Conference Time… Book NOW!

on November 4, 2024

January 2025 – Cathedrals Plus Annual Conference in Peterborough – time to book!

There’s only 1 week to go until the Earlybird discounted rate expires! Book now! Your organisation can be invoiced once we receive your booking form, so fill in the form here now to secure your place…

Are you coming? It’s an unmissable event if your work involves welcoming, learning and/or hosting events at Christian sacred spaces across the country.

The Cathedrals Plus annual conference provides an opportunity to meet up with colleagues who share the same excitement about their work in organising tours, workshops, talks, exhibitions, education & school visits etc. It’s a fantastic CPD event for those in role as Visitor Welcome/Engagement staff plus all who facilitate learning of/about/in these sacred spaces.

Laura, at Westminster Abbey says:

“I’ve attended Cathedrals Plus Conferences for the past 22 years and have always found them by far the best source of training available to those of us who work in this most unusual environment. Meeting with like-minded people to share ideas, learn from each other and listen to the experts assembled to address us is always inspiring, thought-provoking and endlessly fascinating.”

Not only do we provide inspiring talks and interactive workshops at our conferences, there’s plenty of opportunities for networking, getting to know other and sharing each other’s experiences, ideas and resources. Meeting with colleagues is especially important for those of us who are working in small teams, where the time to talk through problems, work out possible solutions and support each other is vital.

Yvonne, at Liverpool Cathedral says:

“I was able to attend a Cathedral’s Plus conference in 2019, just after starting as education officer. It was a fantastic experience, enabling me to meet other likeminded people in similar roles and learn more about Cathedral education. I was very grateful for the warm welcome extended to me as a complete newbie! The virtual meetings I have been able to attend have also been really useful and I thoroughly enjoy being a part of the organisation.”

Our 2024 annual conference was held in January in Worcester – our first in-person conference after the Covid pandemic restrictions. It was a huge success, and I cannot stress enough how much all delegates valued the time together – physically together – to have fun, eat well, and take away lots of ideas, actions and resources to re-use, adapt and explore back at their own workplace environment.

When asked, ‘What was of most benefit to you on this conference?’ , Worcester delegates responded:

“Really enjoyed the workshops I attended. So amazing and inspiring what other cathedrals have achieved: gave me so much to take back”

“Informal conversations; thoughts on how to approach contested heritage”

“The opportunity for discussion with colleagues – sharing difficulties”

“It gives me a bit of space to think about the overall direction of the learning & public programme. I find talking to my colleagues from other cathedrals really inspiring & supportive”

The Cathedrals Plus Council have rejoiced in all the positive feedback we received from the Worcester conference, and we’ve also responded to requests. Our theme for our 2025 conference is Journeys: travelling together through faith. This conference will be hosted at Peterborough Cathedral, and focuses on how our sacred spaces underpin individual, collective and inter-faith spiritual journeys, both as inspiration and destination. Our workshops and speakers will address topics such as

contested heritage and the experience of GMH visitors to churches and cathedrals
providing sensory spaces for the needs of neuro-diverse students
the ‘F’ word (free)
balancing the secular and the spiritual
The Pilgrim’s Journey with the British Pilgrimage Trust

Plus many more thought-provoking sessions and practical resource-sharing opportunities.

The last few details for our conference programme are just being finalised and will be published soon…AND here’s the link to our booking form. If the abbey, cathedral, minster, or greater church where you work is a member of Cathedrals Plus, you can still benefit from the discounted Earlybird rate if you book your place before 13^th November. If your organisation isn’t a member, you can still book! You are very welcome to join us – for all the workshops, talks, tours, discussions; to enjoy the networking, the conference dinner and the regional support groups’ sessions as well!