Governance & Chapter
Truro Cathedral received charitable status on 12 April 2024 (registered charity number 1207821). You can view or download the Constitution and Statutes by clicking the buttons below:
Its Board of Trustees is known as the Chapter. The Trustees are -
As a former teacher and headteacher in inner-city contexts, Dean Simon Robinson has a wide experience in education, strategic leadership and change management. In the church, he has been involved in the work of discerning vocations to the ordained ministry, pioneering ministry, spiritual direction, supporting clergy and is the Superior of an internationally dispersed community of priests, men and women, called The Sodality of Mary.
Helen Davies lives in Launceston and is a solicitor specialising in business and agricultural property. She is active within the parish, a director of Launceston Foodbank and Launceston Money Advice Centre, serves on the Deanery and Diocesan Synods and is ordained. She brings her legal skills and experience in education, compliance and governance to Chapter.
Daphne Skinnard is a lay chapter canon and was appointed in 2015. She is the chapter representative for the Friends of Truro Cathedral and brings a wealth of marketing and media skills, from her work with BBC Radio Cornwall. She was awarded a fellowship by Falmouth University in 2013 for her outstanding contribution to broadcasting.
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Canon Alan Bashforth, who joined the cathedral in 2014. He is Canon Pastor and and sits on the Finance and Audit Committee. He has a wealth of experience in the wider life of the Church.
Robert Perry has been a Chapter member since 2018, having been a regular worshipper in the cathedral since 1986. For much of that time, he has been Secretary of St Mary’s PCC and of the Cathedral Council and is also a Lay Assistant and one of the cathedral bellringers. By profession, he was a chartered surveyor, and for most of his career worked for Cornwall County Council.
Jeff James was appointed in 2022. He spent 30 years as a senior manager in the NHS, five of which were in Cornwall. He was ordained in Gloucester Cathedral in 2001 and spent 12 years as a self-supporting minister in that Diocese before becoming Priest in Charge at Mylor. He retired from incumbent ministry in 2020.
Trelawny Williams was appointed in 2025. He spent most of his career in the City, initially as a banker but latterly as Head of Governance & Engagement for Fidelity International. He now lives in Cornwall and is a member of the Investment Committee of the Cornwall Community Foundation and is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Cornwall Historic Churches Trust. Trelawny is also a Trustee of the Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund.
Sue Wallace was appointed in 2025. She is the cathedral's Acting Precentor, having previously been a Chaplain at York Minster, Precentor at Leeds Minster and Canon Precentor and Sacrist at Winchester Cathedral. Sue was a chorister as a child and possesses degrees in Music and Education, and Liturgy. She has been involved in running large scale liturgical events for many years, and moved to Cornwall in 2022 becoming an honorary Canon and Succentor in Truro in 2024.
Deborah Rowland was appointed in 2025. She is a leading thinker, speaker, writer, coach and practitioner who has personally led change in major global organisations including Royal Dutch Shell, Gucci Group, BBC Worldwide and PepsiCo. She sits on the boards of the International Institute of Leadership & Safety Culture and the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival and holds a double first in Archaeology and Anthropology from Cambridge University.
Dr Patrick Newberry was appointed in 2025. He is a Commissioner of Historic England and holds a number of non-executive roles in the financial sector. Dr Newberry is Chairman of the Cornwall College Group, the Cornish Buildings Group and was a senior partner in PwC for most of his career. He is a member of the Diocesan Synod and of the East Wivelshire Deanery Synod. He lives in East Cornwall with his wife, enjoying lecturing and writing about architectural history and sailing his classic boat when time and the weather permit.