Volunteering at Derby Cathedral

Our volunteer roles include:

Wardens and deputy wardens

The wardens role is to oversee and coordinate stewarding at all Cathedral services, ensuring a warm welcome, effective organisation, and the safety of everyone attending. This includes managing steward volunteers for regular and special services, weddings, funerals, and external events; arranging seating plans, and ensuring all stewarding activities follow agreed procedures and guidance. The role plays a large part in contributing to the smooth, safe, and pastoral operation of worship and events.

Bellringers

The bellringers support services, ceremonies, and special events through the skilled and reliable ringing of bells. The role involves attending regular practices and scheduled ringing and working safely and cooperatively as part of the ringing team. Bellringers also help care for the bells and ringing equipment, contribute to maintaining a welcoming and respectful atmosphere, and support the Cathedral’s mission by upholding its traditions, public presence, and community engagement through high standards of reliability, teamwork, and conduct. The ringers practice every Monday and Tuesday evening. 

Voluntary choir

The Voluntary Choir leads and enhances the worship of services through the regular singing of choral music of a high standard. Choir members commit to attending rehearsals and services as required, working collaboratively with the Assistant Director of Music and fellow choir members, contributing to a disciplined, respectful, and inclusive choral environment. The role involves maintaining high standards of musical preparation, reliability, appropriate conduct, and representing the Cathedral positively through participation in services, special occasions, and events. The Voluntary Choir rehearses on Friday nights.

Servers

The servers team assist clergy during services and religious ceremonies, helping to ensure that worship is conducted reverently, smoothly, and in accordance with Cathedral practice. The role involves attending services as required, carrying out practical liturgical duties such as preparing the altar, handling vessels and books, and assisting processions, while working attentively and cooperatively as part of the liturgical team. Servers are expected to act with reliability, respect, and dignity, to follow guidance, safeguarding, and health and safety requirements, and to contribute positively to the prayerful atmosphere and welcoming worship of the Cathedral.

Embroidery Workshop

The embroidery workshop contributes to the design, making, repair, and care of liturgical textiles and vestments. The role involves working collaboratively with the workshop team to undertake embroidery and textile tasks to an agreed standard, following guidance, patterns, and traditional techniques where appropriate. Team members help maintain a safe, orderly, and respectful workshop environment, handle materials and equipment carefully, and support the preservation of the Cathedral’s artistic and spiritual life by offering their skills and attention to detail. The Embroidery Workshop meet in the Cathedral every Thursday. 

Flower arrangers

The flower arrangers create and maintain floral arrangements in the Cathedral that enhance services, festivals, and special occasions. The role involves preparing, arranging, and caring for flowers according to the liturgical calendar and agreed guidelines, working collaboratively with the flower arranging team, and using materials and resources responsibly. Team members contribute their skills and creativity to uphold the Cathedral’s tradition of beauty and welcome. Flower arrangers meet in the Cathedral every Wednesday.

Ministry of Welcome team

The ministry of welcome team offer a warm and respectful welcome to all who enter the building. The role involves greeting visitors and worshippers, offering assistance and information, helping people find their way, and being attentive to those who may need additional support. Team members work collaboratively with staff and volunteers, uphold safeguarding, health and safety, and security procedures, and represent the Cathedral with sensitivity, kindness, and professionalism, helping to ensure that everyone feels safe, valued, and able to engage fully in the life and worship of the Cathedral.

Community Café

The community café help to provide a warm, safe, and welcoming café environment for all visitors, and runs every Tuesday morning. The role involves assisting with food and drink preparation and service, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards, offering friendly customer service, and working cooperatively with staff and volunteers. Team members help create an inclusive and respectful atmosphere, and contribute to the smooth day‑to‑day running of the café, helping it to be a valued space for connection, wellbeing, and hospitality within the wider community.

Concert and event stewards

The concert and events stewards support the Cathedral’s programme of events, and activities by helping to ensure they run smoothly and safely for all who attend. The role involves welcoming visitors and participants, providing clear information and guidance, assisting with seating and movement, monitoring the event space, and responding appropriately to any issues or incidents. Events stewards work as part of a team to uphold health and safety, safeguarding, and security procedures, and contribute to a positive visitor experience. Evening and weekend working is expected. 

Money Counters

The money counters supports the Cathedral’s financial stewardship by helping to ensure that all cash and monetary donations are handled, counted, recorded, and stored accurately, securely, and transparently. The role involves working as part of a small team to count income from services and other sources. Team members contribute to maintaining integrity, accountability, and good charity governance, and support the Cathedral’s commitment to responsible and trustworthy financial management.

Hospitality team

The hospitality team help to provide refreshments in a friendly and safe manner during Cathedral services and events, and after every Sunday Eucharist service. The role involves preparing and serving food and drinks, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards and welcoming visitors and members of the congregation. Team members contribute to creating a warm, inclusive atmosphere that encourages fellowship within the life of the Cathedral.

Service stewards

The service stewards assist worshippers and visitors before, during, and after worship. The role involves greeting and guiding people, helping with seating and movement within the building, distributing service materials, and responding calmly and appropriately to any practical issues that arise. Service stewards work as part of a team to uphold health and safety, safeguarding, and security procedures, and help create an atmosphere of hospitality, and inclusion that enables all to participate fully in worship.

Sunday School

The Sunday School helps children to explore faith, worship, and the Christian story in a safe, engaging, and age‑appropriate way. The role involves assisting with the planning and delivery of Sunday School sessions, welcoming and supervising children, supporting activities such as storytelling, discussion, prayer, and crafts, and working closely with the wider ministry team. Team members contribute to a positive and inclusive learning environment, and help ensure that children feel valued, supported, and encouraged to grow in faith as part of the Cathedral community.