Volunteer with us

From the warm smiles that greet visitors at the entrance to the meticulous care taken in preserving the Cathedral's historic artefacts, our volunteers embody the spirit of service and community.

For many, volunteering brings an invaluable opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills.

We are very fortunate at Chichester Cathedral to have a wonderful community of around 300 dedicated volunteers who gift us their time, skills, and enthusiasm to help keep our Cathedral running smoothly for 365 days a year - some of whom have been volunteering with us for over 30 years! There are a lot of ways to get involved, take a look below or contact me for more information.

Carolyn Atkinson, Volunteer & HR Co-ordinator

carolyn.atkinson@chichestercathedral.org.uk

(01243) 812983

Two welcomers say hello to a man and his dog

Hospitality

Discover a range of hospitality-based volunteering opportunities at Chichester Cathedral, including roles as Welcomers, Guides, Stewards, Servers, Day Chaplains, Retail Assistants and Outreach.

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A flower arranger arranging a white floral display

Creative

Explore creative volunteer opportunities. Engage in the art of centuries-old bell ringing, craft beautiful floral arrangements and weave intricate threads through embroidery.

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Cathedral librarians sit around a table full of old books

Looking after the Cathedral

Find out about numerous volunteering opportunities to contribute to the upkeep of the Cathedral and its grounds. Your involvement in these roles will play a vital part in the ongoing care of this sacred space.

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The spire of the Cathedral behind full green trees

Creative Learning and Discovery

Creative Learning and Discovery volunteer roles involve engaging with visitors and local communities in line with the Cathedral's mission.

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Volunteering FAQs

Why should I volunteer?

Volunteering at Chichester Cathedral is a unique chance to give back to the community. As a volunteer, you contribute your time (as little or as much as you wish) and passion to preserve cultural heritage. Whether guiding visitors or helping keep the Cathedral clean, every effort nurtures a sense of unity and shared responsibility.

Make new friends: You'll be working alongside many different people, from staff and volunteers to congregations and visitors, there's always someone to say hello!
Use and perfect your existing skills: Apply and improve your existing skills in a practical setting. Whether you're good at communication, organisation, hands-on work or customer service, the Cathedral offers a unique environment to put these skills into practice.
Develop new skills: With various tasks and responsibilities, volunteering gives you a chance to learn new skills for personal and professional development. Any necessary role requirements will be clearly stated in the role description. All volunteers are given an induction and if necessary you will also get training for your role.

Who can volunteer?

We welcome volunteers from all faiths, or none, and all backgrounds to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. We look for our volunteers to be:

Open-minded and inclusive.
Approachable and confident in interacting with others.
Positive, adaptable and willing to help.
Punctual and dependable.
Empathetic of the Cathedral's mission.

Equal Opportunities

We value the diversity of our community and we are committed to ensuring that Chichester Cathedral plays an active role in promoting greater diversity and equality within the Church of England. To achieve this goal, we are working hard to diversify our volunteer base and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and needs.

How do I apply for a volunteer role?

Want to join us? Great! To apply, please complete the Volunteer Application Form below and send it to E: carolyn.atkinson@chichestercathedral.org.uk or call 01243 812983. Volunteers will be given an induction with training and support for their role.

volunteer application form

Additional information

To find out more or have an informal chat, please contact our Volunteer and HR Co-ordinator Carolyn Atkinson below:

carolyn.atkinson@chichestercathedral.org.uk

Who can volunteer and how do you select?:

Anyone can apply to be a volunteer with us. Our decisions on who we involve and the role they do is based first and foremost on their skills and experience, matching motivations, and expectations, which we assess when we meet you for an informal chat. We welcome applications from people of all interests, abilities, backgrounds, and communities.
Volunteering is open to individuals aged 18 and above, except for work experience, where we will require a discussion with your school and parent/guardian.

Do I need a particular skill set to volunteer?

It all depends on which role you wish to take on. Our Welcome team need to have great interpersonal skills; our Retail team must have solid customer service skills and our Outreach team need to be well organised and able to help families to get the most out of Cathedral events. We are always willing to help upskill our volunteers but the number one criteria you must tick to volunteer with us is being willing to give it your all!

Volunteering for all:

We want to make the Cathedral a welcoming place for everyone who wishes to volunteer with us. If you have any questions or concerns about the role, working conditions or the environment, especially if you have an impairment, condition, mental health issue, learning disability or neurodiversity, please contact E: carolyn.atkinson@chichestercathedral.org.uk T: (01243) 812983. We may not be able to meet all your needs, but we will do our best to work with you and make reasonable adjustments that would enable you to volunteer with us.

What is the expected time commitment?:

Each role description includes the recommended time commitment, providing you with a general idea of what might be expected in the role, we aim to be as flexible as possible, it could be a one-off, short or longer term commitment.

Do you offer expenses?:

Chichester Cathedral values the contribution of time that our volunteers’ gift to us and recognises that their contribution is central to our Vision. But our finances are limited and we are immensely grateful to those volunteers who gift their time but also expenses which they do not claim. However, we are conscious that there are some people who would like to volunteer with us but who feel unable to do so because they are existing on limited means. If this applies to you, please contact: E: carolyn.atkinson@chichestercathedral.org.uk T: (01243) 812983.to discuss.

I’m receiving benefits, am I able to volunteer?

Certainly, we recommend informing your Benefits Office about your volunteering activities.

click here for guidance on volunteering and claiming benefits

Will I need references?

Yes, we will ask you to provide details of two referees. Your referees should be an employer, a colleague or someone else who knows you well. A member of your own family or someone already associated with the Cathedral (i.e., another volunteer or paid member of staff) cannot act as a referee.

Criminal Records(Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974):

We are required to ask you about any unspent convictions as part of our duty of care to other volunteers, our staff, members of the Cathedral Community, visitors to our Cathedral and others. A criminal conviction will not necessarily prevent you from becoming a volunteer; the decision will depend on the type of offence and its relevance to the volunteering role. Some roles will also require full criminal record checks.

If you do have any unspent convictions please include details in a sealed envelope. If you would like to discuss any convictions you may have, please contact the HR Manager:

val.timlin@chichestercathedral.org.uk

Safeguarding

Chichester Cathedral is committed to equal opportunities and to the safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults, and the care and nurture of children within our church communities. We will carefully select, train and support all those with any responsibility within the organisation, in line with Safer Recruitment principles.

For further details, please contact the Volunteer and HR Co-ordinator

carolyn.atkinson@chichestercathedral.org.uk

read our Safeguarding information

See our current volunteer vacancies

Volunteer vacancies