Canon for worship and Spirituality

The Rev’d Canon Christopher Dench

Prior to Ordination Chris trained as a General Nurse at Southampton University Hospital. He studied theology at Salisbury & Wells Theological College and was ordained in 1991 at Rochester Cathedral and served his curacy at St Paulinus Church, Crayford. Following his curacy, he was Rector of Leybourne for twelve years during which time he took on a dual role ministry as Lay Training Adviser. In 2010 he was appointed as full time Director of Formation and Ministry. 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. For 13 years he served as the Chair of Governors of Bennett Memorial Diocesan School and more recently as a Trustee and Chair of St Augustine’s College of Theology. 

Chris is married Viv who works with students with Special Educational Needs in main stream secondary education. They have two grown up sons, both living away from home but still in Kent, who regularly enjoy visiting and staying at Easter Garth.

CANON CHANCELLOR

The Rev’d Canon Dr Gordon Giles

Gordon studied Music at Lancaster University, and Philosophy, and then theology at Magdalene College and Ridley Hall, Cambridge before being ordained in 1995.  He served his curacy at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Cambridge, and then served as Succentor of St Paul’s Cathedral between 1998-2003 before becoming Vicar of St Mary Magdalene’s, Enfield (London).  Between 2008-2019 he was also Director of Post-Ordination Training in the Edmonton Area of London Diocese.   Gordon’s doctorate is in hymnology and he is an Editor of Ancient and Modern (2013), The Revised English Hymnal (2023) and is Chairman of the English Hymnal Company, and has written several Lent and Advent books for the Bible Reading Fellowship (BRF) as well as being Editor of their 'New Daylight' notes. 

Gordon arrived in Rochester in June 2020 with wife Jessica and daughter Maria, and Shih Tzu dogs Leo and Lexi.

ReSIDENTIARY Canon

The Rev’d Canon Sue Brewer

Sue was ordained in 2002.  All of her ministry has been based in Rochester Diocese. She served in parishes in Dartford, Gravesend and Borstal before her retirement from parish ministry in 2021; and also as Area Dean of Gravesend between 2013 and 2018.

She was brought up in Buckinghamshire and after reading maths and philosophy at Oxford University trained as a Chartered Accountant, before taking a career break when her children were young, during which time she served as a Diocese of Rochester Pastoral Assistant. 

Sue is married to Jeremy. They have 3 grown-up children and 4 grandchildren. Sue and Jeremy live in their home in Rochester which they share with Bodie the border collie.

LAY MEMBER OF CATHEDRAL CHAPTER

Colin Lovell

Colin grew up in Sussex and went to university in London and Nottingham. He moved to Kent with his wife Jill and two children in 1993 having worked as a town planner for local authorities in Leicestershire and Warwickshire. He continued his planning career with Rochester and Medway Councils and then at Transport for London where he advised two London Mayors on the transport implications of major development proposals. He finished his career at the Diocese of London in its major development areas team. He worships at St Paul’s Parkwood, one of the three churches in the parish of South Gillingham. He has been church warden and served on the District and Parochial Church Councils. He helps run an after-school club, King’s Squad, for the Family Trust at Parkwood Junior School. He has particular interest in outreach especially to families and men and is on the Rochester Archdeaconry Steering Group.

Lay Member of Cathedral Chapter

Paul Francis

Born in South East London in the parish of Father Potter of Peckham. Completed education at Southend High School. Qualified as a Chartered Surveyor and went into industry as commercial director for Pilkington, Managing Director in manufacturing company and Commercial Director of Securicor Justice. Currently and past 15 years Managing Director of Vercity’s Major projects business overseeing £6 billion of contracts delivering outsourced services to government departments. Spent 7 years as church warden in Southend on Sea including an 18-month interregnum! For the past 15 years as an honorary professor lecturing at UCL Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction currently in digital innovation in built asset management. A co-author of a book on strategic facilities management.  

A worshipping member of the cathedral community and its prayer ministry. Married to Alisoun an Anglican priest living in Maidstone with all the children and grandchildren some distance away. Interests include reading and travelling but mainly helping others to achieve.     

Lay Member of Cathedral Chapter

David L Samuels

David L. Samuels has 30 years professional experience in senior leadership, strategy development, organizational development to his executive coaching and leadership development practice. His last leadership position was at the largest Utility company in California.

David is a native of London, England where he earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Surrey. He has completed significant post-graduate work in Organizational Psychology and Leadership Development at London Business School, and has earned certificates in leadership coaching and emotional intelligence training. He is currently consulting and coaching with both for-profit and non-profit industries, higher-education, law enforcement and religious institutions. In addition, he is TED speaking coach, a keynote speaker at conferences, mediation and conflict resolution expert, and workshop facilitator. David is a founding member of Civitas Pasadena, an inaugural member of the Conscious Leadership Guild, trustee at Flintridge Preparatory School, DEl Oversight Committee Chair at Westridge School, Trustee at Pasadena Waldorf School, and board member at The Elizabeth House in Pasadena.

Lay Member of Cathedral Chapter

Ellen Couzens

Ellen grew up in Kent, and qualified as a Legal Executive, specialising in Property Law.

She spent several years as a Community First Responder with South East Coast Ambulance Service, providing emergency medical care to patients. A separate part of that role involved teaching CPR to individuals and groups, a task she still enjoys. Wanting to care for staff as well as patients, she started her ministry training and became Chaplain to her colleagues in Medway. She is now part of the senior chaplaincy team within SECAmb and spends time on call for the Trust's several thousand staff.

Ellen was licenced as a Licenced Lay Minister in Rochester Cathedral in 2021. In 2022 she became a Cathedral Chaplain and loves her days on duty, getting to know staff, volunteers and visitors. She is a Trustee of Kent Workplace Mission, an ecumenical charity providing and promoting chaplains in the workplace. Along with her fellow chaplains and trustees, she shares a commitment to connecting faith and community.

Ellen has lived in Medway for twenty years, and her home is now in Rochester with her husband, teenage son (who is also a Cathedral bellringer) and three cats. She sings with a local singing group, and spends any spare moments reading or painting.

Lay Member of Cathedral Chapter

Barbara Chinamasa

Barbara joined Chapter as a Non-executive member in November 2023. She has worked in the NHS for over 25 years in different roles as a Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse, Clinical Risk Manager and is currently the Head of Legal Services at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. She read law at University of Kent at Canterbury and is a Solicitor who specialises in healthcare law. She has over 15 years’ experience providing legal advice and representing clients at coroner’s inquests. 

Over and above that, Barbara has a passion for intercession and is a member of Esthers for the nations, an interdenominational prayer ministry. Her resident place of worship is at St Philip and St James’ Church in Walderslade, Chatham where she serves in a variety of roles such as coordinating Sunday services, stewarding and prayer ministry.

 Her interests include exploring God’s creation through travel.

Chief Operating officer

Simon Lace

Simon originally hails from Lancashire but has lived in the south-east for over 30 years, the last 20 of them in Bearsted with his wife Sally and children Jack and Hannah. 

Simon joined the Cathedral in January 2017. Prior to this his career has been spent working in heritage and tourism, mainly in the local authority sector. He has held managerial positions in museum and heritage services in Stockport, Bolton, east and west London and Maidstone. His last position was Heritage Services Manager at Medway Council, responsible for the Guildhall Museum, the Medway Archives service and Upnor and Rochester Castles.

He’s a keen armchair sportsman but still manages to get on the ski slopes every year.

HEAD of Operations

Colin Tolhurst
Colin is responsible for operations at Rochester Cathedral. He manages the teams responsible for Catering, Education, Events, Exhibitions and Retail. He is also responsible for other operational areas including Health and Safety and Maintenance.

Head Verger

Joseph Miller Joe is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Cathedral and its team of vergers and cleaners. Joe's duties include preparation of the Cathedral for services and events, care of vestments, plate and valuables, the upkeep of statutory registers and planning for services.

HEAD OF ADMINISTRATION AND DEAN’S PA

Kay Williams
Kay is the Personal Assistant to the Dean in addition to managing the Administration Department which provides administrative support across all departments of the Cathedral office.  The Head of Administration also manages the work of the HR Administrator and the Fundraising Administrator who supports the Rochester Cathedral Trust.  The Head of Administration is a member of the Cathedral’s Senior Management Group (SMG).

Commercial and Marketing Manager

Rebecca Peachey

Rebecca looks after marketing and communications including social media and the website. She is also responsible for leading on ticketing and project managing key public events.

Learning manager

Helen Bradshaw 
Helen, assisted by an enthusiastic group of volunteers, heads up the Cathedral’s Learning Team. Around 13,000 students visit annually to take part in our exciting and varied learning programme. The team also facilitates a growing number of family and adult learning events.

Find out more about bringing a school group

Volunteer manager

Sandy Struben

Sandy leads the Volunteer teams who welcome Visitors, offer Guided Tours and support Cathedral Staff in the day to day running of the Cathedral. If you have spare time you are always welcome to contact her with a view to volunteering in this historic place.

Find out more about volunteering