Anyone with a flair for communication, a passion for history and a love of Peterborough Cathedral is invited to consider training as a volunteer Tour Guide, starting this October.
The ten session training course begins on 9th October 2019 and runs until 15th January 2020, with eight Wednesday evening sessions about the Cathedral and its history, followed by two afternoon sessions focussed on the practical skills needed to be a tour guide.
The informal and inter-active course will be led by Canon Tim Alban Jones and is open free of charge to anyone who is interested in volunteering their services as a leader of Cathedral guided tours after the course.
The Cathedral’s Volunteer Coordinator, Ed Bailey, said:
“There is huge demand for Cathedral Tours, hence the need to train a new cohort of guides. There will be no course work or assessment for the first eight sessions, other than a voluntary short talk in session seven which will give a ‘taster’ of being a Cathedral Guide.”
A note of the session dates and themes is given below. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and anyone who is interested is asked to get in touch by Tuesday 1st October at the latest. The person to contact is Ed Bailey on 01733 355304 or by email at volunteer.coordinator@peterborough-cathedral.org.uk.
Peterborough Cathedral Guides Course, 2019-2020
1. Wednesday October 9th, 7.00 – 9.00pm
Introduction
Peterborough as a place of worship
Benedictine monasticism
The first two abbeys
2. Wednesday October 16th, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
The third abbey
including: building techniques, the roof, the west front
3. Wednesday October 23rd, 7.00 – 9.00pm
The Reformation
Dissolution and New Foundation
Katharine of Aragon and Mary, Queen of Scots
October 30th (no meeting) Half term
4. Wednesday November 6th, 7.00 – 9.00pm
The Civil War
5. Wednesday November 13th, 7.00 – 9.00pm
Restorations in the 18th-19th Centuries
including: the tower crisis; the tesserae pavement, choir stalls and organ
6. Wednesday November 20th, 7.00 – 9.00pm
20th Century to the present day
7. Wednesday November 27th, 7.00 – 9.00pm
Practical session (short talks by course participants on various aspects of the cathedral)
8. Wednesday December 4th, 7.00 – 9.00 pm
What’s God got to do with it?
Recap and summary
Christmas break
9. Wednesday January 8th, 2.00 – 4.00pm
In the Cathedral
Guiding techniques and short presentations by participants
10. Wednesday January 15th, 2.00 – 4.00pm
In the Cathedral
Guiding techniques and short presentations by participants