Shining a light on our volunteers for Volunteers' Week: Charles

This Volunteers’ Week, we’re celebrating the incredible impact of our volunteers — and sharing their stories. Today, we’re highlighting Charles. 

What is your name and what volunteer hat do you wear at the cathedral? 

Charles Howlett, Chaplain

What first drew you through the cathedral doors as a volunteer?

Choral Evensong! After attending for about a year I was asked if I would like to preach at evensong (I'm a Reader) and after I'd preached I was asked if I'd consider becoming a chaplain.  

If you were chatting to a friend over coffee, how would you describe volunteering at the cathedral? 

One of the most fulfilling things I've ever done! It's about people. It's a privilege when people choose to share their concerns and personal issues with you and consent to you praying with them. Sometimes, as the conversation progresses, I realise I'm the one being ministered to, rather than doing the ministering. And on the days when you've listened to somebody telling you something particularly difficult - how they've messed up their whole lives - struggling with their mental health - addiction - and you can see it by their appearance and demeanour - then it seems so worthwhile that you were there and that hopefully, in some small way, your listening made a difference for them.

What’s the strangest question you’ve been asked while volunteering at the cathedral? 

When the organ was being tuned one afternoon (which is a pretty awful noise) a couple of visitors came up to me raving about the music being played and did I know what it was!

What’s one thing that you now notice, and can’t unsee at the Cathedral that most visitors miss? 

The dust on the top of the stall canopies (tabernacles) in the Quire.

To find put more about volunteering at the cathedral visit our Volunteer Page