Contact Guildford Cathedral

The Very Reverend Stuart Beake

Although, as a boy, Stuart raised money to buy a couple of bricks, it was not until 2005 when he returned to his home county as Archdeacon of Surrey that he became more involved with the Cathedral as an Honorary Canon.  He moved here from Coventry Cathedral where he had been Sub-Dean and Acting Dean. Prior to that he had been in parish ministry for 25 years (Hitchin, Hemel Hempstead and Shottery) and had also been Director of Ordinands and Head of the Vocations and Training department of Coventry Diocese. He has been a school governor of five different schools (at present King Edwards, Witley) and a trustee of a variety of charities.

Stuart became a Residentiary Canon in 2010 and Sub-Dean in 2016. Although he retired in 2017 he is still an active member of staff and will be holding the fort as Acting Dean until a new Dean appears.

He is married to Sally. They have two adult children and six grandchildren (three of whom are or have been members of the Cathedral Girls Choir.)

Ann Bourne

Ann Bourne was born and raised in the Midwest of America, and gained her BA at Denison University in Ohio before working in leadership development and senior level recruitment roles for one of the largest financial institutions in America, based in Chicago.  Ann moved to the UK to marry a Brit named Stephen in 1984, and quickly settled into an international leadership development role for yet another large US-based bank, where she held responsibility for all staff development across Europe.  By 1996, Ann committed her career to executive search for Saxton Bampfylde, where she remained for the next 22 years.

Ann retired at the end of 2018, and has since been an active volunteer.  She chairs the trustee board of Cunningham House, an Abbeyfield Society home in Pirbright.  Her activities at the Cathedral include serving as Chief Steward, volunteering for Schools and Families, membership of both Council (since 2018), and Chapter (since September 2022).  Ann and her husband Stephen have 3 adult children and live in Normandy, Surrey.  Her leisure time is consumed by her family, her cats and planning “the next big trip”.

Ann and Stephen’s son Michael was a Cathedral Chorister for 4 years, and was Head Chorister in his final year.  The entire family embraced the commitment that choir membership demanded; Stephen and Ann began volunteering, and both Emily and Elizabeth became Servers and attended Sunday school into their teenage years.  The Bournes made Guildford Cathedral central to their lives in the 1990’s, and so it remains. Serving as a Chapter member in supporting the positive future of the Cathedral is a responsibility Ann holds dear.   

Canon Chris Hollingshurst

Canon Chris Hollingshurst was born in South London, and, as a clergy child, was raised in a variety of locations in different parts of England.  He was a Politics graduate from Durham University, before obtaining a post-graduate teaching qualification and serving as Student Union President at Westminster College, Oxford. Chris entered the corporate world and worked for 9 years in the headquarters of Parcelforce a as Logistics and Distribution Planning Manager specialising in customs clearance and aviation security.  Chris left Parcelforce for theological training in Cambridge, prior to ordination in 1999. He subsequently completed an MA in Pastoral Theology in 2005. Chris ministered for 21 years in a variety of different parish contexts in the Dioceses of Ely, Southwark and Guildford.

Chris’s extra-parochial roles during parish ministry have included:

• the Governing Body of a Church School
• a Diocesan Schools Committee
• a Diocesan Board of Education
• a Safer Neighbourhood Policing Panel
• a Vocations Adviser and Area/Asst Diocesan Director of Ordinands in two Dioceses

and

• working closely with the former national Clergy Appointments Adviser on two working groups to support and facilitate his ministry.

Chris began his present role at Guildford Cathedral as Residentiary Canon with responsibility for Public Engagement and Pastoral Care in January 2021. 

Chris is married to Kathy and has three adult children and “a crazy little dog”.  His leisure interests include music of many types, including being one half of the Red House Rhythm and Blues Duo since 2016.  He has a recently revived interest in local amateur dramatics, is an armchair sports fan and a long-time supporter of Arsenal FC.

Berendina Norton MBE

Berendina Norton graduated from London University with a degree in music. Though she began her career in the civil service, she soon decided to concentrate on her greatest music love, the piano duo medium. As one half of The Cook/Stanley Piano Duo, she has broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM and the World Service. In 1996, the Duo won First Prize in the International Piano Duo Competition in Tokyo.  Berendina was appointed a Professor of Music at The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall in 2002, and has been involved in the musical training of every member of the Royal Corps of Army Music since that time. Berendina was appointed MBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours List for Services to Music.

Berendina has been involved with The Brain Tumour Charity since 2000, when her elder son, Michael, died from the disease at the age of 14. She was on the Board of Trustees from 2005 until 2022. In 2023 Berendina became a member of the British Medical Association’s Patient Liaison Group, representing the patient voice to the medical profession.

Berendina and her husband Graham have been members of the Cathedral congregation since 1994, when their son Michael joined the Cathedral Choir. He became Head Chorister in 1999, a year before his untimely death. The Cathedral’s Paschal Candle was given by Berrie and Graham in his memory. Their younger son, Christopher, was a chorister at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and is now an architectural engineer.  

Such spare time as might occur is dedicated to live music of all types, travel, studying the Victorian Gothic and waiting upon two Norwegian Forest Cats.

Andrew Pianca

Andrew, Honorary Treasurer of Guildford Cathedral, was Chief Executive and then Chairman of Crowe Clark Whitehill (now Crowe UK) and established the largest specialist accountancy team in the UK specialising in the charity sector. As Chief Executive, he focused in particular on governance and transparency and on people development. Andrew also served as Chairman of Crowe Horwath International (now Crowe Global). 

Andrew draws on many years of experience of advising charities, independent schools and other not for profit organisations, including several major trades unions. He played a key role in drafting the 1995 Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), and advising on subsequent revisions. Andrew is a well-known lecturer on charity accounting, governance and management matters. He co-wrote the sector’s leading text on charity reporting and is also the author of the authoritative industry guide dealing with the establishment and management of charities.

At the ICAEW (the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England Wales) Andrew chaired and was a Director and Trustee for the ICAEW Chartered Accountants’ Trustees Limited, the ICAEW Foundation and the other Institute charities. Since retirement in 2016 he has acted as a charity trustee for over a dozen charities.

Jo Pinson

Jo Pinson is the Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing at Royal Holloway, University of London, with responsibility for Marketing, Communications, Recruitment, Admissions, Alumni, Philanthropy, and Global Engagement.

Prior to this, Jo spent just under three years in a similar role at the University of London, and 8 years at the University of Surrey. Jo came into Higher Education after many years in Retail Marketing and the luxury goods sector, working for BAA, the Theo Paphitis retail group, Signet and Liz Earle beauty company.

Jo went to school in Guildford and her father was a Vicar in the diocese for the last 20 years of his ministry (and in his retirement still covers various services around the county). She has a huge affection for Guildford Cathedral, and it was the site of her wedding reception in 2005. It has also hosted many services (such as family confirmations, school carol services and annual Easter pilgrimage walks) throughout her childhood. She now lives with her husband and three children in the parish of Horsell. Jo has been on Chapter and the Enterprise board since September 2020.

When not ferrying small children to various clubs/ sports matches, Jo enjoys running (either with friends, or with a good podcast/ audio book) and has recently taken up ladies cricket. 

Major General Roddy Porter MBE FCMI

Major General Porter was educated at Sherborne School, the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was commissioned into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1980 and served in a variety of Infantry Regimental appointments in peace and conflict.   He saw active service in “Desert Storm” and in Bosnia as a Brigade Chief of Staff, for which he was appointed MBE. Roddy commanded an Infantry Brigade in Northern Ireland, 2003-05. He held three appointments in the Ministry of Defence, including that of Director of the UK Equipment Programme 2006-08.  Roddy was promoted to Major General in 2008.  His final military appointment was as Chief of Staff (Joint Warfare Development) in the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters, Northwood. He was Honorary Colonel of Regiment, The Royal Welsh, for six years and Colonel Commandant, The Prince of Wales’s Division, for three.

Retiring from the Army in 2011, he was appointed Director-General of the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) in London, a non-profit Commonwealth private members organisation, supporting international understanding and friendship through social, music, art and welfare activities. He retired from ROSL in 2017 and assumed the appointment of Chief Executive/Team Leader of Military Ministries International (MMI) in April 2018. MMI is a Christian charity which helps military Christians follow Jesus Christ in armed forces around the world.

General Porter is married with three adult sons. He enjoys most sports, and has a passion for ancient and military history and music. He is a Deputy President of the Army Rugby Union and a Vice Chairman of the Army Rugby Union Referees’ Society. He is a member of the Armed Forces Christian Union, and is a worship leader in his local church.

Roddy joined Chapter in January 2017. His association with Guildford Cathedral started through attending the Gordon’s School annual memorial service to General Gordon, whilst his children were educated there.  He has a particular love of the architecture and music and had no hesitation on agreeing to join when he was invited; he counts it as a privilege to be able to contribute to the life of the Cathedral.

Canon Rachel Young

Canon Rachel Young has responsibility for all the liturgy and music taking place in the Cathedral, whether that be our statutory services or those held by visiting organisations or schools. She leads the Liturgy and Music department, consisting of our professional musicians, administrative staff and virgers.

Rachel was ordained in 2009 and has held ministerial posts in Beverley Minster and as Rector of Walkington Benefice, both in York Diocese. She was Succentor at Southwark Cathedral, and Associate Vicar at Rotherham Minster and St. Paul’s, Masbrough, in Sheffield Diocese. In this post Rachel had responsibility for developing the choral and music outreach and liturgy during the pandemic.

Rachel gained a degree in Music at Manchester University, then studied as a post-graduate oboist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for a year before doing teacher training at The Institute of Education, London University.  She has had many years’ experience of teaching music, as a peripatetic and private woodwind teacher, and of leading music in churches. She worked both as a volunteer and in a part-time paid role for the Music and Worship Foundation, a church music charity, for many years. Rachel is married to Nigel, a senior lecturer in Chemistry at Hull University, and they have two grown up children and a cat. She enjoys swimming, walking, needlework and crime fiction.