Welcome to a Cathedral Notices ‘Lite’ edition. Our full Cathedral Notices return on Friday 2 September with reflections from Dean Anthony. Remember you can find the latest news and updates from our Facebook and Twitter, as well as on our website news page.

Highlights this week...

• The Wild Cathedral Sensory Garden – Daily until 3 September

• Yoga in The Wild Cathedral – Saturday 20 August

• A chance to have your say about our communications with you – take part in the Communications Survey

Upcoming dates for your diary…

• Late Nights at The Wild Cathedral – 26 August & 2 September

• Yoga at The Wild Cathedral – Saturday 27 August

Community News

The Wild Cathedral – Open daily

Explore with sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste, as the outside comes inside this summer at The Wild Cathedral. Explore our sensory garden experience, open every day until Saturday 3 September.

On Thursdays drop-in to one of our lavender bag making workshops, led by our volunteer flower guild. The next sessions will run on 25 August and Thursday 1 September at 11am-12pm and 2pm-4pm. There is a small cost of £1 to make your own bag.

Learn more about The Wild Cathedral here →

Yoga at The Wild Cathedral

Enjoy morning yoga in The Wild Cathedral, surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of the sensory garden. Led by local yoga practitioner Kat Waters. First session is this Saturday morning, with another session on Saturday 27 August, pre-booking is advised.

Book yoga online →

Late Nights at The Wild Cathedral

Explore the garden after dark, with light displays, a soundscape created in collaboration with folk artist Katie Spencer. Enjoy a drink and explore the Cathedral and sensory garden as it is transformed into a night time wonderland.

Learn more and book online →

Change to Saturday Services

From Saturday 3 September the main act of worship on Saturdays will be said Morning Prayer at 9:00am

Heritage Open Days – Free Tours & Activities

Join us on Saturday 10 September for our activity day themed around Astounding Inventions. There will be guided tours taking place exploring inventions such as the stained-glass windows and organ, as well as the Cathedral’s connection to Jonas Hannaway and his popularisation of the Umbrella.

Learn more →

Staff Changes

At the end of this month we bid farewell to our Administrative Assistants: Sara Clark and William Forrest. Sara leaves for a new role with Solent Academy after five years and Will, who has been providing temporary cover and who many will remember as a former member of the choirs, to study for a Masters in Arts Management. Recruitment for permanent roles will begin soon and details of temporary cover will be announced in the next notices.

We thank them both for their contribution to the Cathedral’s work and to Sara especially working through the challenging period of the pandemic.

Communication Survey – let us know your thoughts…

Thanks to everyone who has already contributed to this survey, you still have until 31 August to contribute your feedback. We’re continually looking at ways we can improve how we communicate with our congregation and community. To help us continuing with developing these communications, we would appreciate your time to provide feedback via our Communications Survey. The information gathered from this will be utilised in future communications, and all feedback whether it is good or bad, is most appreciated!

You can complete the survey online (5 mins), or you can collect a printed copy from the welcome desk in the Cathedral. The survey closes on 31 August, and we look forward to your feedback.

Complete the Communications Survey →

Joan Eddings

Many of you will know of Joan Eddings. She has been a life-long parishioner, is an institution in Old Portsmouth and was 100 years’ old earlier this year and is still going strong. As you might imagine she's had an interesting life which has been summarised in a 30-page booklet.

Numbers of the booklet are limited but you can get a copy by making a donation, which will go to the Rowans Hospice.
Copies available from Terry Halloran, 9 Hanover Court, Highbury Street. Phone 023 9281 8747. Any copies left will be available when the Cathedral Lunch Club (which she founded) re-starts on Monday 12 September.

Extended summer opening hours

Until 4 September , the Cathedral will be open from 10:00am until the completion of Evening Prayer/Evensong, around 6:15pm, Monday to Saturday. On Sundays the Cathedral will be open for the 8:00am service and will close directly after the completion of Evening Prayer/Evensong, around 6:15pm. The Cathedral Shop hours have also been extended for this period; click the link below to see more.

See more about visiting the cathedral →

Advisory: Exterior scaffolding

From 30 August until 16 September, exterior scaffolding will be erected on the southside of the Cathedral while the southside Nave wall is repointed We apologise for any inconvenience caused during this time. Works such as these, which were identified by the 2021 Quinquennial Inspection of the building,are essential to ensure our Cathedral for generations to come and are made possible thanks to your continued support.

Learn more about supporting the Cathedral →

Help for Ukrainian Refugees

Our diocese is continuing to work as a partner with the charity Citizens UK to offer accommodation to refugees who are fleeing from the conflict in Ukraine. They were already running a project to sponsor refugees before the Ukrainian crisis, and have partners in Ukraine, Moldova and Poland who can identify refugees and organise transport to the UK.
If you would like to know more, visit the Diocese website or speak to Canon Nick Ralph.

Foodbank Donations

Can you provide breakfasts for a struggling family? Over the school holidays, its never been more important to help families who may rely on school meals.

Our collection bins need filling so please help if you can...

• Cereals

• Long-life or powdered milk

• Tinned food eg. veg, meat, meals

• Nappies

Please bring your donations to the Foodbank collection point in the Welcome Area during the Cathedral’s daily opening hours.

Worship and Visiting

Portsmouth Cathedral is open daily for prayer, services and visiting. Booking is not required for services, unless otherwise indicated. You can find out more about visiting on our website, where you can also download orders of service.

New dates for Taizé

Taizé-style services at Portsmouth Cathedral this autumn will be on Sunday evenings starting at 8:00pm.

Read more and see dates →

Journeying with Christ - Sermon Series

The series of sermons by our Honorary Canons continues with Canon Judith Bee preaching at Choral Evensong on Sunday 4 September at 5:45pm. Judith is an assistant priest for Buriton in the Petersfield Benefice.

The following sermon series will be Canon Peter Hall preaching on Sunday 9 October at 5:45pm when the evening service will be a Eucharist (rather than Evensong). Peter is the Diocesan Director of Vocations and Ordinands.

Prayers and Intercessions

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Tom, Beverley, Richard, Jane, Alan, Amanda, Derek, Lucy, Jean, Alistair, John, Edda, Nina, and all those in need.

Long-term sick including: Alison, Clifford, Christopher, Jane, Melissa, Suzy, Bob, Sarah, Izzy, Andrew, Peter, and Rachel.

We pray for those who have died recently: Anna Harriman, Martin How, Rita Robinson, Patrick Symes, Gavin Simpson and John Pengel RIP.

Upcoming Services & Events

Getting in touch

Please feel free to get in touch if we can help in any way, or if you just want to hear another voice!

Get in touch with us by email to pastoral@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or leave a message via phone on 023 9282 3300.

News or story you’d like to share? Submit a notice 📰