary and events programme.- Initiate and / or participate in community-building activities; including supporting the

Ripon Community Interest Company in fostering community partnership working.- Become familiar with the Church of England’s national environmental campaign

(Shrinking the Footprint), identify and start to implement ways in which the Cathedral could improve existing practice.

- Reduce our carbon footprint through more efficient energy use and increased levels of recycling. Initiate an Eco congregation award scheme.

Communicationso Developing the Cathedral’s communication internally, externally and marketing strategy.

Led by: The Dean


- Act as a conduit for information via our social media, by circulating more widely our ‘Helping Hands’ leaflet, and our internal publications such pewslip, newsletters, etc.

- Create a Communications Focus Group to co-ordinate and promote Cathedral activities in the electronic, social, print and TV media.

- Distribute a regular Cathedral newsletter throughout Ripon and by electronic copy to the Episcopal Area of Ripon parishes and Diocesan Office.

- Provide regular material about the Cathedral for Diocesan newsletters and regional newspapers.

- Appoint a communications co-ordinator to ensure efficient communications, both internal and external

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Growing God’s KingdomExecutive Report2016 - 2021 Finance

o Preparing, reviewing and periodically updating a financial strategy (to be approved by Chapter) to support the objectives of the Chapter in their pastoral, liturgical, outreach, educational and ecumenical work.

Led by: Canon Treasurer (Philip Arundel)

Key Initial Priorities

- Establish an income generation group to obtain new sources of income to fund the strategic mission of the Cathedral.

- Explore the capacity for increasing existing income.- Continue the stewardship initiative launched in 2015.- Establish a Cathedral wide legacy group to increase the legacies to the Cathedral to

continue to grow God’s Kingdom.

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Group 1: GROWING OUR WORSHIPPING COMMUNITY

Introduction

This report contains the vision and suggestions of Group 1 members (Appendix 1) for growing the worshipping community of Ripon Cathedral. The Group has met six times.

The Group took account of:

i. Comments made during the Cathedral’s consultation process that led to the interim report Growing God’s Kingdom: A First Response to the Cathedral Consultation, published in February 2015.

ii. The report Cathedrals, Greater Churches and the Growth of the Church by Canon John Holmes and Ben Kautzer1, presented to Chapter in September 2014 and produced by the Church Growth Research Programme.

iii. The report From Anecdote to Evidence: findings from the Church Growth Research Programme 2011-20132.

iv. The experience of several Group members of leading churches into significant growth.

The Group also commissioned research examining services held in the Cathedral over the previous twelve months in order to produce the ‘footprint’ of worship provided (Appendix 2).

1. The Vision for Church Growth at Ripon Cathedral

The vision of Ripon Cathedral is to be a worshipping community that is growing numerically and spiritually.

Growing the Church, both numerically and spiritually, has become a priority for the whole of the Church of England and was identified as one of the four major areas of Ripon Cathedral’s mission by the Cathedral Chapter in February 2015. This followed an initial period of consultation and reflection that helped the Chapter to discern that God is calling the Cathedral to carry on Christ’s work of growing God’s kingdom.

The Church is called to be Christ’s body on earth (I Cor 12:27), with members called and equipped by God to play their particular part in its life and ministry. A healthy church, then, is bound to be one that is helping people to grow individually, and collectively as a community, into the likeness of Christ. It should be natural for a church to experience numerical and spiritual growth, equipping Christ’s body to follow his example of serving the world.

Members of Group One are clear that a church will only experience healthy numerical growth when it is growing spiritually. Attractive, enriching worship and opportunities for members to be nurtured as disciples are both essential. A healthy church community that both attracts new members and retains existing members will be one that is providing a good standard of pastoral care. It is also one in which people of all ages can participate and find a home.

1 J Holmes and B Kautzer, Church Growth Research Programme: Report on Strand 3a: Cathedrals, GreaterChurches and the Growth of the Church (Durham: Cramner Hall, 2013)

2 From Anecdote to Evidence; findings from the Church Growth Research Programme 2011-2013 (Durham: Cramner Hall 2013)

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2. Significant Mission Areas for Furthering Church Growth

Holmes and Kautzer in Cathedrals, Greater Churches and the Growth of the Church identify nine growth factors for Cathedrals:

1. Cultivating Missional Intentionality2. Initiating new services and congregations3. Enriching the quality of worship for both regular and special services in the music, liturgy and

preaching4. Improving welcome and hospitality5. Engaging culture and arts6. Promoting spiritual openness, inclusivity and diversity in membership and outreach7. Increasing the civic profile8. Developing educational programmes9. Prioritizing discipleship and Christian nurture

The Group acknowledged that it is clearly important for Ripon Cathedral to take advantage of these findings as it discerns the vision and strategy for growing God’s kingdom. The areas of mission being considered by the Chapter’s four main strategy groups can be informed by this. The Group also took seriously, however, the findings of From Anecdote to Evidence which shows that there is no single recipe for growth. This personal experience of Church Growth and the Cathedral’s consultation process led the Group to begin by identifying the Mission Areas that it believes are most relevant for the numerical and spiritual growth of the regular congregations of Ripon Cathedral. One that it thought was not acknowledged sufficiently well in the two reports mentioned was Pastoral Care.

At its first meeting, then, the Group identified the following Mission Areas:

1. Worship Styles2. Pre-Evangelism and Evangelism3. All-Age Engagement4. Civic Engagement and Outreach5. Participation6. Nurturing Disciples7. Pastoral Care

In September the Group refined the identifiable Mission Areas further. It was suggested that it was important to keep the number of identified Mission Areas to no more than seven key areas. As those would need to include the Mission Areas identified by the other three Strategy Groups, it was decided to make the following changes to our Mission Areas as first defined:

2.1 Participation could be seen as a fundamental precursor to the launch of the overall strategy.

An important initial step is for a period of culture change before the launch of the strategies in May 2016. The Cathedral Community needs to become more aware of the role of each member as part of the ministry of the Cathedral, both in terms of its parish ministry in Ripon and its larger role in delivering the mission of Diocese to its Episcopal Area.

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Only when all members of the Cathedral community see themselves as part of the ministry of the Cathedral will there be the capacity to implement all the growth that has been envisioned by the four Strategy Groups.

Structures need to be put in place from the start that encourage and develop participation in all areas of mission.

2.2 All-age Engagement should be seen to be an integral part of each of the strategies and each Mission Area should aim to be inclusive of all ages.

2.3 Pre-evangelism and Evangelism could be combined into one overall Mission of Evangelism.

To limit the number of overall mission areas to a manageable number, it was agreed to propose the following:

1. Worship2. Evangelism3. Nurture 4. Pastoral Care5. Civic Engagement and Outreach6. Regional Engagement7. Heritage and Pilgrimage

In terms of Pastoral Care, the Group was encouraged by the fact that the Chapter had agreed a pastoral care policy ‘Ripon Cathedral: Caring for Us All’ in June 2015. This contains the vision and strategy for pastoral care. This vitally important area of mission, which includes reference to the worshipping and prayer life of our community which is addressed by Group 2, therefore, does not need to be addressed further in this part of the overall report.

Civic Engagement, Regional Engagement, and Heritage and Pilgrimage are covered by the work of the other three strategy groups and, therefore, also do not need to be addressed further in this report.

This remainder of the Group 1 report will, therefore, focus on:

Possible methods of ensuring the necessary participation that is vital for the delivery of the overall strategy of Growing God’s Kingdom in Ripon Cathedral

Specific methods of delivering the missions of Worship, Evangelism and Nurture.

3. Initial Steps – Encouraging Participation

We aim to become an open and welcoming community that encourages and enables each person to participate and to make his or her God-given distinctive contribution to the mission of Ripon Cathedral.

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The Objectives:

To ensure that all members of the Cathedral community are aware of the ways in which they could participate in supporting and delivering the Cathedral’s ministry and mission. Chpt

To create a structure that ensures that all members of the Cathedral Community are able to take advantage of the lay opportunities for participation Chpt

People Responsible for delivery: The Dean, Chapter and PCC

Possible Phase One Targets:Time Frame: January – May 2016

1. Encourage the culture of volunteering within the Cathedral community in terms of its importance to our shared Christian mission of service through a systematic period of sermons, publications, etc.

Include the language and expectation of discipleship D & Chpt

2. Introduce the new ministries that have come out from the Strategy Groups and the role of the whole community in terms of delivery.

Emphasise the full range of ministry opportunities, in terms of both established ministries (e.g. PCC, Sidespeople, altar servers, Parish Choir, Children’s Church) as well as the new ministry teams.

D & ChptFestival

Circulate information about the variety of ways of becoming involved, both in established ministries and new ministry teams.

D & ChptFestival

Maximise the impact by developing a range of different pathways for more information covering the full range of people associated with the Cathedral (e.g. Welcomers/Guides, Flower Guild, Choir families)

D & ChptFestival

3. Equip the PCC to take a lead in growing the worshipping community

Recruit onto the PCC those with a heart for people and a vision of building up the worshipping community

2 /Canon Ev

Free the PCC from unhelpful responsibilities, e.g. the running of the church hall. Chpt

Give each member of the PPC a designated role within each of the new Ministry Teams. 2 / Chpt

4. Formally launch Ministry Teams

Recruit members from the PCC and the Cathedral Community onto the Ministry Teams CH

Formally acknowledge their work through a service of commissioning ? D & Chpt

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5. Formally acknowledge the work of existing ministries in a way that draws attention to the ministry work being done outside of the Ministry Teams. It is important to value all ministries as it encourages people doing the job, and also encourages others to join.

D & ChptFestival

Possible Phase Two Targets:Time Frame: May 2016- May 2018

1. Ensure that each ministry group follows the agreed structure and submits regularly scheduled reports to the Chapter.

D / Op Exec

2. Publish information about the groups and their work, encourage discussion with the Cathedral community about the ministry groups and communicate the importance of the involvement of all members of the community in growing God’s Kingdom.

DOp Exec

3. Ongoing focus on the work of ALL ministries through recognition and support. D / Chpt/ Op Exec

Possible Phase Three Targets:Time Frame: May 2018- May 2019

1. Assess progress and ask each group to begin planning for new targets for the period of 2019-2022. Chpt

2. Advertise opportunities for new members on each of the Ministry Groups as and when rotation occurs. Chpt

3. Ensure that there is transparency of action so that the congregation feels that they understand the work of the Ministry Teams. Chpt

4. Work in the local area to encourage people transitioning into retirement to consider how they could participate in the volunteer ministries of the Cathedral. Op Exec

5. Provide ongoing process of enabling new members of the Cathedral Community to enter into all existing ministries.

D / Chpt / Op Exec

4. A Structure for Participation

Although the next section may appear to be beyond the brief of Group 1, members were convinced that it was essential for a structure to be put in place which supports initial and ongoing methods of sustained participation. The following is a suggestion of one way by which the Cathedral could strengthen the overall participation of the laity in the delivery of the Cathedral’s mission.

Phase One: May - October 2016:

1. Each Ministry Team to be led by a designated member of Chapter, and populated by designated members of the PCC together with volunteers from the Cathedral community. The terms of office for all members (other than the Chapter lead person) to be no longer than 3 years, with a staggered rotation to provide continuity. Chpt

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Each Ministry Team will develop structures for delivering the aims identified by the Strategy Groups through the use of SMAR’ targets (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Whilst the aims and objectives are set by Chapter, specific ideas for targets developed by the current Strategy Groups are to be seen as indicators rather than as definitive mandates.

2. Initial work on ‘quick wins’ to begin with an initial progress report to be delivered to the Chapter by 31st October 2016.

At this stage much of the work will be in continuing the initial ‘culture change’ in order to help the congregation to adapt to new ways of working. This preparation must not be underestimated as change involves careful nurturing of people and their expectations and fears.

Chpt

Phase Two: November 2016 – May 2018:

1. Specific targets are identified, acted upon, measured for effectiveness.May 2017, November 2017, May 2018: Chpt

2. Report to Chapter of progress, both of targets achieved and those that are not achieved, and firm indicators of how each Ministry Team intends to build upon both the successes and the failures. Chpt

3. Establish process of rotation of Ministry Team members to begin February 2018. Chpt

Phase Three: May 2018 - May 2019

1. Assess progress made on previous targets with the aim of creating new targets for the period of May 2019- May 2022. Chpt

2. Complete rotation of all previous members by September 2019, and establish new framework for ongoing recruitment and rotation. Chpt

5. The Ministry of Worship

We aim to grow the number of regular worshippers of every age group and to ensure that all members of the worshipping community are able to deepen their relationship with God and with each other through their worship. 1 / 2

The Objectives:

1. To provide consistently an excellent standard of liturgy, music and preaching in broadly the existing Ripon Cathedral style 1 / 2

2. To broaden the offering of service styles and times to encourage those who are not currently attending, or attend infrequently, to worship in the Cathedral on a regular basis 1 / 2

3. To ensure that all Cathedral worship develops and sustains people in their spiritual journeys 1 / 2

People Responsible for delivery: Canon Precentor, Canon Evangelist, Worship Ministry Team, Music Department

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Possible Phase One Targets:

1. Sustain our formal Cathedral-style, choral tradition for a high proportion of services

Produce a programme of services with appropriate booklets for use from May 2016

Implement the Ripon Cathedral Music Strategy agreed by Chapter With the support of the Music Department, to work in and with the

community to create, promote and encourage performances/services in the Cathedral

11.1

1.1

2. Explore options for expanding the range of liturgical styles currently on offer

Investigate the range of liturgies offered by other cathedrals Establish the most appropriate times/days to trial new services Engage current stakeholders (e.g. Choir, Parish Music Group, servers,

sidesmen, congregation) in the process

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2

3. Encourage more enhanced engagement with worship

Use a broader range of hymns Put in place methods of maintaining the effectiveness of preaching

o Ensure that the Sunday 10:30 service’s sermon is not preached by the same person more often than once per month, thereby giving each preacher adequate time for preparation

o Publish in the pewslip resource material to accompany the Sunday 10:30 sermon when it is preached by residentiary clergy (e.g. questions for reflection), and signpost where an electronic copy of the text may be found to encourage further reflection on the sermon during the week.

1D & Chpt

o Publish the text of sermons and any supplementary resources material on the Cathedral website (or via weekly emails) to ensure that all the Cathedral community can engage with its teachings

Build in periods of silence within the intercessions to allow people time to respond personally in prayer

In the pewslip include on a regular basis a section that briefly explains one element of the liturgy to enable worshippers to engage more fully with the elements of worship (a ‘ever wonder why we do…’)

D & Chpt

D & Chpt

4. Respond liturgically to the needs of the community

Identify ways of developing more themed services to support the work of our outreach partners 1

Expand upon our invitations to parishes in the EA to attend both Sunday and mid-week services 1 / 6.5

Observe national silences and respond to news event with appropriate prayer stations and liturgical resources D & Chpt

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Possible Phase Two Targets:

1. Encourage wider engagement with the existing pattern of daily Eucharists and Offices

Offer a model to enable and encourage regular worshippers to follow some or all of the daily services as a rhythm of life

Create a Ripon Cathedral Day Retreat for people who wish to undertake an individual retreat and provide appropriate resources, systems of support and promotion

2

2

2. Produce a Liturgical Plan for the Cathedral that explores new, creative and innovative ways of using the space and the resources of the Cathedral to engage with all ages, and both newcomers and established members of the Cathedral Community

It may be necessary to trial various times and styles of services, with feedback from the Cathedral community, to establish the most successful way forward

Suggestions for new services include:

o Develop another Sunday service which is distinctly more informal (a type of Open Doors service) after evensong using the Parish Music Group to support

o Introduce the option of a Compline service, or Night Church, using the Parish Music Group to support

o Move away from static pew-based worship by using a ‘stations’ approach of hands-on activities as worship

o Incorporate Messy Church and Café-style Church ideas

o Incorporate using light and music in different ways that exploit the ‘wow’ factor of the building

o Use ‘And Now for Something Completely Different’ services (eg. a service of music with no words, a service of silence and light, a service in the Cathedral grounds)

1

1 / 2

1 / 2

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1

1

Offer more opportunities for all ages to participate together meaningfully in worship

o Extend the two ‘Journey to’ services currently held at Christmas and Easter, into at least 4 services per year

Develop a Seasonal Invitation programme, providing inclusive services throughout the year including Christmas Eve, Mothering Sunday, Good Friday, and Harvest which the wider community are more likely to attend when invited. At the end of each service an invitation to the next such service is given to everyone present.

o Ensure that those who assist in worship span all ages and both genders

o Prepare children properly to receive communion with the rest of their families

2 / 1

2 / 1

D & Chpt

D & Chpt

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o Explore the idea of removing the sermon from the liturgical part of the Sunday 10:30am service and repositioning it at the start or end of the service as part of ‘Sunday School’ time for everyone: a range of age-appropriate teaching sessions for all ages. This could be a way of creating bridges between those attending the 10:30am service with those attending either the 8.00am Eucharist or Matins at 12noon. 1 / 2

Possible Phase Three Targets:

1. Deliver a programme of services that includes both traditional and experimental liturgical services

Establish a weekly rhythm of services that provides a wide range of options in the style and form of worship

Establish methods of feedback from the Cathedral community to measure how the services are meeting the evolving needs of the community as it grows.

Produce new order of service books for the range of services offered, each to include a welcome and introduction explaining the structure and content of the service and providing more detailed guidance to help people to participate more fully.

1

2

1 / 2

2. Help people to find a pattern of worship that suits them

Develop a branding system for all services that enables people to know what to expect from any given service

Produce and advertise widely the Ripon Cathedral Service Map

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3. Develop worship opportunities outside the Cathedral (‘off-pew’)

Deliver services in the Market Square, Race Course, Fountains Abbey etc. Broadcasting the Cathedral services via live-streaming into care homes, or

to other individuals unable to attend worship

Supporting worship at home through the use of social media to provide daily prayers/readings etc.

1

1

1

6. The Ministry of Evangelism

We aim to engage with people in the community with the intent of encouraging them to become followers of Jesus Christ, or to deepen their existing faith. 2

The Objectives:

1. To connect with people attending Cathedral events in order to:

Share the Good News of the Christian faith, and to explain opportunities for a development of their faith available to them at the Cathedral

Encourage people who are already on a pathway of engagement to attend Christian events

2

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2. To develop links with local schools and children’s organizations in order to support in a meaningful way the development of the Christian faith in the next generation. 2

3. To develop better a culture of welcome in which everyone who enters the Cathedral feels they are welcomed, and encouraged to become part of the Cathedral community. 2

People Responsible for delivery: Canon Evangelist, Evangelism Ministry Team, and PCC


1. Provide publicity about opportunities of worship and nurture at all the social and fundraising events run by groups within the Cathedral.

Run a Cathedral Stand at the Beer Festival, Christmas Fair etc.

Target all concerts, and other large public services in the Cathedral with information about the Cathedral and provide contact forms for people to fill in if they wish to find out more.

2

2. Improve the Ministry of Welcome at all Cathedral services

Actively encourage people who would like to learn more about faith to leave their contact details for follow up from the Cathedral.

Ensure a wider range of ages amongst those extending the welcome at services, including for example Choristers, Children’s Church members, young families.

Encourage the Cathedral community to see the coffee time after the service as a time to engage with new people, or to develop a fellowship with existing members that they don’t already know.

2

3. Consider ways to develop ongoing connections with people of all ages who worship irregularly or not at all but who are associated with the Cathedral in some way (eg. Welcomers, Flower Guild, etc.) 2


1. Strengthen the links with local schools and uniformed groups (Scouts, Guides)

Build into services opportunities for school children, Guides/Scouts to deliver part of the worship liturgy. Within the service celebrate the work of the schools and uniformed groups.

Build upon existing opportunities for local schools and uniformed groups to use the Cathedral building as a venue for activities, e.g. concerts, musical shows, displays, activity days.

2

2. Support baptismal families in their faith journey

Follow-up baptism with visits by laity as well as clergy

Offer parenting courses / mums & toddlers social groups/babysitting help

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3. Greet newcomers intentionally with a positive message of welcome and an invitation to join the Cathedral community.

Ensure that laity as well as clergy follow up all newcomers and visitor contacts with visits.

Adopt a culture of ‘if you like this, why not try this’ publicity that helps occasional visitors/worshippers to find out about other services/activities they might like.

o Use ‘Journey Services’ to advertise Children’s Church, Holiday clubs, or Messy Church type services with take-home invitations

o Signpost newcomers to the nurture activities to help them to develop their faith beyond attending worship services.

2

2

4. Develop the ministry of hospitality by supporting and extending the regular social occasions that are open to the public at low cost.

Support the current provision of the Saturday lunches in the Cathedral Hall, and the Thursday lunchtime free concerts

Create a programme of coffee mornings to support local charities but also to provide hospitality within the Cathedral

2

2

2

5. Target occasional worshippers and volunteers within the Cathedral with an appropriate type of engagement 2

6. Work in partnership with other churches in Ripon in positively promoting the Christian faith to the city and surrounding area. 2

Possible Phase Three Targets:

1. Further develop links with youth organisations in order to help young people to feel more at home in the Cathedral

Develop opportunities for multi-age activities such as musical or dramatic productions that are produced and performed in the Cathedral.

Host youth events for parishes within the Episcopal Area.

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2. Identify and exploit opportunities for evangelism to our partners in outreach, and in the city and region in general. 2 / 6

7. The Ministry of Nurture

We aim to be a worshipping community in which all members are encouraged to engage meaningfully in their faith journey, and to ensure that both new and long-standing Christians are nurtured and helped to grow in discipleship.

2

The Objectives:

1. To provide a comprehensive programme of activities, courses, and resources that supports a nurturing of faith for people in all stages of their faith journey.

2. Develop a culture in which each regular worshipper is encouraged to consider their Christian vocation.

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3. Develop church leaders to support the mission of the church

People Responsible for delivery: Canon Evangelist, Canon Educator, Church Growth Team


1. Build on existing resources that support daily prayer through in-house publications 2 / 4

2. Support people’s daily journey by signposts to daily Bible notes, books, websites or apps that can support them in prayer and reflection. 2 / 4

3. Audit the current provision to identify areas of need, and provide the Cathedral community with an opportunity to have a voice in the type of activities/ methods of delivery they would like to see developed. 2

4. Appoint a lead person on Children’s Ministry to the parish to work with the clergy on the development of Children’s Church, baptism follow-up, Journey Services, Holiday Clubs etc. 2


1. Design and deliver a programme of opportunities for nurture that cater for all needs of the parish

Ensure that there is a range of options for delivery (e.g. periodic short courses, one-off days, house groups, discussion groups, quiet days, etc).

Provide resources, courses, activities that facilitate an initial encounter with God or spark an interest in faith, and others which support those with an initial interest in Christianity specifically or who have an established Christian faith

o Widen the take-up of Space day retreatso Run Pilgrim-type courses for people who are new to the faitho Provide intermediate courses/groups, e.g. on how to understand

scripture, or how to share your faith with others.o Run more challenging opportunities for those well established in

their faith

2

2 / 4

2. Enable regular worshippers, visitors, enquirers to find an appropriate personal pathway for nurture

Publish and circulate widely information about specific opportunities provided by the Cathedral to support people in their faith

2 / 4

3. Strengthen our links with the families of all baptized children through special events, visits by laity as well as clergy, invitations. 2


1. Develop a culture in which each regular worshipper is encouraged to consider their vocation

Offer workshops informing people about the role of each of the authorized ministries within the church

Provide church leadership courses for regularly-attending confirmed worshippers

2

2

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Provide courses that help people to connect the responsibilities of work, charitable service and the daily routine with the church’s worship and the Church’s vocation for all members to serve the world. 2

2. Develop retreat opportunities (either supported day retreats or longer options) both for the Parish and for people from the Episcopal Area or Diocese or beyond

Offer the ministry of Spiritual Direction.

2 / 3.2D & Chpt

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Group 2: PROMOTING OUR SPIRITUAL AND BUILT HERITAGE

Introduction

Group 2 was established following the initial Cathedral strategy consultation charged with developing options for ‘Promoting our Spiritual and Built Heritage’ as a key component of the Cathedral’s ‘Growing God’s Kingdom’. It split its work into three areas:

Developing the Cathedral as a centre of pilgrimage

Enhancing the visitor journey

Providing buildings and facilities to deliver the Cathedral strategy

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Recommendations for action in each of the three areas are proposed.

1. Pilgrimage

A spiritual need for the making and taking part in pilgrimage is emerging increasingly strongly in mainstream UK society. The Cathedral underplays its potential as a centre for pilgrimage although each year it receives many pilgrim groups from across the UK and further afield. This should be a significant area of focus for the Cathedral’s public mission building upon its unrivalled, direct association with many of the major saints of the Anglo-Saxon church and with the introduction of the Rule of St Benedict. The group recommends action on three fronts:

Developing a pilgrimage trail within the Cathedral where visitors may, either in a self-guided or guided process, take part in a spiritual journey through the Cathedral bringing to life its associations with Wilfrid and the other Anglo Saxon saints.

Defining and launching a series of pilgrimage trails across the region linking the smaller centres of Anglo Saxon church heritage and pilgrimage interest with Ripon Cathedral.

Providing a Pilgrim Chapel (St Wilfrid’s Chapel?), pilgrim liturgies and services and offer pilgrimage accoutrements (badges, prayer cards etc) to visitors.

3.2

3.2

3.2

2. The Visitor Journey

Ripon Cathedral needs to create and project a global awareness of its historical and spiritual significance. The visitor experience needs to be seen as a journey beginning with factors which affect the choice to visit the Cathedral, moving right through the needs of a high quality visit and ending with a follow-up which aims to transform those who come into some type of ‘alumni’ or potential repeat visitors. The Cathedral needs to be seen as a significant centre of welcome, worship and witness.

The Group recommends action though four strands of work

Ensuring a consistent, effective, high quality level of welcome to those who visit the Cathedral in a either a corporeal or virtual sense

Providing clear, attractive and appropriate interpretation of the building, its history, its meaning and its community tailored for our different visitor audiences.

3.1

3.3

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Encouraging all who experience the Cathedral to take delight in the special qualities of the building, its history and its continuous witness to the Christian faith over the centuries.

Encouraging visitors to contribute generously in revenue and time towards the dynamic life of the Cathedral for future generations.

3.38.1 /Op Exec

3. Buildings and Facilities

The current Cathedral buildings and facilities are not ideally configured even for today’s operations let alone for its future aspirations. Any upgrading must be carried out within a plan which considers the whole of the Cathedral’s physical asset base and must avoid non-strategic piecemeal developments. A bottom-up draft facilities plan has been produced after a wide consultation with stakeholders inside and outside the Cathedral on their needs and wishes. This plan envisages developments in the following areas:

The main Cathedral building reordered to provide significant additional facilities for Education, Visitor Displays and Lectures in the south east range, conservation of wall paintings, better visitor circulation, disabled access and the creation of a Pilgrim Chapel.

The area to the north of the Cathedral as a proposed Treasure House/ Visitor Centre/ Art Gallery/ Shop / Restaurant

The area to the south west of the Cathedral and linked to the Cathedral as a Song School / Music Centre with Toilets and Storage facilities.

An auditorium is also required the location of which is to be defined

The plan also requires consideration to be given to the future use of Thorpe Prebend House, Cathedral Hall, The Old Deanery and Minster House Stables.

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Capital funding requirements are likely be of the order of £15m.

4. Next steps

With Chapter agreement the Group has engaged with the Heritage Lottery Fund as a potential major donor and has been successful in its application for a Transitional Funding Grant of some £53,000 to complete the development of a business plan (with associated training and communication components) which will form part of a major application to HLF to advance the Building Strategy outlined above. It is planned to make this application in quarter 4 of 2016. Further significant funding will be required to produce the comprehensive plan required.

If the cathedrals are able to work with this duality of being both tourist destinations and places of pilgrimage, it opens up the possibility of encouraging a deepening of spiritual awareness and development.3’

The Group took as its starting point the First Response from the Cathedral Consultation Process which identified ‘Promoting our Spiritual and Built Heritage’ as a major theme. The approach was further defined as one of:

3 Spiritual Capital: The present and Future of English Cathedrals, The findings of a research project, commissioned by The Foundation for Church Leadership and the Association of English Cathedrals (London: Theos and the Grubb Intitute, 2012), p. 23.

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Preserving and enhancing the Cathedral as a Holy Space Building upon the Spiritual Heritage of the Cathedral Interpreting the building making its heritage accessible to all Welcoming all who enter

It was recognised from the outset that there were a number of areas of complementary work and three Sub-Groups were set up as a result.

Developing the Cathedral as a centre of pilgrimage Enhancing the ‘visitor journey’ Providing buildings and facilities to deliver the Cathedral strategy

Each Sub-Group has developed separate priorities and proposals for action which are further elaborated in the following sections.

1. Pilgrimage

Western Europe’s six thousand plus pilgrimage sites generate some 60-70 million religiously motivated visits each year’4

Ripon Cathedral’s unrivalled pantheon of Anglo-Saxon saints formed the early history of England and the near continent of Europe through Cuthbert, guest master at Ripon’s monastery; Wilfrid, founder of the Cathedral - at that time the largest stone building in the north of England; Willibrord, sent to convert the Frisians and to whom the Cathedral in Utrecht is dedicated; Ceolfrith, teacher of Bede; and finally Chad. The unique Anglo-Saxon crypt, a legacy of St Wilfrid, provides a lasting link with the period. In addition it has also been established that the first introduction of the Rule of St Benedict to England was by Wilfrid at Ripon. This subsequently had enormous impact on the monastic and secular life of the country. The Cathedral thus has significant unrealised potential not only to display and interpret the history of a crucial period but also to connect Christians and non-Christians alike to a sense of the spiritual and sacred which is becoming increasingly important to visitors. Despite only modest efforts to promote the Cathedral as a centre for pilgrimage; a steady stream of groups and individuals from the UK and elsewhere come to the Cathedral with an overt sense of being pilgrims and wishing to hear and respond to the pilgrim story. The Group believes that re-creation of Ripon Cathedral as a significant centre for pilgrimage should be an important future mission area. Visitors and pilgrims alike should have the opportunity to understand and interact with Ripon’s pilgrimage heritage.

A focal point for pilgrims within the Cathedral is recommended, most obviously through the designation of a Pilgrim Chapel (perhaps the current St Wilfrid’s Chapel). In addition an internal devotional trail for pilgrims should be offered on a guided or self-guided basis. Good practice on devotional trails exists from Durham Cathedral5and Bradford Cathedral from where we have been fortunate to enlist Caroline and Ken Moore to share their experiences in setting up and operating pilgrimage trails.

4 C, Bartholomew and R, Llewellyn, ‘Introduction’, in C, Bartholomew and F, Hughes, eds., Explorations in a Christian Theology of Pilgrimage (Farnham: Ashgate, 2004), p. xii.

5 M, Sadgrove, A Pilgrim in Durham Cathedral (Jarrod Publishing 2006).24


Ripon’s Episcopal Area and the surrounding region are rich in locations of Anglo-Saxon ecclesiastical significance particularly to the east and south of Ripon. Similarly to the north and west are located a number of other centres with strong pilgrimage associations. Many of these sites are located in small settlements and promotion of their individual importance on a regional and national basis is inevitably difficult. The Group sees significant mutual benefit in linking these sites with Ripon Cathedral initially by setting up and publicising a series of pilgrimage trails across the region which would link centres of interest and importance and allow visitors to experience their own sense of pilgrimage as they approach Ripon.

Recommendations on Pilgrimage

Recognise pilgrimage and the support of pilgrims as a key Mission Area for the Cathedral

Develop and implement internal devotional trails for the Cathedral based on the Durham and Bradford Cathedral models. The first two will cover ‘Treasures Revealed’ and ‘The Rule of St Benedict’.

Develop, publicise and implement a series of pilgrim trails across the Episcopal Area and Region. Initial candidates for assessment are:

o Two trails linking Anglo-Saxon sites of importance with the Cathedral. One to the south based on Ledsham, Monk Fryston, Bardsey, Collingham, Kirk Hammerton, Leeds Minster High Cross and possibly Kirby Hill. One to the east based on Kirkdale, Stonegrave, Hovingham, Appleton-le-Street and Lastingham (St Chad associations); all located in York Diocese.

CH

3.2

3.2

o The feasibility of trails from the north and west also requires investigation linking for example Holy Wells at Broughton and Giggleswick, baptisms by St Paulinus at Catterick , associations with St Robert of Newminster (one of the monk founders of Fountains and Morpeth Abbeys) at Gargrave and places of pilgrimage such as Bolton Priory (with its tie to Embsay). 3.2

Designate and equip a Pilgrim Chapel within the Cathedral. Offer regular pilgrim prayers and liturgies. Provide, via the Shop, pilgrimage accoutrements such as pilgrim badges, trail guides, stamps to confirm visits to trail sites etc. 3.2 / 8.1

2. The Visitor Journey

Cathedrals can convey a sense of the spiritual and sacred even to those on the margins of the Christian faith, or who stand some way beyond6

Conventionally visitors turn up at a site, make their visit and depart. The Group took a much broader approach; seeing the visitor experience as a journey beginning when the visitor or pilgrim makes the choice to visit, continuing through the visit itself and finally considering the perceptions of the departing visitor which might engender a more lasting relationship with the Cathedral. As a result it set as its aim:

To create a global awareness of the historical and spiritual significance of Ripon Cathedral as a centre of welcome, worship and witness.


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Achieving this will require work in four distinct areas:

Welcome: Ensuring a Christian welcome and hospitality to all those who visit the Cathedral in either a corporeal or virtual sense

Interpretation: Providing clear, attractive and appropriate interpretation of the building, its history, its meaning and its community tailored for the different visitor audiences

Experience: Encourage all who experience the Cathedral to take delight in the special qualities of the building and its continuous witness to the Christian faith over the centuries.

Contribution: Encouraging all who visit to contribute generously in revenue and time towards the dynamic life of the Cathedral for future generations

3.1

3.1

3.1

8.1

It is important to understand that our visitor and pilgrim community is not homogeneous so a ‘one size fits all’ approach to interpretation of the Cathedral is unlikely to be successful. Offerings will need to be differentiated to appeal to and to satisfy the needs of very different groups. Listening to the wishes and needs of our visitors and pilgrims on a continuous basis will be of critical importance to the Cathedral’s success. As a first step a visitor survey has been begun with results expected during September 2015.

The Group performed a number of Cathedral ‘walkabouts’ to see the Cathedral from a visitor’s viewpoint; identifying locations which provided powerful focal points and noting where visitors might be confused by what they saw or experienced. It quickly became clear that developing a strategy for effective interpretation will require action across a wide front. This will require appropriate resourcing and careful prioritisation.

Recommendations for the Visitor Journey

Welcome:

Provision of a high quality, dynamic web and social media presence Effectively trained staff and volunteers Offer a clear route for entry to the Cathedral and for progressing round it.

Understand where visitors might wish to pause at focal points. Provide suitable information, clear noticeboards and signage without

cluttering the visible space Identify clearly ‘who is who’ at the Cathedral Ensure high quality, effective and professional marketing of the Cathedral

and its offering Provide high standard visitor facilities Develop informative qualitative and quantitative visitor data

7Op Exec

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37

73 / 53

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Interpretation

Ensure clear communication of the Christian story as it relates to the building and its history

Provide a layered approach to delivery of information allowing incremental printed information for different visitor audiences

Offer more information in languages other than English Increase the level of Cathedral interpretation offered by the website. Explore

differing delivery technologies. Provide high quality tours of a wide variety, including paid-for tours Ensure effective and frequent training for all tour guides

3

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333

Experiencing

Understand, develop and promote the treasures of all areas of the Cathedral Exhibit and show off the Cathedral treasures both physical and spiritual ones Ensure effective use of all areas of the building Ensure effective pastoral care for visitors Seek to develop an ongoing relationship with visitors and promote a high

level of ‘repeat business’ Offer good quality prayer cards Virtual access to all areas of the building More out of sight storage space to eliminate clutter and unsightly items which

detract from the ‘wow factor’

3333

7.333

3 / 5

Contributing

Develop the shop, its offering and profitability. Provide opportunities to increase secondary spend levels

Provide an online shop presence Examine the feasibility of a profitable Cathedral restaurant Increase donations by visitors and ensure that as many as possible are gift

aided

Op Exec /5Op Exec5

8.1

3. Buildings and Facilities

You cannot receive 100,000s of casual visitors a year without taking active steps to handle what happens, in terms of managing the flow through the space, providing information for the curious, minimising the disruption to worship, meeting health and safety requirements and those of the insurers, keeping cathedral treasures safe, and minimising the wearing away of the stone.’7

The Consultation which preceded the Group’s work on strategy identified numerous areas where the Cathedral’s buildings and facilities did not match up to current requirements let alone the challenges arising from the new strategy.


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Issues such as the absence of lavatories, the lack of storage space, the significant areas of the building inaccessible to wheelchairs, the unsatisfactory facilities for employees, the congested nature of the Song School and many others were frequently raised by those consulted. With so many concerns which need to be resolved, there is a temptation to embark on a series of one-off small projects to resolve specific problems. The Group counsels strongly against such an approach and recommends a more strategic process where all developments can be set against a long term vision for the whole Cathedral estate and its setting within the city of Ripon.

The city of Ripon is in the process of developing a City Plan, setting a long term development framework. In the current level of definition of the plan there is a concept of a ‘Cathedral Quarter’ within the city as a main area of heritage and visitor focus. It will be important for the Cathedral to work closely with the authors of the City Plan as the Cathedral’s strategy and its potential impact on the city becomes clear.

The Group developed a preliminary vision for the long term development of the Cathedral estate after consultation with key stakeholders across the main functions of the Cathedral and with the authors of the City Plan. This has, since the Interim Report was published, been further developed with the Cathedral Architect and can be summarised as three linked initiatives:

Reordering of the main Cathedral building, particularly the south-east range, to provide dedicated facilities for education, small scale exhibitions and heritage presentations, lectures and events and for visitor facilities. In addition, a new space will be provided for the conservation and display of the historic medieval wall paintings.

Developing the current stonemason’s yard and adjacent areas to provide a refectory, retail space and ‘treasure house’, together with public toilets and relocated Cathedral offices. This development will link the Cathedral with the City allowing realisation of the concept of the Cathedral Quarter which forms a key part of the Ripon City Plan. This will allow a new public approach to the Cathedral leading visitors from the Car Park directly to the west end of the Cathedral.

Relocating functional facilities displaced from the Cathedral main building by the reordering, together with the provision of much needed Cathedral toilets, Song School and storage areas. This building will be linked to the Cathedral by a covered ‘cloister’ way through a new doorway close to the current site of the Font.

?

?

?

The concept looks further at development opportunities for the existing Cathedral Hall site and the Old Deanery Hotel and its environs which are outside the scope of the proposed application for funding to HLF.

The building requirements outlined in Appendix 1 could cost in the order of £15m and even if the project were to be phased would require significant support from external funders and donors. Similarly the running costs of the new facilities will need to be covered and revenue generation opportunities from, for example, the restaurant or revamped shop will need to be identified and factored in before any decisions can be made.

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4. Conclusion and Next Steps

The present and future of English cathedrals lies particularly in their ability to enable and sustain a range of connections – between the tourist and the pilgrim; between people and the traditions from which modern life cuts them off ; between the diverse organisations and communities that share the same social and physical space and infrastructure yet never meet; and between a people who may be less Christian than their parents but are no less spiritual, and the God who made, sustains, loves and hopes for them to join Him at His table.8

The pressing next step is for a business plan for the entire Cathedral operation to be assembled which will form the basis of future management of the Cathedral estate, its commercial operations and ventures. The plan should guide decisions on the options raised by all three Group 2 Sub-groups.

Since the Interim Report, the Cathedral has been successful in an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for Transitional Funding with a grant of some £53,000 to allow the production of a business plan. It is envisaged that this will form the main plank of a major application for funding to HLF in quarter 4 of 2016. Further significant additional funding will be required to produce the comprehensive plan required.

Informal discussions have been held with Harrogate Borough Council and representatives of Ripon City Council alerting them to the broad direction of our intentions.

Group 2 present their report recognising that much more work is required to transform these outline proposals into operating, completely resourced projects. Members of the Group are happy to work with Chapter to take these ideas forward within the new management structure of the Cathedral.

8 Spiritual Capital: The present and Future of English Cathedrals, The findings of a research project, commissioned by The Foundation for Church Leadership and The Association of English Catedrals (London: Theos and the Grubb Intitute, 2012), p. 62.

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Group 3: SERVING THE DIOCESAN BISHOP IN MISSION

Introduction

Strategy Group 3 considered how Ripon Cathedral could best respond to the challenge of serving the Diocesan Bishop in mission in West Yorkshire and the Dales, built on the proposals in the Cathedral’s ‘First response’ document as follows.

This aspect of the strategy is very much about outreach, about partnership, fellowship and about developing relationships, which are centred on sharing our faith.

The Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales covers a broad area in terms of geography, demography and models of church. Churches in the diocese serve a population of over 3 million people living communities in the inner city, in city suburbs, in large towns, market towns, villages and in isolated rural communities. These communities may be affluent, or comfortable financially, others may have high levels of deprivation. Most will be somewhere in the middle. Communities may be active and vibrant, or dormant and isolating. People within them may be Christians, or hold other or no faith. Of those who are Christian, some may be Anglican, or some from other denominations.

In supporting the Diocesan Bishop in mission, Ripon cathedral extends a loving Christian welcome to everyone from across the diocese and beyond. When people visit the cathedral, we want them to feel they are part of this big family, and to feel special, confident and loved.

We are committed to the diocesan vision of developing confident Christians in every community. Further we are committed to working with local parishes, communities, in a non-denominational way to share the love of God to all who come in contact with the ministry of the Cathedral.

Particular focus initially concerns seven main areas:

1. Broadening the current offer of theological education and spiritual development to adults, children and young people;

2. Building effective and powerful relationships, which create a strong identity and partnerships with military organisations based in North Yorkshire;

3. Developing a coherent and purposeful outreach programme to support parish visits, with a particular focus on the episcopal area of Ripon;

4. Developing a strong, coherent and relevant missional focus for those living in rural communities across the diocese;

5. Developing and strengthening the mission and ministry to civic authorities in the episcopal area of Ripon;

6. Building on current ecumenical relationships, and looking to widen our offering of ecumenical hospitality and partnership;

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7. Agreeing joint and complementary mission priorities with our sister cathedrals in Bradford and Wakefield. [To not, however, that this paper does not cover the work with our sister cathedrals, as this stream of work has been addressed by the three Deans in their conversations.]

The remainder of this paper sets out our thoughts on the other six themes listed above.

Proposals

We will present each of the above themes, and for each summarise the key current related activities in the cathedral, and then our proposals to build on these in the coming months and years.

We have also produced an implementation plan, which takes these proposals and offers suggestions for prioritisation, resource requirements and leadership

Vision statement

1. We aim to broaden the current offer of theological education and spiritual development to adults, children and young people and to become a centre of excellence for expertise and resource in curriculum based visits to places of Christian worship

We need to consider what we mean by education in the context of Growing the Kingdom, how we reflect creativity, and reflect theology within the strategy. Education can mean schools, colleges and universities. It can also mean the task of theological education in terms of encouraging theological literacy amongst the laity and clergy. It can also mean outward facing work introducing and re-introducing people to a Christian vision.

1. Currently our offer includes

Guides to the history of the cathedral and to worship and life in faith. Further, some are described as ‘actively Christian’, with a more explicit focus on theology;

these include the St Wilfrid Lecture series, and ministry through large services.

2. We are also a destination for

Specialist visitors – such as those with an interest/expertise in heritage, historic buildings, stone masonry etc

Accidental visitors – those who may visit as part of a tour of Ripon. We have a burgeoning partnership with Ripon museum, which enables visitors to come to both locations;

Visitors to cathedral events – ie those attending the North Yorkshire Art Show, Annual Beer Festival, Wedding Show, Christmas Fair, Angel Dinner etc;

Faith visitors –those attending as part of parish visits, attending lectures, bishop’s ‘events.

3. School visits

As part of the RE curriculum we mainly offer visits to classes from primary schools in the diocese;

Students from FE colleges also attend on occasion; Less is offered to students in secondary schools or higher education

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Goals

We wish to build on our existing offers, and also

build a strong and vibrant relationship with the Diocesan Board of Education and the Education Team which is mutually supportive and builds on our relative areas of expertise;

use this relationship as a basis for connecting with schools and promoting the cathedral, developing complementary approaches with other cathedrals in the diocese;

build and strengthen the role of the Canon responsible for education, and extend our offer to community as well as church schools;

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equip our lay guides with the confidence to speak not only about the cathedral’s history, the building and environment, but also our faith, and our worship and its role in relation to other churches and denominations;

build our offer to students from schools across the diocese, both primary and secondary school students, looking at how we can develop an offer that complements the curriculum;

look creatively at how we can strengthen further the arts and music components as well as RE and history in our wider educational offer to schools and young people;

make the most of technological advances and develop imaginative and exciting ways of informing and inspiring young people in their faith, and in their understanding of the cathedral;

in supporting parish ministry in its relationship with schools, develop a centre of expertise (and personal, electronic and paper based resources) in leading school visits to places of worship, encouraging churches as learning environments for schools so that the Christian story is communicated and the needs of the curriculum met;

explore whether a similar expertise in delivering collective worship would be wanted by the parishes, and if so, develop that as well;

expand the programme of parish visits to the cathedral, and enable more Chapter visits to parishes;

build a closer and purposeful relationship with providers of further education in the Episcopal Area of Ripon, and with higher education providers; especially the University of York St John.

fully utilise the facilities of Thorpe Prebend House for educational based activity

establish an Education advisory group with Head Teacher/Principal representation from local primary and secondary schools, and further education, and the diocesan education team to inform the ongoing development of our educational offer.

consider holding a commissioning service for new head teachers, and an annual teachers’ service. Give consideration to re introducing Education Sunday.

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Vision statement

2 We aim to build effective and powerful relationships, which create a strong identity and partnership with military organisations based in North Yorkshire.

Because of the size and spread of military bases in North Yorkshire, it is said that at least 30% (check figure) of the population in this area have a current, family or historic connection to the military. The growth of numbers of reservists across the county means that in many of the parishes and villages in the Episcopal Area of Ripon, there are connections to the armed forces. The impact of this on the identity, culture and fabric of the communities served by the Episcopal Area of Ripon is therefore hugely significant.

The Cathedral currently has an established tradition of a relationship with some parts of the armed forces located in North Yorkshire, such as Menwith Hill, the Engineers in Ripon, and the Garrison at Catterick. We believe there is great potential for widening and strengthening this relationship with the armed forces, military families and related charities.

This potentially offers a distinct ministry from Ripon Cathedral which needs prayerful consideration and focus.

Current offer

Whilst a member of Chapter, Canon Keith Punshon established an important relationship with the US forces stationed at Menwith Hill following 9/11. This needs to be nurtured and sustained.

The Cathedral has regular contact with the Ripon engineers, but this needs to be refreshed and developed on a different basis from the current arrangement.

The Cathedral is always welcoming and flexible to military families, where baptisms, weddings and funerals are concerned.

Greater clarity about the mutual offer from Richmond parish church and York Minster need to be understood in the development of this strand of work.

Leading the annual HMS Heroes service for service families (sponsored by NYCC and created through a partnership of cathedral, local authority and military chaplains). This is an excellent way of engaging large numbers of children and young people.

The Chapel of Peace and Justice is an important focus in the Cathedral. Perhaps more could be made of this.

In North Yorkshire, the forces are currently represented by Menwith HillRipon EngineersCatterickRAF LeemingTopcliffe barracksReservistsCadetsEx- members, now retired or working and living in civilian roles

In addition, military charities have a strong identity, including the armed forces benevolent fund, SAFFA and Help for Heroes.

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Goals

To build on our current offer and include:

A well developed relationship with the armed forces and those closely associated with them as an important part of its ministry;

A series of structured conversations with key personnel in the military who are based in North Yorkshire should take place to help inform and shape the specifics of what the offer and identity at Ripon could be;

An agreement with the Diocesan Bishop on approach concerning PTO for forces’ chaplains, or at least some kind of welcoming service to incomers and some way of collating a database of contact details;

The establishment a spiritual contact point for such discussions. This could start with the army and RAF chaplains and an initial contact with the Chaplain General with a view to building a connection so that whilst in the area they feel part of the Cathedral family;

Shaping the focus of our ministry from the essence of the Chapel of Peace and Justice, so that the focus is looking forward rather than a series of remembrance events (aside from Remembrance Sunday) on various anniversaries (centenary of WW1 in 2018; 40 years since Falklands in 2022 etc), for example hold an annual service of renewal or dedication with a particular focus of need

Extending a regular invitation to Chaplains to Cathedral services, consider offering them an active role in worship (preaching; presiding; prayers);

6.4

Continuing to ensure the Chapel is not tied in its identity to one regiment;

As part of the Chapel, developing an archive record of military personnel connected with the Ripon area, perhaps in partnership with a local university and the relevant forces authorities;

Consider the feasibility of a joint annual dinner in the cathedral in aid of the cathedral and regional military charities – similar to the Angel Dinner, perhaps a Peace and Justice Dinner;

Talk with York Minster and with Richmond Parish church about their current offers and aspirations;

Talk with parish clergy located in churches near the main bases to understand their mission offers and to inform the development of appropriate resources to support worship and spiritual support for those connected with the military;

Consideration being given to the Cathedral serving as a repository for the laying up of colours/flags after their 15 years service; and

The establishment of an active current and relevant prayer diary for those out on manoeuvres;

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

Outreach mission of the cathedral to parishes and families in the Ripon area and rural communities across the diocese in particular overlapped across these two strands of outreach work and are presented here together

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Vision statements

3 & 4 To develop a coherent and purposeful outreach programme to support parish and community visits, with a particular focus on the Episcopal Area of Ripon;To develop a strong, coherent and relevant missional focus for those living in rural communities across the diocese.

Current activity

The area bishop has a strong commitment to and national profile for rural ministry.

Cathedral council has done some good work taking views from rural parishes and communities and market towns to identify what people want from the cathedral.

A programme of rural lectures is in place and has been well received.

Rural ministry is part of the responsibilities of one of the residentiary canons.

The cathedral choir has gone out to some rural parishes and communities to sing at local services

Through the established link with the Diocesan Education Team, we are developing ways of connecting with the over 100 rural schools in the diocese;

Plough Sunday services at the cathedral are well attended

Once every three months the Cathedral has a rota of lay and ordained canons to offer to go out to churches in the area to lead worship or to offer other talents and skills. This could be promoted more actively

There are regular meetings held with the Dean, area bishop, area deans and archdeacons

Goals

To build on existing activity and also to:

Work with Bishop James and Bishop Nick to understand their vision for the mission of the cathedral to rural communities Dean

Take the opportunity offered by the new triennium with new deanery synods to refresh the engagement conversations about what parishes and communities want from the cathedral.

Establish and foster relationships with the many county/ agricultural shows and larger rural charities (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Fund; WI; Rotarians) in North Yorkshire.

Build on the diocesan stand at the Yorkshire Show by having an explicit presence from the cathedral, and a stronger Christian message to visitors.

Establish an effective working relationship with the Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, Sir Gary Verity, who has an interest in the cathedral, and has advised on strategic direction previously, and is also a local farmer

Consider the possibility of sponsoring an award or prize at such shows to reflect the commitment of the cathedral, and also to affirm its Christian values.

6.5

6.2

6.2

Dean

6

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Develop a programme of visits by the Cathedral choir to rural churches and communities across the diocese, building connections.

Work with the Diocesan rural advisors to ensure we develop the opportunity to be part of rural missional work such as the ‘Growing the church in a rural area’ event in Grassington. Such events and connections to be part of its prayer diary and events programme.

Improve the way we join up our major ‘secular’ events with the opportunity for a stronger spiritual dimension. In particular, the Angel Dinner, Wedding Show, Art Show, and Beer Festival were mentioned. Is there something to learn from the Boxing Day Pilgrimage?

On regular occasions throughout the year invite larger churches in the Ripon Episcopal Area to use the building to put on their own events; or large services – using their talents and expertise in a different space from their norm.

Develop a cadre of cathedral ambassadors in local parishes and communities and celebrate their work (role needs to be defined) by holding an annual service and social occasion for them and local clergy

With the assistance of the Cathedral Choir, help to run a ‘Songs of Praise’ type service in a rural deanery for a group of parishes and communities.

Set up a regular programme for parishes or groups of parishes (organised through the deanery synods) to use the space in the cathedral for their own events/ services. These could be described as a ‘Pulpit Swap’, where local clergy could preach in the cathedral and a member of chapter do likewise in a local church

Broadcast such events (and others) on You Tube and promote them through the Diocesan & Cathedral newsletters, websites and social media.

Consider creating a cathedral TV digital channel.

Continue to hold large services for all the clergy such as services on Maundy Thursday and Ascension Day. These also should be filmed and made available on YouTube/cathedral TV

6.5

6.5

2

6.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

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7

Vision statement

5. To develop and strengthen the mission and ministry to civic authorities in the Episcopal Area of Ripon

Current offer

There are strong links with dignitaries at Ripon City Council including the mayor.

There are opportunities for the mayors from surrounding towns and areas to attend particular cathedral services in their civic capacity.

There is an annual service of installation for the mayor, and several other civic services throughout the year, including Plough Sunday

In the past, a chaplain to the mayor has been offered from Chapter. There is not one in place presently.

The Dean is engaged in local working groups on the Community Plan.

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There is also good liaison with the Chief Executive at Harrogate Borough Council, and a recent meeting took place at Minster House aiming to strengthen this relationship.

The annual Oakleaf service for those in emergency services is well regarded;

A good relationship is already in place with the High Sheriffs, Lord Lieutenants and the local MP

We will build on this and also

Maximize awareness that North Yorkshire County Council has one cathedral within its boundaries and this is Ripon;

Invite local mayors and dignitaries from towns and areas across North Yorkshire to an evening reception and tour of the cathedral;

Extend the relationship to the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police and to the Chief Executive of Harrogate & District Foundation Hospital;

In discussion with the Ripon mayor, look to re-establish the chaplaincy role;

In discussion with the organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show, arrange to hold a service of thanksgiving at the cathedral following next years show, and invite dignatories, landowners, farmers and community leaders.

6.3

6.3

6.36.3

6.2

Vision statement

6. Building on current ecumenical relationships, and looking to widen our offering of ecumenical hospitality and partnerships

The group felt it was important that the Cathedral ensured that its work in support of the diocesan bishop in mission and in connecting with the world beyond the church embodied a clear commitment to the development of ‘confident Christians’. Working with ecumenical partners is a core part of this missional work.

It is also an important part of all the themes in this part of the cathedral’s strategy. In working with the military, with schools, with communities, parishes, rural areas and civic partners, the cathedral should take part in work which aims to bring people together in in learning about God, in sharing their love of God and in worshipping Him.

Within many small villages and rural communities, there may be an Anglican presence in a local church, but in addition to those who are not part of the church, there may also be ‘stranded’ Christians. Methodists, URC, Baptists, Catholics and others for whom the local Church of England church does not meet their needs.

Current offer

At a local, parish level, the Dean and Chapter will continue to work closely with ecumenical partners in Ripon,

Ecumenical representatives from the Roman Catholic and Methodist church are valued members of Council.

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St Wilfrid lectures; There are two ecumenical canons

Goals

Working with ecumenical partners, the cathedral would like to enable and participate in conversations with such communities to help identify potential ecumenical benefit in engagement and outreach work.

Hold an annual affirmation and praise service for all involved in chaplaincy (ecumenical and multifaith) in military, prisons, hospitals, hospices, schools and others roles across the diocese.

In reaching out to those who may not be active in any church, to continue to hold the annual Oakleaf service for those in emergency services, the Golden Wedding Anniversary service and service for volunteers, and to look to extend this portfolio of services over time.

To also hold themed evensong services for example, as a recognition of patronal festivals, or to bring together churches from across the diocese, eg all those churches of St Peter, or St Mary to come together. This idea will be explored further in conversations with deaneries over the coming months.

To take the opportunity to stand together for big and important causes with other church leaders in the public space.

In dialogue with Bishop Nick and Bishop James to understand how the cathedral can support the diocesan commitment to ecumenical initiatives, and where it is appropriate for the cathedral to contribute.

6.6 / 2

6.5

6.5

6.5

6.6

Dean

Conclusion

This paper has outlined the thoughts, ideas and proposals from Strategy Group 3. There is a good deal of synergy between the six themes we considered and we have tried to minimize duplication, but to highlight where there could be more than one benefit from different actions.

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Group 4: ENGAGING WITH THE ISSUES AND NEEDS OF THE WORLD

Introduction

This report is intended to document the work undertaken by the Strategy Group 4 in looking at Engaging with the Issues and Needs of the World.

There was an interim report produced in May that documented the vision and goals of the group and early steps undertaken. Our Vision is defined as:

To develop the ministry of the Cathedral by engaging with our local communities, the region and the wider world. In particular to become known as a Cathedral that acts for and speaks with integrity on the issues of market towns and rural communities.

In undertaking this work, Group 4 has attempted to merge our findings into the overall strategy of a Kingdom driven mission where the world is more connected with the creator, where we are all more connected to each other in unity, where we try to champion and inspire justice, and where we promote and enable full life living. To this end Group 4 goals were:

To ACT as A PLACE where people can RESPOND promptly and effectively through prayer and action to significant events, both locally and in the wider world.

To work in PARTNERSHIP on issues of social wellbeing, specifically issues affecting market towns and rural communities.

Partnering in Ripon and in rural communities in the Episcopal Areas (EA)

ACT as a MODEL by REDUCING OUR IMPACT on God’s earth.

We recognize that the Cathedral does not automatically have a legitimate locus to contribute to or be active in addressing the needs of the wider world; we therefore have been very encouraged in our consultations by the reception we have received and interest shown in the possibility of a more active role for the Cathedral. However, we will need to follow through with substantive programmes of action if this welcome is not to be dissipated.

Group 4 believes that whatever steps the Cathedral takes in these areas, it is important firstly to establish good practice through relatively small but effective steps to gain experience locally. This experience could then feed into developing a wider practice for market towns and rural communities across a larger area. The analogy of the Mustard Seed seems a good model for practice.

We used the consultations to explore how we could improve our profile as a community partner and what has prevented us from operating more effectively in the community in the past. There were several suggestions as to possible problems:

There is a perception that there is a lack of organisational commitment to support such outreach work in a sustainable way. In the past there has been too much reliance of the work of individuals rather than a named Cathedral group with focus, targets, and accountability for outreach work. This limits the recognition of the Cathedral as an interested partner in the community.

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The lack of awareness of possible named people within the Cathedral who are responsible for issues of outreach.

The nature of the conflicting roles of the Cathedral as both a Diocesan Cathedral, with an Episcopal Area to serve, and a role as a parish church with a large part of the city of Ripon to serve.

The current size and age demographic of the Cathedral parish membership limits what can be successfully undertaken.

We need to ensure that our future community work is not only effective but is also sustainable. Possible solutions would be:

Clear identification of those with responsibility for community outreach and designated groups who would plan and implement specific partnerships with other community agencies/organisations.

Working in partnerships with other ecumenical bodies as a united Christian body in community outreach.

Establishing a set of criteria to use to evaluate and prioritise areas for strategic community involvement/partnership both in the immediate and long terms.

Establishing a limited number of activities/partnerships with set time frames, objectives, and targets.

Maximizing the impact of this work by developing them into models to be shared with others as examples of Cathedrals and churches working in partnership with other agencies in addressing the needs of market towns and rural communities.

6

6

6

6

6

This report will begin by outlining some of our initial steps in preparing for our consultations, then will give short summaries of each consultation, and lastly there will be a summary of the recommendations from the group along with estimates on difficulty for implementation.

1. Initial Analysis

To begin Group 4 briefly looked at what is already being delivered in terms of outreach to the wider world in relation to the issues raised by the comments made on boards 4* & 5* on the Consultation Day. [Board 4: Bearing witness to God’s care for the whole world by serving the needs of the city and region; Board 5: Promoting and supporting mission in the parishes of the Ripon E.A. and in partnership with our sister Cathedrals with the whole Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales].

The group performed a basic analysis of Cathedral activities in terms of outreach to:

Other churches The Ripon Community Schools and other educational bodies The Episcopal Area Other Faiths The World Community

* Board 4: Bearing witness to God’s care for the whole world by serving the needs of the city and region

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* Board 5: Promoting and supporting mission in the parishes of the Ripon E.A. and in partnership with our sister Cathedrals with the whole Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales.

Through this exercise it became apparent that although quite a number of outreach activities already exist, few people in the wider community are aware of them. This demonstrates a fundamental need for better communication both within the Cathedral and to the region. Communication is improving, however there remains much more that can still be done. Also there appears to be very little activity associated with the last two areas of Other Faiths and The World Community.

2. Episcopal Area of Ripon Cathedral

In terms of the Cathedral’s support for the work of the parishes in the EA of Ripon the group raised several points. We are aware that there are areas of overlap between groups 1-4 and the following recommendations were subsequently passed on to Groups 1 & 3.

Recommend that the Cathedral formulate the partnership they envision and then that message is rolled out initially by a discussion paper and then followed up by presentations with Q&A session to each of the Deanery Synods.

Recommend that the Cathedral Ambassadors could play a more important role in facilitating partnership and enhancing communication between the parishes and the Cathedral. To do this the Ambassadors should be moved from being part of the RCDC into a more central role within the Cathedral overall structure.

Recommend that all communication for parishes be sent to the Cathedral Ambassadors, the PCC secretary as well as to the clergy email. Different parishes handle incoming information in different ways and relying simply on the clergy email list is not always effective.

Recommend that the present schemes continue for visiting preachers to the Cathedral and Cathedral Clergy visiting/covering other parishes and also encourage the receiving parishes to use these offers.

Recommend that the Cathedral Choir help to run a 'Songs of Praise' type of service in a rural deanery.

Suggest that parishes might like the opportunity to run a service in the Cathedral as a way of highlighting their parish.

3. Engaging with Market Towns and Rural Communities

The Group believes that it is important for the Cathedral to work in partnership with existing organizations in the wider community rather than working independently. Before we could approach potential partners, it would be important to determine specific roles that the Cathedral could play. The group identified the following possible roles:

Significant VenueThe Cathedral is a high profile venue for significant occasions in the life of the city and Diocese. The flexibility of its space would offer many possibilities for special services, display, large meetings/ seminars, gala events and activity days. This could enable relatively small organisations/ parishes, or groups of organisations/parishes to hold much larger events.

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Enabler, facilitatorThe Cathedral has a strong reputation for the quality of its organisation, and its expertise in delivering a wide range of activities from large liturgical services, civic occasions, musical and theatrical events, as well as such community events as the Christmas Fair, Beer Festival, and Angel Dinner. The range of skills of the Cathedral staff and congregation in delivering such a range of events would be a useful asset to offer in partnership.

Exemplar, role modelThe Cathedral is rich in human resources in a number of important areas. For example, the clergy offer experience of working both with individuals and groups in challenging human situations. They offer organisational and management skills developed through their ministry that could be of use both in the community and the episcopal context. Our musicians are another example of a highly skilled team whose leadership could help develop church music in parishes in the region. There are volunteers and staff within the Cathedral with knowledge and skills in promoting heritage, running teams of volunteers, organising events, fund raising, etc.

Advocate, ambassadorThe Cathedral could provide a ‘voice’ on behalf of other organizations or parishes in the Episcopal Area of Ripon. The Cathedral draws media attention in a way that smaller churches or organisations might not, and could help to create media opportunities to highlight concerns and raise awareness. The Cathedral also has social media connections with a Facebook page with more than 2500 followers. Within the Cathedral there is a strong network of supporters and volunteers who receive regular mailings from the Cathedral. A combination of these avenues of communication could be a serious asset for smaller groups or organizations.

4. Market Towns and Rural Communities (MT&RC)

The group then looked at potential ways in which the Cathedral (with respect to its evolving role in local and Diocesan life) could engage with issues and needs of market towns and the Rural Community more effectively. We reviewed the two Cathedral Council Reports (Ripon Cathedral: Opportunities for Ministry to the Rural Community and Ripon Cathedral: Opportunities for Ministry to Suburban Communities and Market Towns) and incorporated their comments into our reporting.

We organised consultations with the following key individuals/organisations both to exchange ideas and thoughts as well as potential partnership opportunities including:

Rural Action Yorkshire • Yorkshire Water Diocesan Environment Office • Flowers from the Farm Yorkshire Dales National Park • Julian Smith, MP for Skipton & Ripon Nidderdale Area of Natural Beauty • Yorkshire Society Yorkshire Agricultural Society • Sir Tim Smit KBE National Trust Country Landowners Association Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust

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4.1 MT&RC Consultations

The following are summaries of the consultations we have had with the above organizations/individuals regarding potential partnership opportunities. Full reports on the consultations are contained in the Appendices.

4.1.1 Rural Action Yorkshire (RAY) (6.2)

RAY is a charity founded in 1937 to work with communities across North, South and West Yorkshire to improve the quality of life for the people who live and work there. They provide a voice for rural communities to ensure they receive access to services that will keep them vibrant and viable. They are one of 38 accredited members of the charity ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England).

They work with local government, charities and other support agencies, local communities, and individuals to help to ensure that rural communities have access to affordable housing, broadband access and digital inclusion, community buildings, community lead planning, fuel and energy, transport and services.

There were several key areas in which the Cathedral could work in partnership with the RAY:

Participate in the RAY’s ‘Good Neighbour Scheme’ Pilot as an Ecumenical Partnership. Good Neighbours schemes are so-called because they offer low-level help to older and vulnerable people within a community, are volunteer-led by local residents (i.e. neighbours), and contribute towards a greater quality of life for all in rural areas. Activities and support that are usually offered in a scheme are: transport, practical help, light household repairs, light gardening, befriending.

Run Bereavement ‘Try Something New’ sessions to help newly bereaved individuals to adjust to living on their own after the death of a partner. This has been a highly successful project run by the RAY and one that could easily fit into the Cathedral’s follow up for families after funerals. Basic life skills such as cooking, managing finances, etc are taught in a peer-to-peer method that encourages the participants to socialise as well as learn vital skills.

Work in our EA deaneries

To help churches to become Community Hubs (the RAY provide help and information about running Hubs). Already 1/3 of the existing hubs are run in church halls.

To help signpost existing activities to rural parishes. There is a great need for ‘trusted intermediaries’ that can help to connect people with the existing services and activities.

Many of the people who regularly attend church services are the target audience for these services but are the hardest for RAY to contact. It would help if the rural parish churches would consider allowing RAY to run winter health information or energy savings sessions after church on Sundays.

The Cathedral could run RAY information days in the Cathedral on Thursdays (Market Day) for the older people of Ripon and surrounding villages.

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4.1.2 Diocesan Environment Officer

We met with Jemima Parker, the Diocesan Environment Officer who outlined a very comprehensive list of ideas and support materials available through her office. She would be a very important contact in any environmental work undertaken by the Cathedral.

Some of the ideas she suggested were:

Begin to reduce our carbon footprint through reduced energy use and increase levels of recycling. (Jemima can offer practical ways in which churches and cathedrals are doing this)

Develop a creation care policy to address environmental issues in the Cathedral church life in terms of practical leadership to others (such as: managing biodiversity of the churchyard, develop worship opportunities to introduce a ‘creation care theology’, engage in community/environmental projects)

Participate in the Eco congregation Award Scheme. (At the moment Bradford and Chelmsford Cathedrals are the only cathedrals undertaking this work)

Put on an ‘Eco Fair’ – Bradford Cathedral is planning on running one in Autumn 2015.

4.1.3 Yorkshire Dales National Park

This was quite a crucial meeting as the majority of the Episcopal Area of the Cathedral falls within the boundaries of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Government (both local and national) tends to think in terms of centralising services as a more efficient method of delivery. These policies can leave the rural communities without the most basic level of support. Often rural voices go unheard.

The rural issues that need addressing are complex and often controversial, and it was suggested that the most important role the Cathedral could play would be to act as a catalyst to start conversations among the key players with the goal of creating a rural alliance that could speak out with authority on the needs of the region.

In forming such a rural alliance the meeting identified several important steps:

As 99.3% of the national park is in private hands, the Cathedral could facilitate begin by holding conversations with the big landowners to interest them in the idea of a rural alliance to speak out on behalf of the overall rural community.

Other key conversations should be with the two MPs, Julian Smith and Rishi Sunak, the Country Landowners Association and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.

The Cathedral might then organise a summit of interested people and agencies on a theme of rural rather than green issues as it would be more inclusive and attract more deep-rooted support from a variety of stakeholders. It is suggested that the theme would centre on the concept of ‘Hope versus Despair’ which gives a Christian context as well as recognizing the problems. The outcome of this summit could be the creation of a much-needed rural alliance.

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Develop a Cathedral KITE MARK scheme to support products produced in the region.

4.1.4 Nidderdale Area of Natural Beauty

Our conversation with the Nidderdale AONB raised many of the same issues as the meeting with the YDNP, and also suggested a similar role for the Cathedral.

Once again the major recommendation was for the Cathedral to help in the establishment of a rural alliance. The suggestion was that this might begin by sponsoring a Rural Summit.

Ask to become a member of the Nidderdale AONB’s Joint Advisory Council whose membership includes: County Councils, Parish Councils, Land Owners Association, Water Board, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, National Trust, the RSPB, the ANOB.

Use our voice against the rural spending cuts.

St. Wilfrid lectures – include some lectures that focus on specific issues of the EA.

4.1.5 Yorkshire Agricultural Society

The general relationship is a positive one with both organisations valuing and contributing towards the links between the church and rural activities at every level. YAS had a number of suggestions, which have a wider context than the YAS – Cathedral link but are valuable to this consultation. They are as follows:

Education - Both Cathedral and YAS are involved with educating young people in one way or another. Opportunities to reinforce the links between the church and rural life, like the Plough Sunday service, should be developed wherever possible. Joiners, stonemasons, glaziers all use raw materials from the countryside and education about their skills and the use of natural materials in Cathedral repairs is important.

A Liturgical Resource – It was suggested that the Cathedral might take a lead to be a liturgical resource providing parishes with information to help celebrate the passing seasons at Plough Sunday, Rogation, Lammastide, Harvest festivals. There is a lot of information from the Arthur Rank Centre that we could help signpost.

Relationship with Rural Support Network (RSN) Yorkshire – It was suggested that a Cathedral presence at the quarterly meetings of RSN would help forge links with all the other organisations involved. There is more work to be done to make best use of a Cathedral presence with either RAY or RSN or both.

Contact with Cranmer Hall - Cranmer Hall runs a two week rural study course for those both training for the ministry and those ordained. The Cathedral should continue its good links with Cranmer Hall and its contribution to the course.

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Germinate Leadership Programme – This programme (part of the Arthur Rank Centre) was mentioned in the context that Cathedral might sponsor a priest from the Episcopal Area each year to attend the course. One of the project’s aims is that lay and ordained church leaders should be trained to develop an entrepreneurial leadership style, including project development and management skills. They should be supported and encouraged to start new community initiatives and social enterprise projects, and in helping Christian presences to be more effective in engaging with their communities.

4.1.6 National Trust

The core strategy of the National Trust is based upon preserving and enhancing spaces for the public to enjoy. Although in the public mind these spaces appear to be primarily ‘stately homes’ in fact NT holds a diversity of properties, the largest percentage of which are open landscape. NT sees its primary function is to preserve the integrity of this land, and to develop it into spaces for people to escape into both for outdoor activities and for enrichment. Their work with the people who live and work in the Dales is centred primarily on their local teams going into communities via school links etc.

Land management that supports the environment is a key objective of the NT. They work with their tenants to protect the integrity of the landscape by reducing over intensive grazing, increasing the planting of trees and by setting aside land. They do this both by subsidizing good practice and by supporting the development of the recreational use of farmland. They are looking at new models of upland farming that may not include traditional farming at all.

NT was positive about the possibility of a Cathedral kite-mark for locally produced products and said that the Trust sources 80 %of their shop contents from national suppliers but also sells 20% from local sources, including their own farms and workshops.

Although in theory the NT would be interested in partnership with the Cathedral, at national level they must be seen as multifaith. On a regional level they would be interested in participating in any rural alliance that was brokered by the Cathedral, and on a local level would welcome more connection between the Cathedral and Fountains Abbey, for example more coordination of educational visits to both properties.

4.1.7 Yorkshire Water

Yorkshire Water is obviously a major landowner in the region in terms of its reservoirs, but it also owns large tracts of land that form the watershed for those reservoirs. As such they are very involved in farming through the large number of tenant farmers farming that land. As they are concerned about the effect of that farming on water quality, they are keenly involved in partnership with both organisations that support farming and those that seek to protect the environment.

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What is less well known is their commitment to trying to provide assistance to the more vulnerable in society. They provide a range of services aimed at people either with financial or medical difficulties to ensure that they obtain the supplies they need without going into debt (Yorkshire Water Community Trust, WaterSupport).

Yorkshire Water was one of the co-founders of WaterAid and is still actively involved in raising money for this global charity. They also provide practical assistance and expertise to Ethiopia to help develop infrastructure and supply.

YW sees the benefit of working with the Cathedral as a means of communicating their commitment to both environmental and social issues of the region. Similar to many of the other organisations we have spoken to, their difficulty lies in getting the information about their services to the very people who need it the most.

In the course of our discussion two very practical and positive suggestions were made in how we could engage in a meaningful partnership with Yorkshire Water:

Yorkshire Water has very good working relationships with the major landowners in North Yorkshire and it is felt they might be willing to co-host a lunch with the Cathedral to enable the start of a conversation about the formation of a Rural Alliance. Yorkshire Water would also appreciate a chance to develop their relationship with the region’s MP’s so this could be a mutually beneficial exercise.

The Cathedral could create an event around the theme of Water, such as initiating a diocesan-wide event called ‘Water Sunday’ possibly on a day associated with John the Baptist. The theme could involve a creation theology about the gift of water, and our necessity to be aware of our use of it as God’s good stewards. As part of our environmental agenda, this would help us to make people across the region aware of both Yorkshire Water’s ‘Water Saving Pack’ and also the work of WaterAid, and other related water and sanitation charities. Also we could use the occasion to help Yorkshire Water to spread the message people about the range of vulnerability support that Yorkshire Water provides for its customers. This is a very important message to get into the rural community where vulnerability is a real issue. This would enable the Cathedral to speak with authority on both environmental and social issues to do with water usage, and the world’s growing water crisis.

4.1.8 Flowers from the Farm (FFTF)

FFTF is a small national co-operative of farmers who grow native British flowers so as to provide a local, sustainable alternative to importing flowers from abroad. The meeting thought that many of the ideas put forward by FFTF could be an easy and effective way both of showing support for local farmers and also for encouraging sustainable practices:

Provide a venue for flower arrangers from across the Diocese to come together to share good practice in terms of being as environmental aware as possible in church flower display. It was thought this would be an opportunity as well to reach out ecumenically to flower arrangers of all denominations

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Incorporate eco-friendly options in wedding flowers, and use flowers from FFTF on specific occasions to highlight sustainability.

4.1.9 Julian Smith MP for Skipton & Ripon

The discussion with Julian centered primarily around rural issues of loneliness and isolation, a Green Agenda as well as how the Cathedral could act as an honest broker/facilitator between rural community producers and consumers.

Julian noted that no broadband could create loneliness and isolation and that we need to understand these conditions though a balance between remote and face to face. Telephone without broadband can be just as effective, for example dial-in medical consultations in Grassington.

There is a missing link between social care and medical care and that can create isolation. People can be isolated in care particularly in low quality homes of which more will appear as funding tightens. So isolation is not always the same as loneliness. The Cathedral needs to avoid pigeon holing into stereotypes when talking about rural isolation.

Regarding a Green Agenda Julian believes that the Cathedral needs to embrace the development of a Green Agenda in broadest sense. We need to get to a situation where the countryside and landscape are effectively managed along with sustainable development. We should support/trial /test ideas like ‘rural solutions’ at Broughton Hall including small start-up spaces.

He believes ways that the Cathedral could help include:

Acting as honest broker between producers like dairy farmers and perceived rapacious buyers … get fair deal for both sides.

Using Cathedral facilities to bring country to town. For example hold a high class farmers market in deer park or inside cathedral.

Using video streaming media technology for church services as a way of reaching out to the elderly or housebound.

The Cathedral could be an honest broker and compassionate interpreter as a different sort of NFU, NHS, NPA, or NYCC.

4.1.10 Yorkshire Society

The Yorkshire Society was formed as a non-political, not for profit organisation in 1980 and encourages businesses, charities and individual people from or living in all parts of Yorkshire to join together in promoting the county. Membership of the Society is open to individuals and businesses alike to enable everybody to work towards and achieve common goals throughout the county.

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Not only do they work with established organisations in their efforts to generate and promote tourism in the county, but they also encourage and assist local branches of the society to fund and carry through projects in their own area. This wide ranging remit includes improving the beauty, attraction and amenities in a variety of villages, towns, historic houses, monuments and not least the countryside throughout Yorkshire.

There are over 200 corporate members that have joined the Yorkshire Society of which Ripon Cathedral is one. The Society has a fantastic outreach for promoting Yorkshire especially through its chairman Canon Keith Madeley, MBE (Mr. Yorkshire)! As a member of our Cathedral Community Canon Keith Madeley (Chairman of the Yorkshire Society) and the YS could be invaluable in:

Helping us get the Big Lunch off the ground and promoting it across the county. Canon Keith seemed to be quite interested in helping us promote the event through their members and organisational events such as Yorkshire Day.

Helping us in promoting locally produced products with a Cathedral Kite Mark.

Canon Keith is also involved in the Dalesman Magazine Annual Rural Awards Scheme. He is willing to see if there is an opportunity for the Cathedral holding the award ceremony with a meal following in the Old Deanery.

General promotion of Cathedral Events/Activities across Yorkshire.

4.1.11 Country Landowners Association & Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust

The CLA is effectively a trade association for landowners, farmers and rural business. Whereas NFU is concerned in issues like productivity of the land and food issues, the CLA’s focus is on the land as a capital asset, e.g. land ownership, compulsory purchase orders, etc. There are 33,000 members in the CLA, with approximately 600-700 members in the Cathedral’s Episcopal Area.

The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust is a charity whose focus is on the landscape of the Dales and as such worked very closely with the Dales National Park. They specialise in obtaining funding, such as lottery money, for Dales projects. Part of the funding depends upon the YDMT arranging access for inner city children and BAME communities. (? Black and Minority Ethnic – BME)

The Director for The North for the CLA and Ex-Vice Chair of the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, Dorothy Fairburn, felt although the Cathedral has developed a good reputation for its interest in rural affairs, e.g. its links with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, and the recent St. Wilfrid Lectures, what the residents really want is service delivery, not more debates about the issues. She did not see a role for the Cathedral in terms of a rural alliance, but thought it had more important work to do in helping parish churches to re-find and reinvent themselves as an integral part of the rural community. People in the Dales would question why the Cathedral is suddenly now interested after all the years of perceived neglect.

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In order for the Cathedral to make any kind of impact on the issues facing the rural communities, stronger connections within the churches themselves was essential. What really matters in the rural communities is the local church rather than the Cathedral. If the Cathedral can help the local churches to be more effective, it would build up the trust of the rural communities. In essence her message was that the Cathedral should be there as a focus of excellence in worship, music etc rather than thinking that they have a role within the rural sector. It would take a good deal of work to prove our worth in the rural communities in terms of supporting their parishes before the Cathedral could be taken seriously as a player in rural affairs.

Our conclusion is that we have ground work to do before we can be taken seriously by the CLA. We need to demonstrate our interest in and commitment to rural communities. There is much work to be done in terms of supporting the local parishes, but also there may be opportunities in terms of bigger events, such as The Big Lunch, in which the Cathedral could show leadership in supporting the needs of the rural population.

5. Ripon and Environs

The group also looked at potential ways in which the Cathedral could engage with issues and needs of the City of Ripon. We felt there was a need to foster the partnerships the Cathedral already has with Churches Together and the Salvation Army. Churches Together conducted an audit of what each church already has in place as support activities to identify gaps and develop better ways of advertising what is on offer (the audit report is included as an appendix). We believe that it is important we try to speak as one Christian voice in our support of the people of Ripon.

We organised consultations with key organizations in Ripon as potential partnership opportunities including:

Church’s Together (Ripon Alive) • Ripon Community Link & House Ripon City Manager/Ripon Town Council • Dementia Forward The Salvation Army • Age UK Council for Voluntary Services • Lister House

5.1 Ripon Consultations

The following are summaries of the consultations we had with the above Ripon organizations/individuals with potential Ripon Cathedral involvement as partnership opportunities. Full reports on the consultations are contained in the Appendices.

5.1.1 Churches Together

An audit of the outreach activities of five of the churches in Ripon was conducted. Two further churches are to provide their input at a later date. The findings of the audit shows that all of the churches provide some level of care for the housebound or those in care homes, offer coffee drop-ins or lunch clubs, as well as other outreach activities. The meeting thought there was a real opportunity for a joined up ecumenical approach to addressing isolated or lonely people in Ripon that would ensure that all areas of the community are well catered for. (A copy of the Audit is attached).

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5.1.2 Ripon City Manager/Ripon Town Council

The City Manager identified that the single greatest problem facing Ripon is the lack of engagement by the general population in helping to determine the future of the City. In much the same way as the Cathedral has opened up the involvement of people in the Consultation Exercise and Strategy Planning, the City Manager would like to see far more grassroots involvement in strategic development for Ripon. The Dean has already made significant impact by attending a range of city meetings that are trying to put in place new structures to help this to be achieved.

The Cathedral could have a strong role to play in terms of being a catalyst to bring various groups together to achieve a more inclusive form of city development.

5.1.3 Salvation Army

Although the Salvation Army is included in the consultation with the Ripon Churches Together (item 6.1.1), due to the fact that the Cathedral has already formed a partnership with the SA in supporting their Food Bank, we thought it worthwhile to speak with them individually as well. Presently some of the main problems facing the Salvation Army are: difficulties in getting the message of what they do out to the people who need the services they offer, transport to help people to attend the facilities on Lead Lane, and space both for storage and an additional venue in the city centre for a second monthly furniture sale. There were several ways in which the Cathedral and the larger Christian community could support the Salvation Army’s work in Ripon:

Help in publicising the various support services

Work in partnership in running a monthly Furniture Project sale in the Cathedral Hall on a Saturday morning. (More information about this is in the full report of the consultation)

Work with a group of local agencies in developing facilities for retired men to work with young people (example Men in Sheds, Tools for Africa, Bicycle Rescue) that would give young people practical skills and a positive place to meet and work together.

5.1.4 Council for Voluntary Services

The purpose of the HARCVS is support communities, charities and volunteers in the Harrogate District. Their primary function is not to deliver front line services but is to support charities and individuals involved in running volunteer services. However, there are instances in which they have discovered gaps in local volunteer services, and have responded by setting up volunteer projects to meet those needs.

One of the Ripon projects that would benefit from support from the Cathedral is the Ripon and Rural Wellbeing Service that provides a one to one service to older people who have experienced a bereavement or recent change in health. The service is for elderly and vulnerable people who live alone or live with carers who are also vulnerable. These individuals do not receive regular support from statutory services.

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The scheme also provides a Voluntary Car Driving Service. As well as volunteers to help with visiting, there is a need for volunteers to help by becoming trustees.

The Cathedral already exists as a named partner but further opportunities for involvement include: The Cathedral would be welcomed as a partner in Connecting Ripon, Provide a week long celebration of volunteering as a showcase of charities and opportunities in the region during National Volunteers Week, The Cathedral could work with the HARCVS in obtaining funding for targeted research into the needs of the Ripon and area community, General information sharing (through social networks, email, Deanery distribution lists, etc.), Help in circulating information about their Volunteers Oscars Award Scheme.

5.1.5 Ripon Community Link and Community House

The concern they raised with us is that there are too many people ‘falling through the cracks’ in the sense they are not aware of, or not taking advantage of the agencies that could help them. Additionally the support agencies often do not have enough volunteers to cover the demands adequately. It is the matching of the people with needs with suitable volunteer help that could make the difference.

The Cathedral’s voice is very welcomed as a ‘neutral’ but influential voice for building up the larger community. It is important that the Cathedral has a named person who is responsible for information sharing with the following groups:

o Community House o ‘Connecting Ripon’ – chaired by the Harrogate CVS, this group meets

quarterly to coordinate the work of volunteering groups in the cityo ‘Discover Ripon’ – headed by Alan Weston, the Ripon City Manager, this

group is a talking shop for agencies involved in the city’s tourism industry and shares information about what is going on in the city. http://www.discoverripon.org/community.html

o ‘Blow Your Horn’ – a very new social media group using Facebook and Twitter to encourage ideas from the grassroots. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blow-your-horn-Ripon/1643688135872321

o The efforts by the Dean in attending the Town Council and Chamber of Trade and Commerce was widely welcomed by a variety of people we spoke with.

Act as a conduit for information via our social media, by circulating more widely our ‘Helping Hands’ leaflet, our internal publications such as pewslip, newsletters etc.

Also continuing to run special days that celebrate what is happening in Ripon, such as the Volunteer Fair that was run in the Cathedral.

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http://www.discoverripon.org/community.html


5.1.6 Dementia Forward

Dementia Forward said that there is an urgent need to educate the public about dementia so as to eradicate stigma and fear.

The Cathedral could help by creating a small group of Dementia Champions – people who would undergo a day’s training that would enable them to lead shorter awareness raising sessions for the general public. These could be held in the Cathedral or Thorpe Prebend. DF just does not have enough staff or volunteers to undertake this vital work.

They would like very much appreciate being able to hold an annual service such as the Oak Leaf Service in which they could give out a positive message about living with dementia and also provide real support for those with dementia and their families.

5.1.7 Age UK

Age UK described their service as ‘social prescribing’. Age UK works closely with local health care professionals to identify people who need support as they grow older. If necessary Age UK will visit and make an initial assessment of an individual’s needs before signposting them to various activities, advice services, etc. which are either run by Age UK or other local agencies.

As to ways in which the Cathedral could help as a partner, the suggestions again were similar to what others have been telling us:

To use our network of communication across the EA to help to promote what the Age UK can offer. To encourage parishes to work with Age UK and others by acting as ‘community hubs’ where social activities and wellbeing sessions could be run. To encourage parishes to publish updated lists of local groups in their areas that could be points of social contact for older people. These could be published in a leaflet or arranged on a central notice board in the community.

The Cathedral itself could expand the tourist leaflet stand at the West entrance to include signposting ‘What’s going on in Ripon’ targeted at residents rather than tourists. The information collected for this could also be published as a leaflet that could be circulated to Community House, the Library, Ripon churches, etc.

6. Further Issues Raised in our Discussions

6.1 Other examples of community building activities – The Big Lunch

The Cathedral could be a natural place to initiate community-building activities such as The Big Lunch that would encourage neighbourhoods to come together more. The aim is to get as many people as possible across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbours annually on the first Sunday in June in a simple act of community, friendship and fun. Since starting in 2009, thousands of Big Lunches have taken place in all types of communities. In 2015, there were over 6 million participants who took to their streets, gardens and community spaces.

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We met with Sir Tim Smit KBE Executive Vice Chairman and Co-founder of the Eden Project to discuss rolling out the Big Lunch across the EA. He explained the ethos and background of the Big Lunch and was most encouraging and offered help if we wanted to be an area coordinator to take it forward across the EA community. This could be a wide open opportunity for the Cathedral, our information is that the Big Lunch, based on only the postcodes expressing any interest historically. (See appendices on Big Lunch for postcode analysis).

The key opportunity, for the cathedral is not so much doing one ourselves but acting as an area coordinator to get all the rural parishes to do their own. Resources are available including a free tool kit; if there was sufficient interest in the Ripon Episcopal Area we could get one of the team from the Eden Project to come up and do a presentation. (More information about The Big Lunch is available in the Appendices).

6.2 Dean John’s request for issues of loneliness and isolation to be included in our discussions

The group reviewed a number of demographic reports on loneliness and social isolation. We discovered that loneliness and social isolation are distinct concepts. Loneliness includes emotional loneliness and social loneliness. Approximately ten per cent of people over the age of 65 in the UK are lonely all or most of the time. Loneliness and social isolation in older people are particularly important issues for rural areas: 23 per cent of the rural population is over retirement age compared to 18 per cent in urban areas. There may be differences between rural and urban areas in how loneliness is experienced. Although older people living alone are most likely to experience social isolation, those living in residential care may experience loneliness, especially if they lack opportunities to participate in the community outside the care home.

Social issues such as loneliness and isolation are actually bigger issues in the rural community than in the urban ones due to the recent cuts to services such as the buses, the libraries, the post offices, etc. Compounding this problem is the lack of Internet access to huge areas of the region. Government (both local and national) tends to think in terms of centralising services and providing more and more information online believing it is the efficient method of delivery. These policies leave the rural communities without the most basic level of support. Plus there can be a greater sense of stoicism in rural communities so real need is often hidden, and people do not willingly seek help, particularly if it means a long journey to unfamiliar places. Urban solutions just do not transpose to the rural environment. Yet the rural voices go unheard.

The group would like to propose that this is an area that could benefit from an ecumenical approach. The Cathedral and other churches in Ripon could form an action group to put shared resources at the service of the elderly, housebound, and isolated.

As many of the churches are already addressing these issues in some regard, it would help everyone if there were greater co-ordination (e.g. economy of scale in purchasing food, obtaining volunteers, etc). This would require conversations with a variety of agencies as there might be issues working with vulnerable people, but this should not prevent us from finding ways in which the churches could work together in providing support. Schemes to be considered for partnership include, (RAY: Good Neighbour Scheme or CVS: Ripon & Rural Wellbeing Service).

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The group also identified other schemes to help combat loneliness and isolation issues including Men’s Sheds (Age UK support a number of these projects based on the successful Australian Men’s Shed movement) and a Digital Inclusion Workshop at Brompton-on-Swale as another model worth considering.

A further proposal from the group was that the Cathedral organize a Summit on Isolation and Loneliness to which all the Deaneries could be invited to share good practice from their communities.

7. Cathedral Use of Media

The group looked at ways in which the Cathedral could use media opportunities to highlight concerns and raise awareness of activities of our partners, as well as issues of concern to market towns and rural communities in general.

Recommend a permanent post for a person to coordinate all Cathedral communication, both internal and external. Lack of coordinated communication was identified as a major problem in the Cathedral’s efforts in outreach in the past.

Recommend creation of a Communication Focus Group to coordinate and promote Cathedral activities in the electronic, social, print and TV media.

Recommend streaming church services as a way of reaching out to the elderly or housebound.

Recommend that a regular Cathedral newsletter be distributed throughout Ripon, by electronic copy to the EA of Ripon parishes and to WY&D Diocesan Office.

Recommend that a regular spot about Ripon Cathedral should appear in every Diocesan newsletter and periodically in the local newspapers to highlight aspects of our outreach into the community, both Ripon and beyond in the EA and Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales.

Recommend making closer contacts with the Yorkshire Society in helping us get the Big Lunch off the ground and promoting it across the county. They could also help in promoting a Cathedral Kite Mark scheme and could potentially help in promoting Cathedral activities/events in general.

8. Development of a Green Agenda

We believe that we have a Christian responsibility to care for God’s creation. Therefore we believe that this ought to influence our thinking, our actions and how we exercise our faithfulness. Our consultation with Jemima Parker, Diocesan Environment Officer identified the need to develop a creation care policy to address environmental issues in the Cathedral church life (such as: managing churchyard, worshiping, engaging in the community/environmental projects). We also need to identify Cathedral activities and practices that could be improved in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint through reduced energy use and increase levels of recycling. The following are her suggestions/recommendations:

8.1 Participate in the Eco congregation Award Scheme

It is a tool to help churches begin to address environmental issues in all that they do.

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8.2 Worship

Introduce liturgy which includes creation care theology Engage the Choir in leading worship that reflects creation care Sermon series focuses on environmental theology and action ‘Pray and Fast for the Climate’ focus (there is a web site) Outside worship in the churchyard, possibly Forest Church to partake in worship with

creation.

8.3 Energy and Buildings

Green Energy Saving Scheme for gas and electricity (Leeds Arch Deaconry) LED lighting for the Cathedral and all associated buildings Solar scheme for clergy housing roofs Biomass district scheme for the whole site and local community

8.4 Churchyard

Work in partnership with other city groups to make the churchyard a biodiverse community space

Flower planting on southside. Partner with other conservation groups

Benches, sensory boards, herb garden. Saying to use this space

Fruit and vegetables (Incredible Edible scheme)

8.5 Global Impact

Raise awareness: Riding Lights Baked Alaska! Production, Wilfred Lectures on Climate Change/Global Impacts

Engage with your MP – ‘Hope for the Future’ climate write in

Speakers from overseas partners e.g. Sri Lanka or Tanzania

Eco Fair (working with Bradford Cathedral). Putting on a day, we could duplicate here. They are thinking about the Autumn.

9. Possible Models for Implementing Outreach into the Community

9.1 Create Specific Focus Groups

In the process of the consultation meetings it became apparent that many local groups would welcome a partnership with the Cathedral. As the focus of our group was so broad we propose that there is a need for three separate groups, all managed by a member of Chapter who coordinates the overall Cathedral Outreach. These groups would be:

Environmental Issues Group – To work with the Cathedral’s Director of Operations to determine the ways in which the Cathedral could implement the ideas presented to us by Jemima Parker, the Diocesan Environmental Officer

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Rural Issues Group - To work with existing groups and key individuals, in particular to help to create a Rural Alliance.

Ripon Outreach - To work with existing bodies in Ripon, in particular to promote and support agencies/charities working in support of people in need in Ripon. This would include encouraging the ecumenical work of the churches in Ripon.

We recommend that each group be chaired by a member of the Chapter. Each group to:

Determine 3-5 targets (with a combination of quick win’, medium range and long range goals) for the period of 2016-2019.

Determine targets with specific and measureable goals that can be monitored and reported on to the Chapter.

Members of the group to serve for no more than 3 years, with an annual rotation of 1/3 of the members beginning in 2018.

10. Local, National, International Crisis Events

The group found that there is a need for an established Cathedral response to a crisis event, e.g. International, National or local events in which the Cathedral is seen as a focal point for people wanting to respond in prayer etc.

Recommend the creation of a written protocol for dealing with sudden crisis situations either local, national or international that would help vergers, welcomers, chaplains and clergy in responding quickly and effectively.

Recommend that Prayer Stations should be supplied with Christian Aid envelopes and a donation box for any crisis when the UK Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) has called for donations. Christian Aid would be our way of responding to DEC crisis alerts.

The following diagram is a possible task flow of how a crisis event response could be implemented at the Cathedral.

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11. Summary Of Recommendations

The following is a summary of the recommendations from the group along with estimates on difficulty for implementation.

11.1 Possible Models for Implementing Outreach into the Community

Make more widely known those with responsibility for Cathedral Outreach who speak to Chapter on issues of Outreach.

Create 3 specific focus groupso Environmental Issues Group – To work with the Cathedral’s Director of

Operations to determine the ways in which the Cathedral could implement and agreed upon Green Agenda.

o Rural Issues Group - To work with existing groups and key individuals, in particular to help to create a Rural Alliance.

o Ripon Outreach - To work with existing bodies in Ripon, in particular to promote and support agencies/charities working in support of people in need in Ripon. This would include encouraging the ecumenical work of the churches in Ripon.

We recommend that each group be chaired by a member of the Chapter. Each group to have responsibility for:

Determining 3-5 targets (with a combination of ‘quick wins’, medium range and long range goals) for the period of 2016-2019.

Determining targets with specific and measureable goals that can be monitored and reported on to the Chapter.

Members of the group to serve for no more than 3 years, with an annual rotation of 1/3 of the members beginning in 2018.

Growing God’s Kingdom - Possible Model for Outreach: Process Flow

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Environment Group

Ripon and Environs Group

Rural Issues Group

Radio & News Broadcasts

• Social Media• E-mail• Newsletter: Cathedral Parish, inputto Diocesan Newsletter• Internal Cathedral publication

Media Coordinator

Partnerships /Stakeholders

Chapter


11.2 Outreach to Market Town’s & Rural Communities/ Rural Issues: Implementation

Single Occurrence/ Easy to implement. Minor changes to established processes/tasks. Less than 1 month of preparation and coordination.

The naming of a specific member of Chapter with responsibility for Rural outreach who would work with a Rural Outreach Group to plan and implement specific partnerships with other community agencies/organisations and individuals.

Ask to become a member of the Nidderdale AONB’s Joint Advisory Council whose membership includes: County Councils, Parish Councils, Land Owners Association, Water Board, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, National Trust, the RSPB, the AONB.

Both Cathedral and YAS are involved with educating young people in one way or another. Opportunities to reinforce the links between the church and rural life, like the Plough Sunday service, should be developed wherever possible. Joiners, stonemasons, glaziers all use raw materials from the countryside and education about their skills and the use of natural materials in Cathedral repairs is important.

It was suggested that the Cathedral might take a lead to be a liturgical resource providing parishes with information to help celebrate the passing seasons at Plough Sunday, Rogation, Lammastide, Harvest festivals. There is a lot of information from the Arthur Rank Centre that we could help signpost to.

CRE&E

6.2

6.2

6.5

On-going/ Easy to implement. Minor changes to established processes/tasks. Less than 1 month of preparation and coordination.

Use our voice against the rural spending cuts.

Incorporate eco-friendly options in wedding flowers, and use flowers from FFTF on specific occasions to highlight sustainability.

6.2

6.1

Single Occurrence/ Medium Range – Will take 2-3 meeting coordination and possibly new processes/tasks. 1-2 months of preparation and coordination.

Initiate conversations with the big landowners to interest them in the idea of a rural alliance to speak out on behalf of the overall rural community. Yorkshire Water has very good working relationships with the major landowners in North Yorkshire and it is felt they might be willing to co-host a lunch with the Cathedral to enable the start of a conversation about the formation of a Rural Alliance. Yorkshire Water would also appreciate a chance to develop their relationship with the region’s MPs so this could be a mutually beneficial exercise.

Hold key conversations that should be with the two MPs, Julian Smith and Rishi Sunak, the Country Landowners Association and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.

St. Wilfrid lectures – Include some lectures that focus on specific issues of the EA.

6.2 / Dean

Dean

4 / 6.2

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On-going/ Medium Range – Will take 2-3 meeting coordination and possibly new processes/tasks1-2 months of preparation and coordination.

Initiate further conversations as other stake-holders are identified.

Run Bereavement ‘Try Something New’ sessions to help newly bereaved individuals to adjust to living on their own after the death of a partner.

Provide Deanery support by promoting RAY activities in parishes e.g. run winter health information or energy savings sessions after church on Sundays.

It was suggested that a Cathedral presence at the quarterly meetings of Rural Support Network (RSN) Yorkshire would help forge links with all the other organisations involved. There is more work to be done to make best use of a Cathedral presence with either RAY or RSN or both.

Cranmer Hall runs a two week rural study course for those both training for the ministry and those ordained. The Cathedral should continue its good links with Cranmer Hall and its contribution to the course.

6.6

6.6

6.6

6.2

6.2Single Occurrence/ Long Range – Much larger involvement with Clergy and volunteers. At least 3-6 months of preparation and coordination.

Organise a summit of interested people and agencies on a theme of rural issues, centring on the theme ‘Hope versus Despair’ which gives a Christian context as well as recognizing the problems. The outcome of this summit could be the creation of a much-needed rural alliance.

o Act as honest broker between producers such as dairy farmers and perceived rapacious buyers … get fair deal for both sides. It could also be a compassionate interpreter as a different sort of NFU, NHS, NPA, or NYCC.

The Cathedral could create an event around the theme of Water, such as initiating a diocesan-wide event called ‘Water Sunday’ possibly on a day associated with John the Baptist. The theme could involve a creation theology about the gift of water, and our necessity to be aware of our use of it as God’s good stewards. As part of our environmental agenda, this would help us to make people across the region aware of both Yorkshire Water’s ‘Water Saving Pack’ and also the work of WaterAid, and other related water and sanitation charities. Also we could use the occasion to help Yorkshire Water spread the message people about the range of vulnerability support that Yorkshire Water provides for its customers. This is a very important message to get into the rural community where vulnerability is a real issue. This would enable the Cathedral to speak with authority on both environmental and social issues to do with water usage, and the world’s growing water crisis.

Use Cathedral facilities to bring country to town. For example, hold a high class farmers market in the Deer Park or inside the Cathedral.

Work across the EA to encourage ecumenical efforts in terms of supporting local farming initiatives, such as hosting a meeting of flower arrangers from across the region to come together to share good practice in terms of buying locally both to support farmers and to become more environmentally aware in terms of church flower display, or to work together in the running joint farmers’ markets, etc

6.2

6.2

6.2

6.2

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The Germinate Leadership Programme programme (part of the Arthur Rank Centre) was mentioned in the context that Cathedral might sponsor a priest from the Episcopal Area each year to attend the course. One of the project’s aims is that lay and ordained church leaders should be trained to develop an entrepreneurial leadership style, including project development and management skills. They should be supported and encouraged to start new community initiatives and social enterprise projects, and in helping Christian presences to be more effective in engaging with their communities.

Use the Cathedral to host the Dalesman Magazine Annual Rural Awards Scheme with a meal following in the Old Deanery.

6.2

6

On-going/ Long Range – Much larger involvement with Clergy and volunteers. At least 3-6 months of preparation and coordination.

Ongoing involvement/ leadership in any rural alliance created.

Maximizing the impact of the Cathedral’s work in creating a rural alliance by developing it into model for other cathedrals/ churches to follow, and by actively celebrating the work done by everyone involved.

Develop a Cathedral KITE MARK scheme to support products produced in the region.

6.2

6.2

6.2

11.3 Outreach to Ripon and Environs: Implementation


The naming of a Chapter member with responsibility for community outreach who would work with an Outreach Group to plan and implement specific partnerships with other community agencies/organisations.

Expand the tourist leaflet stand at the West entrance to include signposting ‘What’s going on in Ripon’ targeted at residents rather than tourists. The information collected for this could also be published as a leaflet that could be circulated to Community House, the Library, Ripon churches, etc.

CRE&E

7


The Cathedral’s voice is very welcomed as a ‘neutral’ but influential voice for building up the larger community. It is important that the Cathedral have a named person who is responsible for information sharing with the following groups:

o Community House

o ‘Connecting Ripon’ – chaired by the Harrogate CVS, this group meets quarterly to coordinate the work of volunteering groups in the city

o ‘Discover Ripon’ – headed by Alan Weston, the Ripon City Manager, this group is a talking shop for agencies involved in the city’s tourism industry and shares information about what is going on in the city. Discover Ripon’ website - http://www.discoverripon.org/community.html

2 / 6.6

6.6

6.6

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http://www.discoverripon.org/community.html


o ‘Blow Your Horn’ – a very new social media group using Facebook and Twitter to encourage ideas from the grassroots. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blow-your-horn-Ripon/1643688135872321

o There was very positive support of the efforts by the Dean in attending the Town Council and Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

Act as a conduit for information via our social media, and by circulating more widely our ‘Helping Hands’ leaflet, our internal publications such as pewslip, newsletters etc.

General information sharing with CVS (through social networks, email, Deanery distribution lists, etc.),including help in circulating information about the CVS Volunteers Oscars Award Scheme.

The Cathedral would be welcomed as a partner in Connecting Ripon and could as a first step be put on the mailing list for the group.

6.6

2

6.6

6.6


Establishing a set of criteria to use to evaluate and prioritize areas for strategic community involvement/partnership both in the immediate and long terms.

Establishing a limited number of activities/partnerships with set time frames, objectives, and targets.

There has been a service to celebrate National Volunteers Week in the past in the Cathedral that has been greatly appreciated by all who work for HARCVS. It would be good if this could be the culmination of a week long celebration of volunteering to provide a showcase of charities and opportunities in the region.

6.6

6.6

6.6

On-going/ Medium Range – Will take 2-3 meeting coordination and possibly new processes/tasks. 1-2 months of preparation and coordination.

Work in partnerships with other ecumenical bodies as a united Christian body in a more coordinated community outreach. In particular Ripon would benefit from an ecumenical approach to the needs of lonely and isolated people living in the city and surrounding villages.

One of the Ripon projects that would benefit from support from the Cathedral is the CVS Ripon and Rural Wellbeing Service that provides a one to one service to older people who have experienced a bereavement or recent change in health. The service is for elderly and vulnerable people who live alone or live with carers who are also vulnerable. These individuals do not receive regular support from statutory services. The scheme also provides a Voluntary Car Driving Service. As well as volunteers to help with visiting, there is a need for volunteers to help by becoming trustees.

2 / 6.6

2 / 6.6

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https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blow-your-horn-Ripon/1643688135872321

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blow-your-horn-Ripon/1643688135872321


Single Occurrence/ Long Range – Much larger involvement with Clergy and volunteers. At least 3-6 months of preparation and coordination.

Initiate and/or participate in community building activities such as:

o Activities suggested by the proposed Ripon Community Interest Company.

o Activities initiated by the newly formed ‘Ripon Blow Your Horn’ group.

o The Big Lunch national initiative that encourages neighbourhoods to come together more.

6.66.6

6.6

As funding becomes harder to find, there will be an increasing demand for research to demonstrate actual need on which to base a charity’s business plan. The Cathedral could work with the HARCVS in obtaining funding for targeted research into the needs of the Ripon and area community. 6.3


Participate in the RAY’s ‘Good Neighbour Scheme’ Pilot as an Ecumenical Partnership.

Continue to run special days that celebrate what is happening in Ripon, such as the Volunteer Fair that was run in the Cathedral. In particular, Dementia Forward would welcome a day to celebrate people living with dementia and their carers.

Work in partnership with the Salvation Army in running a monthly Furniture Project sale in the Cathedral Hall on a Saturday morning. (More information about this is in the full report of the consultation)

Create a small group of “Dementia Champions’ – people who would undergo a day’s training that would enable them to lead shorter awareness raising sessions for the general public. These could be held in the Cathedral or Thorpe Prebend.

Work with a group of local agencies in developing facilities for retired men to work with young people (example Men in Sheds, Tools for Africa, Bicycle Rescue, Digital Inclusion workshops) that would give young people practical skills and a positive place to meet and work together.

Organise a regional summit on Isolation and Loneliness to which all the Deaneries in the EA could be invited to share good practice from their communities.

Maximizing the impact of the Cathedral’s outreach work by developing them into models for other market towns or churches to follow, and by actively celebrating the work done by everyone involved.

6.6

2 / 6.6

2 / 6.6

2 / 6.6

2 / 6.6

6.2

6.5

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11.4 Developing a Green Agenda/Environment: Implementation


The naming of a member of Chapter with responsibility for a Creation Care Agenda for the Cathedral who would work with a Green Agenda/Environment Group to plan and implement specific targets for raising awareness of the needs of the environment, and for implementing good practice in the Cathedral’s use of the world’s resources. CRE&E


Become familiar with the Church of England’s national environmental campaign (Shrinking the Footprint) and identify ways in which the Cathedral could improve existing practice. 6.1


Work with the Diocesan Environmental Officer in developing a creation care policy to address environmental issues in the Cathedral church life in terms of practical leadership to others (such as: managing biodiversity of the churchyard, develop worship opportunities to introduce a ‘creation care theology’, engage in community/environmental projects) 6.1


Undertake initial simple practices designed to reduce our carbon footprint through reduced energy use and increase levels of recycling.

Raise awareness of ways in which the Cathedral community could participate in the Cathedral’s Green Agenda for themselves through liturgical and educational opportunities.

6.1

6.1

Single Occurrence/ Long Range – Much larger involvement with Clergy and volunteers. At least 3-6 months of preparation and coordination.

Put on an Eco Fair – Bradford Cathedral is planning on running one in Autumn 2015. 6.1


Participate in the Eco congregation Award Scheme. 6.1

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11.5 Cathedral Use of Media


Recommend a permanent post for a person to coordinate all Cathedral communication, both internal and external. Lack of coordinated communication was identified as a major problem in the Cathedral’s efforts in outreach in the past. 7


Recommend creation of a Communication Focus Group to coordinate and promote Cathedral activities in the electronic, social, print and TV media.

Recommend that a regular Cathedral newsletter be distributed throughout Ripon, by electronic copy to the EA of Ripon parishes and to WY&D Diocesan Office.

Recommend that a regular spot about Ripon Cathedral should appear in every Diocesan newsletter and periodically in the local newspapers to highlight aspects of our outreach into the community, both Ripon and beyond in the EA and Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales.

Recommend making closer contacts with the Yorkshire Society in helping us get the Big Lunch off the ground and promoting it across the county. They could also help in promoting a Cathedral Kite Mark scheme and could potentially help in promoting Cathedral activities/events in general.

7

7

7

7


Recommend streaming church services as a way of reaching out to the elderly or housebound.

11.6 Rapid Response to Local, Regional, National and International Crisis: Implementation

S ingle Occurrence/ Easy to implement . Minor changes to established processes/tasks. Less than 1 month of preparation and coordination.

Recommend the creation of a written protocol for dealing with sudden crisis situations either local, national or international that would help vergers, welcomers, chaplains and clergy in responding quickly and effectively. 6.6

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Recommend that Prayer Stations should be supplied with Christian Aid envelopes and a donation box for any crisis when the UK Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) has called for donations. Christian Aid would be our way of responding to DEC crisis alerts. 6.6

The following is a possible task flow of how a crisis event response could be implemented at the Cathedral.

Crisis Event Response

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Group 5: FINANCE AND RESOURCES

1. Introduction

The group has divided its work into three phases namely;

Reviewing the existing financial picture and resources provision Identifying an come generation strategy Developing a long term sustainable financial model

With the first phase completed, the results of which are the basis of this report.

The group is now in a position to take into account the outcome of the Chapter meeting in September with the Strategy steering group but still awaits the report of the Cathedral architect on the cathedral building and estate with a first estimate of expenditure required. This is due imminently.

This report summaries key views, perceptions and ideas that we heard and makes recommendations in respect of

Governance, structure and management Key functional areas where there is inadequate, little or no capacity Fundraising suggestions some of which may have quick wins

2. What did We Hear?

Key issues identified were:

2.1 General comments

Support for the development of a defined strategy and inevitably some anxiety about how it affects individuals

Urgent need to improve and develop communications, internal and external Hesitation about the use of volunteers; they should be recruited, trained and developed

(like National Trust model) for specific roles to ease pressures on paid staff Evidence of a silo approach to activities Lack of delegation (not least financial) leading to a lack of empowerment An office for all staff, lay and clergy in one building would enhance a sense of team and

facilitate informal conversations Staff appear not to be engaged with the strategy process Pastoral care needs embedding Develop collaboration with peers in sister cathedrals Much greater emphasis on young people

Attention to these soft issues is important, nay vital to the successful delivery of the strategy.

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2.2 Financial matters

Chapter takes a responsible attitude to living within agreed budgets with any new work having to be funded before commissioning it

Chapter now looks across the financial affairs of all connected/associated bodies when signing off its own annual accounts i.e. Chapter, PCC, RCDC, Friends, RCMT, RCCS

Urgency re disposal of RCCS site and repayment of loan; since drafting this report the formal planning applications have been submitted with the concerns of planners addressed in detail

Expand income generating function – see section 3 Concerns about the spend per visitor at the shop and the profitability of the shop Opportunity to develop a corporate finance function, rather than individual bodies doing

their own accounting, when there are many intra-body transactions and despite most bodies having a common auditor

Need to review budgetary process and align budget with strategic objectives to drive empowerment and accountability

Control mechanisms e.g. use of purchase orders, authorisation of payments to be up-rated to meet good governance practice and demands of strategic process

Capacity shortage in function – see section 3

3. Key Functional Gaps

These are divided into two groups i.e. corporate in this they can serve all entities e.g. RCDC, Chapter, PCC or more specialist functions

Corporate Functions

Communications

We note that Chapter is already reviewing this area of activity with the aim of producing a strategy, brief for a post and seeking funding. This is a high priority, given the launch of the Vision in May 2016. Is it possible to make an interim appointment, perhaps using a volunteer?

Finance

The financial affairs of the Cathedral will grow in size and complexity will require detailed reporting and monitoring and will include new elements e.g. potential refectory. There is the scope for the financial affairs of associated bodies to be handled by one team as we now have a common auditor for many. We propose a review by our Audit partner, working with the Finance Manager, to streamline systems and advise us on the skills and extent of extra capacity required.

Income Generation

The present team is stretched and extra human resources with the relevant skills will be essential to deliver the capital and revenue ask going forward.

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Estate Management

The estate will grow if emerging strategic plans come to fruition and there is much work to be done on the existing buildings. The report from the Cathedral Architect will advise on the potential liability and a suggested programme of works. As well as the cost of the works, the group are of the view that additional human resources will be required to manage this.

Volunteer Manager

Consideration should be given to the appointment of a Volunteer Manager, themselves a volunteer, in view of the importance of these teams going forward.

Specialist Functions

Education

Canon Elizabeth is working on a strategy for Chapter approval, the costs of implementation and the sourcing of funds.

Evangelism

As this work develops it is important to provide the necessary financial resources, an element of which is hospitality.

4. Governance Structures and Management

Aware that the Strategy Steering Group is addressing the question of structures we put forward the following recommendation from a financial perspective.

Define the role of Chapter to enable it to act strategically, retaining to itself such matters as approving the budget, the signing off of statutory accounts, employment of paid staff, governance functions and overall implementation of the agreed vision.

Establishing a second executive tier of people to manage day to day activity and to speed up decision making on matters which are in line with strategic direction and funded.

Establishing committees where there is a longer term need but task groups to deliver specific projects or elements of the same

Talent audit to assist with recruitment of volunteers Revise role of the Finance Committee to focus on budget preparation (for approval by

Chapter) and subsequent monitoring and scrutiny. It would also have an overview role of the totality of Chapter’s financial activities, advising as appropriate, as he strategy unfolds. A sub-committee would manage the Cathedral’s investments.

Establish an estate management committee to manage the agreed programme of works which would seek budgetary approval through the normal processes.

Establish an income generation group to include an enhanced legacy activity, which would keep the Finance Committee informed.

Establish from 2017 onwards a new budgetary process which is aligned with the strategic objectives and provides quarterly reports to budget holders to enable them to manage and be truly accountable for agreed budgets. Draft 3-5 year forward financial models through to 2022.

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Establish a twice a year briefing for all staff by the Canon Treasurer, after the Annual Accounts have been approved and after the budget for the subsequent year has been signed off by Chapter.

Review the shop profitability once the out-turn from 2015 is known. Establish a small independent compliance group to monitor Chapter’s awareness of the

breadth of regulatory landscape and the satisfactory discharge of its responsibilities. It would report twice a year to Chapter and work closely with the relevant Chapter lead person and the Director of Operations.

Continue the periodic meetings of Chairs of Committees which is proving valuable as a means of communication and avoiding clashes in timetabling and grant applications.

The model described above could be used to ensure members of the Cathedral family i.e. those parts of the benefice/parish e.g. St John Bondgate are included in the future plans. The purpose here is to enlist their support as stakeholders as well as supporting them appropriately.

5. Key Priorities Income Generation 8

1. Continue the Stewardship Initiative begun in 2015 with the Cathedral Congregation and Community in 2016

2. Map existing fund raising activities to assist in obtaining new sources of income to match identified strategic needs

3. Explore the capacity for increasing existing income streams and take the necessary actions to achieve potential increases.

4. Prepare budgets covering the 5 years (2016 (already agreed) and 2017-2020) to reflect the requirements of the Cathedral Strategy, the priorities of Chapter and aligned with the new operational structure

Potential Actions

Enhanced facility fees Extend the Angel Tree Ball event over the weekend to include a community

lunch on the Saturday and Cafe Church on Sunday Actively seek support from those across the region who use us as ‘their’

Cathedral eg civic, military in cash or kind Request donations for candles etc Lay Clerks events to raise funds Use of Thorpe Prebend and Deer park as event venues perhaps in

partnership with the Old Deanery Hotel Explore the potential from ‘Ripons’ across the globe

2

6. Report 2

During the fourth quarter as the nature and extent of the ‘asks’ becomes clearer both in terms of capital and revenue streams, we are meeting up with other cathedral who have travelled a similar journey. We have in mind at least one non-church organisation to meet with also.

Our next report, no.2 will be published around the turn of the year.

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APPENDIX 1

Strategy Groups Membership

Strategy Steering Group Group 1: Growing our Worship CommunityThe Very Revd John Dobson (chair) The Very Revd John Dobson (chair)Canon Professor Myra Shackley Canon Paul GreenwellCanon Philip Arundel Canon Ruth HindDr Colin Harrison Canon Wendy WilbyDr Phyl Johnson Ven. Paul HooperProfessor Sue Proctor Canon Tony ShepherdJulia Barker Dr Phyl JohnsonDennis Tarter Andrew Bryden

Anne-Marie Tarter

Group 2: Promoting our Spiritual and Built Heritage (3 sub groups)

Pilgrimage Visitor Journey Buildings and Facilities

Canon Paul Greenwell (Leader) Julia Barker (Leader) Dr Colin Harrison (Leader)Professor Joyce Hill Professor Joyce Hill Julia BarkerCanon Professor Myra Shackley Canon Professor Myra Shackley Colin LittleCaroline Moore Philip Bustard Nigel RawlinsonKen Moore Mick StanleyDr Colin Harrison

Consultants:Fiona Spiers – HLFChris Fowler – National Trust Fountains Abbey

Group 3: Serving the Diocesan Bishop in MissionProfessor Sue Proctor (chair) The Very Revd John DobsonCanon Elizabeth Sewell Canon Wendy WilbyCanon Tony McPherson Canon Peter ClementRevd David Houlton Revd John ChambersCanon John Carter Brigadier Johnny WardleJanet Slater Andrew Burns

Consultant:Dr Richard Noake – Diocesan Director of Education

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APPENDIX 1 (cont)

Group 4: Engaging with Issues & Needs of the WorldDennis Tarter (chair) Canon Elizabeth SewellRevd Stephen Burgess Baroness Angela HarrisTom Ramsden Monsignor Philip HolroydRevd Michael Hepper Andy RylandJuliet Jowitt Michael ChambersLindsay Tanner

Consultant:Judith Donovan – Tourism & Marketing (current Chair of the ‘Eden Project’)

Canon Elizabeth Sewell, Canon Educator / Canon Pastor / Chapter MemberBaroness Angela Harris, High Steward / PatronJudith Donovan CBE, Ripon Cathedral Finance BoardTom Ramsden, High Sheriff North Yorkshire / RCDC Patron / RCDC Trustee / Music Trust TrusteeMonsignor Philip Holroyd, St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church - RiponRevd Michael Hepper, Priest In Charge – Leyburn w Bellerby / Area Dean – Wensley DeaneryAndy Ryland, Rural Officer for Diocese of West Yorkshire & the DalesJuliet Jowitt, Deputy Lord Lieutenant North Yorkshire / RCDC PatronCllr Michael Chambers MBE, Ripon City Council, Harrogate Borough Council (Cabinet Member for Housing)Julia Barker, Ripon Cathedral Director of OperationsJohn Groves, PCC Church WardenLindsay Tanner, Chief Executive Ripon Community LinkRevd Stephen Burgess, Chair of York & Hull District Methodist Anne-Marie Tarter (secretary for the group)Dennis Tarter, Chair

Group 5: Finance & ResourcesCanon Philip Arundel (chair)Julia BarkerJudith DonovanKeith MadeleyDavid Jorysz

Administrative SupportGail Squires

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