The Trustees of The Rochester Cathedral Trust
Kate Fenwick DL
Chair of Trustees
“It is always very rewarding as a Trust to see our fundraising successes come to fruition.
Architect plans have been drawn up and the long awaited and eagerly anticipated Song School has now entered its first phase. The interior has recently been painted and we hope the Choristers will be able to move in after October half term. The lovely spacious light room will be hugely appreciated and enjoyed by Adrian Bawtree and his talented choirs before the next works begin.
The Cathedral Estates and Gardens continue to go from strength to strength with its creative planting and our Open Garden days during the summer were sold out. The outside toilets, kindly sponsored by Colyer Fergusson, are now built and near completion with the help of our enthusiastic volunteers from Mid Kent College. This will allow many visitors, educational and wellbeing projects to flourish.
Our supporters have enjoyed many highlights during the summer including a private tour by Ptolemy Dean of the Jubilee Galleries at Westminster Abbey; a quintessential Summer’s evening in the private gardens at Knole, very kindly hosted by Robert and Jane Sackville; a visit to the Royal Engineers Officers’ Mess and the Museum, providing a rare insight into the history of the Royal Engineers, thanks to Brig Nick Baveystock, one of our trustees; and a fascinating and informative walk around historic Rochester and many of its hidden treasures and gems.
We are hugely grateful to all those who support us in helping to realise our ambitious plans for preserving the building and enhancing Rochester Cathedral’s outreach programme.”
The Very Rev’d Dr Philip Hesketh AKC DL
Appointed to Rochester Cathedral as Canon Pastor in 2005, Philip had a special responsibility for heritage and interpretation. He was appointed Dean in June 2016. He is a Kent Ambassador and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Kent in 2019.
Brigadier Nick Baveystock DL
Nick has spent over 40 years leading major programmes in the engineering and infrastructure sector: both in UK and overseas. Until 2023 he was Director General of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a post he took up after leaving the Army. He lives in Kent surrounded by animals.
Canon Chris Dench
The Rev’d Canon Chris Dench is the Canon for Worship and Spirituality here at Rochester Cathedral. Prior to Ordination Chris trained as a General Nurse at Southampton University Hospital.
He has been an Honorary Canon of Rochester Cathedral for 8 years, a member of the Cathedral Council and regular member of the Cathedral congregation.
Canon Ralph Godsall
Ralph Godsall is a Canon Emeritus of Rochester and a Priest Vicar at Westminster Abbey. He was Precentor of Rochester Cathedral from 2001-2008.
Sue Hart
Chair of Fundraising Committee
Sue worked in the City for twenty years in executive recruitment and financial services, before moving to the medical charity The Wellcome Trust in 1992. She has been involved with the Cathedral since 2012.
Canon Paul Hudson
Paul was first appointed as lay member of the Chapter in 2009 and a lay canon of the Cathedral in 2021. As well as a member of the Cathedral Trust he is also a member of the Cathedral’s Finance Committee and chairs the Capital Projects Board and is a peer reviewer of other cathedrals. His professional interests are in planning as the former Chief Planner for England, economic development, heritage and regeneration and in that capacity is a trustee of Chatham Historic Dockyard and Creative Folkestone.
Lars Lemonius
Chair of Gundulf Society
Lars Lemonius worked in the City of London for 20 years. He was an investment banker and proprietary trader at the US investment bank Morgan Stanley and then founded his own financial services firm. Since leaving the City in 2014, Lars has pursued interests in mathematics and cabinet making.
Remony Millwater
I grew up in Hoo and regularly attended the Cathedral as a child, I now live in Sandwich ( a bit further away) but was delighted to be invited to join the Trust and support the Cathedral which has a very special place in my heart. I was High Sheriff of Kent in 2020 and enjoyed a close relationship with the Dean and Cathedral during that difficult Covid year, including recording a special service for the Blue Light Services.
I am also a Kent Ambassador and enjoy supporting local and national charities, and am particularly involved with fundraising for the Pilgrims Hospices and Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Richard Oldfield OBE DL
Richard Oldfield is a former investment manager and is trustee of several charities. He lives in Doddington.
Russell Race JP DL
Graduating as an economist, Russell spent the majority of his career with a stockbroking firm in the City of London, principally as a director in corporate finance. Since early retirement he has been a non-executive director with a number of public and private companies. He chairs the foundation Trustees of the Mathematical School in Rochester; is a past Senior Warden of the Rochester Bridge Trust, on which he still sits; and is also a member of the Rochester Cathedral Council. A former Court chairman at Medway Magistrates’ Court, Russel is also President of the Friends of Medway Archives and a Liveryman of the Glazier's' Company. High Sheriff of Kent 2022-2023
Victoria Wallace DL
Victoria Wallace is the former Director General of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Chief Executive of Leeds Castle.
Sir David Wootton KStJ
Sir David Wootton has been an Alderman of the City of London since 2005, and was the 684th Lord Mayor of London 2011-2012. He is a lawyer by profession, a partner in international law firm Allen & Overy from 1979 to 2015, advising on corporate finance transactions and corporate governance.
Michael Wooldridge
Michael has been a land agent for 30 years in Kent managing rural estates for both private and institutional clients including the Diocese’s glebe and clergy houses portfolio. Michael is head of Savills in Sevenoaks and is a Kent CLA Committee Member, Parish Councillor and President of Sevenoaks Rugby Club.
