Companions in a longer story
Beverley Minster is one of the great parish churches of England — a building shaped over more than seven centuries, and a community of worship that has not stopped in all that time. The Friends of Beverley Minster exist to help see that story safely into its next chapter.
Founded in 1936, the Friends are a registered charity whose members include people from across the country and beyond. Some are regular worshippers at the Minster; others have a family connection, or simply a love of the building.
All of us share a conviction that this place is worth caring for.
The Friends of Beverley Minster unite in common fellowship all those throughout the world who wish to be associated with this outstanding medieval building. They are a link between those in Beverley and far beyond, whose love of the Minster inspires them to share in preserving it, in all its beauty, for future generations.
From the restoration of the Minster bells to the new lighting design and the proposed work at the East End, the Friends help fund projects too large for the parish alone. We work in partnership with the Minster’s PCC, the Old Fund, Two Churches One Town and other funders.
Dendrochronology, conservation reports, archaeological research, the explorer’s guides, and most recently John Phillips and Stuart Harrison’s study in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association — all carry the Friends’ fingerprints.
The Friends have a long-standing commitment to music at the Minster. We have helped fund the Steinway grand piano, the Choral Foundation’s music lessons for choristers, organ work, and a steady programme of recitals and concerts.
The Destinations Project is the Minster’s most significant undertaking for many years. Its focus is the East End of the building — the part of the church that lies behind the high altar, encompassing the Great East Window, the Quire and Retroquire, and the Lesser North Transept. Decades of weather and wear are catching up with this part of the building, and the proposed work is now urgent. Alongside restoration works, programmes to support greater inclusion will be developed.Following the award of a development-phase grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in September 2025, work is now underway to prepare an application for a delivery-phase grant, which, if successful, will make the proposed work possible. The Friends are partners in the project, having provided match-funding support to the current phase and agreed in principle to make a substantial contribution to the delivery of the project.
What the project will deliver
• Restoration of the Great East Window.
• Repairs to the roofs of the Quire, Retroquire and Lesser North Transept.
• A new lighting scheme appropriate to a 21st-century cathedral-scale parish church.
• A scheme of landscaping around the East End, with a plant-rich biodiverse garden.• Improved interpretation, including a refreshed digital presence• A programme of public engagement, including heritage crafts, history exploration, choral outreach and wellbeing-focused activities• A new events programme that will improve accessibility, sustainability, and financial viabilityWe will share more here as the project moves forward. In the meantime, members can find updates in the Spring Newsletter and the Annual Report.
Click here to read the recent press release.
There are several ways to play a part
Become a Friend
Membership will keep you close to the Minster’s life and will help to fund our projects in the future.
Give once, or in your will
If membership is not for you, a one-off donation or a legacy gift makes a real difference.
Stand for the Council
We are always interested to hear from members who might consider becoming a Trustee.
Members receive a Spring Newsletter, an annual report, and invitations to a programme of talks, visits and the October weekend, including the St John of Beverley Lecture.
Email: friends@beverleyminster.org.uk
Post: Friends of Beverley Minster, Parish Centre, 38 Highgate, Beverley HU17 0DP
Facebook: The Friends of Beverley Minster
Instagram: @friendsofbeverleyminster
DATA PROTECTION NOTICE
Regulations require us to inform you of how we use and hold your personal data. The data, supplied by you to us, is held on a secure data base and is used by the officers of the Friends of Beverley Minster only for the legitimate purpose of administering the charity.
The data is needed primarily to: send you details of the Charity’s activities (for example via newsletters and the annual report), invite you to the Annual General Meeting, inform you of the need to renew your membership, administer outings and events, send you copies of occasional publications and apply for Gift Aid.
Your membership data will be held for a minimum of six years after your subscription expires or after your demise if you are a life member. Additional data relating to outings and events is deleted at the end of the calendar year in which the event takes place.
We do not sell or pass on any of the data you supply to us. If you do not agree to us holding and using your data in this way, or would like to stipulate how you receive information from us, please contact us
Charity No.1215964