Ripon Cathedral is planning a new communications initiative after receiving a grant of £53,400 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) .
The award will allow the Cathedral over the next year to develop an economically sustainable future business plan together with a new communications initiative as well as providing support for the training of staff and volunteers which together will attract increased numbers of visitors and pilgrims to the Cathedral.
Dean of Ripon, the Very Reverend John Dobson, welcomed the award. “I am delighted that Ripon Cathedral has secured a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help with its future development. The Cathedral is one of the most important heritage sites in the Region and now aims to allow many more people to access its unique history, its stories and its architecture.
“As Ripon Cathedral nears the 1350 years since its foundation by St Wilfrid in 672, this ancient and beautiful church is about to embark on the implementation of an exciting new strategy which will set the scene for the next stage of its development.”
Plans include building on the Cathedral’s unique association with Anglo Saxon saints during the period of the emergence of England as a nation to offer an enhanced visitor experience attracting a wider range of visitors to the North Yorkshire cathedral city.
Explaining the importance of HLF support, the Head of HLF in Yorkshire and the Humber, Fiona Spiers said: “This award will help Ripon Cathedral prepare for the future and increase their resilience. The coming year will see important developments at the Cathedral to help them to effectively protect the heritage for future generations.”