Help us Recover from the Impact of COVID-19

Many of you, as the Cathedral’s friends and supporters, have asked us in recent weeks how the pandemic has affected us. As a Cathedral, we’ve been deeply impacted financially (like many households and organisations) and below is an excerpt from a recent public announcement made by Dean Adrian on Sunday 2 August:

“The combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and two years of very disappointing numbers of visitors to the Cathedral has forced us to make some difficult decisions in order to sustain the Cathedral and enable its future activity. …

… After a proper period of consultation about a staff re-structure, we have now finalised the shape of the staff team.  This has been a painful process for everyone involved.  We have benefitted from loyal and dedicated service from many of our staff over many years.  However, the result is we will lose administrative support staff and, because we see no way of the café and shop trading profitably and safely, we will close those enterprises and make their staff and the Visitor Services team redundant.  We are very grateful for all that the staff team has contributed and the constructive and understanding way they have taken part in discussions.  

These are very difficult times for all of us; as lockdown eases, we will be aware that rebuilding careers and patterns of work will be a long process in the context of a crisis that breeds a great deal of uncertainty.  We invite everyone to pray for the future of the Cathedral that we may be quick to discern new opportunities of ministry and service that enable us to contribute to the health and well-being of the wider community.  Please pray for all our staff who cannot now be employed by the Cathedral but whose contribution has been really valued.

You can read the whole statement here or view the statement made on Sunday 2 August 2020 to the congregation below:

Now we need your help

Can you help the Cathedral in its recovery by making a donation today? Anything you can give will make a real difference as we rebuild our operations and plan for the future. You can make a donation online here or email development@lichfield-cathedral.org if you would like to speak to someone in person.

Thank you

We are grateful for all of the support you have given us throughout this difficult time. Just by reading this information we are encouraged that you have been on this journey with us. Thank you for your prayers, your messages, and the many generous donations we have received already. We face significant challenges still ahead, but with your support we look forward with hope and a renewed sense of purpose to be a Cathedral at the heart of the community it serves.