Who's Who at the Cathedral

Acting Dean
The Rev'd Dr Philip Hesketh
Philip spent his childhood on the "gem of God's earth", otherwise known as the Isle of Man, and came to the big city in 1983 to study Divinity at King's College, London.  Before ordination he worked with the homeless in South London and served his curacy in the Diocese of Canterbury.  As Canon Pastor, Philip has both a pastoral and an educational brief, with particular care and oversight of visitors and pilgrims to the Cathedral.  With four young children, he has a special interest in developing the Cathedral's work with young people within the Cathedral context and wider community.  Philip is a Governor of King's School and a Governor and Trustee of Sir Joseph Williamsons' Mathematical School, Rochester.

Archdeacon of Rochester
The Venerable Simon Burton-Jones
Simon was born and brought up in Lancashire where much of his family still lives. He holds a degree in law from Emmanuel College, Cambridge and two theology degrees from Nottingham University.

He spent several years prior to ordination working for the Jubilee Centre in Cambridge where he met Julia. They were married in 1989 and have two children in Tim and Helena.

Simon was first ordained in 1993 and has been Vicar of St. Mary’s Church, Bromley and Rector of St. Nicholas Church, Chislehurst. In January 2010 he became the Archdeacon of Rochester and Residentiary Canon of Rochester Cathedral.

He was trustee of both the Jubilee Centre and the Relationships Foundation for ten years.

His only real achievement in life was to get a quote in an all-time book of cricket quotations. He reads widely and loves sport from his slumped position on a sofa, supporting Blackpool FC and Lancashire CCC. He still grieves the ending of TV’s The West Wing and spends an entirely unjustifiable amount of time watching The Simpsons.

Simon is a member of the Bishop's Senior Staff, with a variety of responsibilities across the diocese.

Canon Missioner
The Rev'd Canon Jean Kerr
Jean was born in Harrow-on-the-Hill, but has spent most of her life "up north".  Her early working life was in banking, where she found she was more interested in people than their money!  She trained as a teacher in Durham, where she met her husband Paul who was training there for ordination.    Jean comes to Cathedral life having spent eight years working in Ministry and Training both as Lay Training Advisor and Warden of Evangelists.   She has a passion for rock and roll, creative story telling and seeing people reach their full potential in Christ.  Her role as missioner is to help the Cathedral to be continually looking out to where the activity of God's Kingdom can be discerned, and encouraging people to join in it.  She is also Bishop's Officer for the department of Mission and Unity.

Canon Precentor
The Rev'd Neil Thompson
Neil was born and brought up in the south of England in a Scottish family setting, thereby perhaps enjoying the best of all worlds! He studied at Durham and Leicester universities and taught history in a grammar school and sixth form college before ordination. He is married to Ruth and they have three children and seven grandchildren scattered between West Sussex and north Northumberland. He has served in five parishes across the diocese of Southwark and enjoys the creative arts (particularly opera), tennis, walking, reading and many other things including hymn writing! (his website is www.houndofheaven.co.uk)

As Precentor he is ‘the one who sings first’: the member of the Chapter with responsibility for overseeing the cathedral’s ministry of worship in liturgy and music. The daily rhythm of prayer and worship, and the remarkable resources of the cathedral in its musicians and spaces, provide an exciting ministry whereby human lives are caught up in the divine drama. In this context the diocese is served, community life refreshed and theology forged anew.

Lay Member of Cathedral Chapter

Professor Vaughan Grylls
Vaughan is a practising artist. He joined the Chapter in September 2006 having been involved through the Fabric Advisory Committee and the Cathedral Council for some time.
For nine years Vaughan was Director of the Kent Institute of Art & Design. In 2005 he became the founding Chief Executive of the University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone & Rochester and at that point decided to retire from Higher Education to return full time to his own art.'

Lay Member of Cathedral Chapter

Dr Jane Broadbent

Jane (nee Craig) was born in Rochester.  The eldest of four daughters, she grew up in the Medway Towns, where her parents still live.  She works as an Associate Specialist Physician in Palliative Care at the Wisdom Hospice, Rochester. She is married to Hugh, who has been a Parish Priest in the Rochester Diocese for the last 29 years.  They live in Bromley, where Hugh is serving in a Dual Role Ministry as Priest in Charge of St John the Evangelist, Bromley and Chaplain of St Olave’s Grammar School, Orpington.  Jane and Hugh have two children, Christopher and Sarah, who are both at university.  In her spare time she enjoys playing her ‘cello and vegetarian cookery.

Lay Member of Cathedral Chapter
Paul Hudson
Paul Hudson was appointed a lay member of the Chapter in October 2010. He is a Commissioner in the national Infrastructure Planning Commission and was appointed chairman of the South East Committee of the Heritage Lottery Fund in April 2010. Until 2009 he was a civil servant in the Department for Communities and Local Government where he was Director of Delivery in the Thames Gateway Executive, having been appointed the Government's Chief Planner in 2006.

Prior to that he was Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure at the South East England Development Agency, Chief Executive of Locate in Kent, City Technical Director of Rochester upon Medway City Council, Divisional Director at the Travers Morgan Consulting Group and held a variety of planning and economic development posts at Kent County Council.

He lives in Maidstone with his wife Jan who is Treasurer of the PCC of St Paul's Maidstone. Their two children are now grown up and both married and they have a recent granddaughter.

Director of Operations
Dr Edwina Bell
Edwina is the Director of Operations for the Cathedral providing business and management support to the Cathedral Chapter with responsibility for finance, human resources, estates, fabric, administration and Rochester Cathedral Enterprises, as well as acting as Chapter Clerk and providing support to the Chapter committees.  Edwina has previous management experience in the private and not- for-profit sector, as well as in education.  She comes from Yorkshire and misses the hills.

Pioneer Curate
Rob Ryan
Rob was born in London and grew up in Weymouth where he became a Christian just before his 18th birthday. He is married to Sarah and they have 3 children, Tom, Beth and Joe.

Rob trained as a teacher and after teaching for a few years, mainly with students with behaviour difficulties, moved into Christian youth work and for the last 15 years has worked with Youth for Christ initially as director of Gillingham YFC and more recently as an area manager for the southern half of the country.

He is a long suffering Gillingham FC fan and, with his 2 boys, is a proud season ticket owner.

As Pioneer Curate Rob is looking forward to learning from the rest of the staff while he is at the Cathedral. He is passionate about Christian mission and looking for innovative ways to help people connect with a God who is fully committed to a relationship with them. As Pioneer Curate Rob will be looking to establish a new community of people who wish to follow Jesus Christ.

Director of Music
Scott Farrell
Scott is responsible for the music at all Cathedral services.  He trains and directs the Boys' Choir and oversees the Girls' Choir and Cathedral Voluntary Choir.  He is also responsible for developing the Cathedral's Music Outreach. Scott was previously Director of Music at Newcastle Cathedral and before that Assistant Organist at Ely and St. Edmundsbury Cathedrals.

Assistant Director of Music
Samuel Rathbone

Samuel runs and directs the Girls' Choir, and is responsible for playing the organ for weekday services.  He shares in departmental administration, including the organization of choir tours, concerts and recordings, and is responsible for the Cathedral Music Library.

Cathedral Organist
Roger Sayer
Having been Director of Music for 14 years, Roger has now taken up the part-time position of Cathedral Organist.  He is responsible for playing for weekend services, for organising Organ Recitals and for the maintenance and tuning of the Organs and Pianos.  Roger is constantly in demand as a recitalist both as a soloist and as part of the Midas Touch Organ Duo. On top of this busy schedule he is an examiner for the Associated Board, adjudicator for the British Federation of Music Festivals, and is accompanist to the London Symphony Chorus.

Director of the Cathedral Voluntary Choir
Douglas Henn-Macrae
The Voluntary Choir was formed in August 2008; many of its members were previously in the Cathedral Special Choir, which sang its last services in July 2008. It is directed by Douglas Henn-Macrae, who is also a Deputy Lay Clerk, having been, until recently, the Senior Lay Clerk.

The Michael James Organ Scholar
Stephanie Bec
The Organ Scholarship is shared between the Cathedral and King's School, Rochester. At the Cathedral, Stephanie shares in playing the organ for daily services, and takes a share of the department administration. At the school, she assists the Music Staff in Orchestras and Choirs.

Choral Scholars
The three Choral Scholars are students or recent graduates, who sing for the majority of the Cathedral's Choral Services.
Toby Forster
William Hamilton-Box
David Hansford (website)

Head Verger
Colin Tolhurst
Responsible for day-to-day management of the Cathedral and Precinct.  Leads and manages the team of vergers and cleaners.  Supervision of maintenance and building projects.  Responsible for security of Cathedral and Precinct.   Liturgical duties include preparation of the cathedral for services and events; care of vestments, cathedral plate and valuables.   Keeping of statutory registers.  Member of the Guild of Vergers.

Education Officers
Liz Simmons & Helen Bradshaw
Liz and Helen, assisted by a group of volunteers, head the Cathedral’s Education team to deliver the education service to over 17,000 visiting students each year. They are responsible for creating resources, support material and education programmes for the Cathedral. Liz is a member of the Local Authority Statutory Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) and the Rochester Diocesan Children’s Committee.

Bookings Officer
Lisa Parish
Lisa oversees the booking process for all services and events apart from school visits.

Tea Rooms Manager
Helen Bannister
The Tea Rooms are part of Rochester Cathedral Enterprises and Helen is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Tea Rooms and paid and volunteer staff.