Words + Photos: CCRL

With the unprecedented interest in the project and desire for tours of our Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Ltd (CCRL) made the decision to hold an Open Weekend in June 2024.

Organised in three weeks by our small but committed CCRL Team, 16 tours were offered to the public over the two days.  Advertised in Anglican e-Life and social media, they were very quickly fully booked, and we welcomed 800 people through the Cathedral over the duration of the weekend.

The wider team that rallied around to help so willingly to make the weekend a success was humbling. Dean Ben Truman, Jenny May, and Chris Oldham robed up and took the main lead, with appreciation also to many others including CCRL Directors, consultants, and their families volunteering to feed and help in all manner of ways. Special thanks to Mayor Phil Mauger who opened the event on a Saturday morning along with a number of Christchurch City Councillors.

It was perhaps the spontaneity and willingness of the businesses immediately around the Cathedral, as well as the Transitional Cathedral community, who demonstrated a massive support for the occasion which made a clear and strong statement that our city needs its Cathedral back.

Staff from Tūranga, our fabulous library, got into the spirit of the occasion, organising a programme of Cathedral themed events throughout the weekend. There were book displays, a Whanau Stories programme, and the monthly sketch session had the Cathedral as its subject. Helen Peters kindly ran an Arts and Crafts session for tamariki which were so popular with whanau taking home their own version of our rose window.

Parents could be seen heading off to Foundation Café to get their morning coffee fix while their children were engrossed with crayons and coloured cellophane. Foundation Café entered into the spirit of the occasion with biscuits in the shape of the Rose Window and an outline of the Cathedral on their coffees.

OGB Cocktail Bar provided a more grown-up focused offering with a Bishop Harper whisky cocktail, referencing it was the Bishop's favourite tipple and we have it on good authority there is a bottle contained in the Bishop's effigy in the Cathedral. The Distinction Hotel offered a Devonshire Cream Tea in honour of our Patron, HM King Charles III. It was a right royal affair!

The Transitional Cathedral volunteers organised by Susan Rendall had a very popular stall in the Square throughout with any profits donated to the Reinstatement Fund. We especially appreciated Conspiro, a choir of friends, some of whom were former choristers, bringing their voices to the opening of the weekend with a performance in Cathedral Square. And young busker, Van Pender who under his own initiative busked underneath the Chalice donating his takings to the fund as well.

A big Thank You to everyone who contributed to sharing the Cathedral with others. It has forged important relationships which we all look forward to deepening as we move towards our vision of a reinstated Cathedral and a vibrant Cathedral community.

Please keep your support coming. For those who have, and are continuing to support, a heartfelt thank you the collective support is making a difference.

For those who would like to support you may do so here

Or

by direct credit to:

Account name: Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Ltd

Bank Account Number: 38-9019-0866729-04

Thank you.

Instagram and Facebook: Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement. Have a look and please follow us.

Update from Mark Stewart, Chair, CCRL 20 August 2024:

Following Government's decision not to provide further funding towards the reinstatement of the Christ Church Cathedral construction will now be paused while all options are considered.

"It is with a heavy heart that construction will be paused until further funding is found. We care deeply about the reinstatement of the Cathedral, and we are incredibly sad to have to stop construction. However, we understand that the current economic times are tough." He was clear that the Board is not walking away from reinstatement, nor had it given up on securing a funding pathway.

"We are committed to keeping funding conversations alive with both the Government and the Christchurch City Council, as well as our generous existing and potential donors."

Read the full release here.

'With all of our hands the roof of the Cathedral will rise again.’