The Association of English Cathedrals: a support, resource, and advocate.
We are here to support our cathedrals to bring the richness of the Gospel and its relevance to all.
The Association of English Cathedrals (AEC) was formed in 1990 as an unincorporated association to represent the interests of English Anglican Cathedrals in negotiations with English Heritage about a Cathedrals Grant Scheme.
Over the years, its role has expanded and now is a collaborative network and resource for all Church of England cathedrals.
It exists to help raise the profile, and resource their mission and ministry potential.
It seeks to support our cathedrals by networking, storytelling, reflection, advocacy, training and research, so they can witness to the constancy of God’s love for all creation in Jesus Christ and offer a perspective on the world we inhabit.
How does the AEC achieve this?
Through the work of the AEC Executive, its staff, and our special project groups, the AEC:
- Ensures its work is informed by ongoing conversation, research and routes to include all voices.
- Where appropriate, represents cathedrals to government, other key stakeholders and the public.
- Where appropriate, shapes and represents cathedrals to the governance structures of the Church of England.
- Gathers and shares good practice and inspiration, encourages and enables joint working when mutually beneficial.
- Offers knowledge and skills, especially for those serving our cathedrals, provides a forum for listening, exploring ideas and learning together.
- Promotes the profile and impact of cathedrals to dioceses, the Church of England and to wider society.
This enables Cathedrals to serve the communities of their dioceses effectively, and offer the welcome of God’s love for all as centres for worship and mission, and as the seat of the bishop,
Its members are the 42 Anglican cathedrals; St George’s Chapel, Windsor, Westminster Abbey, Cathedral Isle of Man and St Davids Cathedral are associate members.
You can download our latest AEC brochure here.
The AEC’s activities are overseen by a Board of Directors and Trustees (known as the Executive Committee) elected by the members. The Executive meets on four occasions each year.
The AEC has a number of staff, all of whom work part-time: an Executive Director, an Administrator, and two Coordinators for the Cathedral and Major Church Projects Support Panel, as well as two part-time communications consultants.