News: Guildford Cathedral musicians take on 800km Camino challenge

Two musicians from Guildford Cathedral are set to undertake an extraordinary 800km pilgrimage across France and Spain immediately after the Cathedral’s Holy Week and Easter services, in a major fundraising challenge to support church and school music.

Asher Oliver, Sub-Organist of Guildford Cathedral, and Fraser Ellson, one of the Cathedral’s Lay Clerks and Choral Director for the Catholic Diocese of Arundel & Brighton in the Surrey Area, will leave on Easter Monday to undertake the Camino Francés, travelling from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela on Spain’s Atlantic coast.

The two friends and colleagues, travelling as Team Guildford Cathedral, will complete the route in just under three weeks, covering the distance by a demanding mixture of walking and cycling.

The challenge comes immediately after one of the busiest and most significant periods in the Cathedral year, with the pair taking part in the full schedule of Holy Week and Easter services before setting off at dawn the following day.

All costs associated with the pilgrimage are being met personally by Asher and Fraser, ensuring that every donation goes directly to supporting Cathedral music and music education.

“After the busyness and intensity Holy Week and Easter at the Cathedral, setting off at the crack of dawn on Easter Monday will probably feel pretty abrupt. We are however on something of a deadline and so need to crack on!” said Asher Oliver. “Music is such an important part of daily life at the Cathedral, and I am really pleased to be raising funds to help sustain it for the future.”

Guildford Cathedral Choir is central to the Cathedral’s worshipping life, singing regularly throughout the week and at major services across the Church year. Alongside the organ tradition of the Cathedral, it forms a key part of the Cathedral’s daily witness, ministry and public life.

Beyond its role in worship, Guildford Cathedral music also offers young people a rich musical education and life-shaping opportunities through discipline, teamwork, confidence and excellence.

“Music has the power to shape lives, whether that is in cathedral worship, parish life or in the classroom,” said Fraser Ellson. “It is very special to be doing this together, as friends, colleagues and musicians, and to be raising money for two causes that are both so close to our hearts.”

The Very Reverend Bob Cooper, Dean of Guildford, has expressed his wholehearted support for the challenge being undertaken by Sub-Organist Asher Oliver and Lay Clerk Fraser Ellson.

"Asher and Fraser are two outstanding musicians who give so much to the life of this Cathedral," said the Dean. "To head straight from the intensity of Holy Week and Easter into an 800km pilgrimage across France and Spain is a quite remarkable commitment — and entirely typical of their dedication and spirit."

The Dean added a personal note of solidarity: "I know the Camino well, having walked it myself. It is demanding, beautiful, and genuinely transformative. I can think of no better people to represent Guildford Cathedral on that ancient road."

Dean Bob encouraged all who value church and school music to support the fundraising efforts of both pilgrims.

To complete the pilgrimage within their timeframe, they will need to average around 30km a day on foot or 70km a day by bike.

Nicola Pratt, Head of Marketing and Communications
Guildford Cathedral
T: 01483 547884
E: [email protected]
W: www.guildford-cathedral.org

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Asher Oliver is Sub-Organist of Guildford Cathedral.
• Fraser Ellson is one of Guildford Cathedral’s Lay Clerks and Choral Director for the Catholic Diocese of Arundel & Brighton in the Surrey Area.
• The Camino Francés is one of Europe’s most historic pilgrimage routes, spanning around 800km.
• Asher Oliver is fundraising for Guildford Cathedral music.
• Fraser Ellson is fundraising for music provision in nine state-funded primary schools in the South of England.

Guildford Cathedral is the newest Church of England Cathedral consecrated on a new site and the only Cathedral dedicated to the Holy Spirit. Known for its stunning architecture and vibrant community, it serves as a spiritual home and cultural landmark in Surrey.

When WWII halted the building process, leaving the Cathedral partially completed, fears arose that it might never be finished, and there were even talks of demolishing what had been built. In an incredible display of support, thousands of individual bricks were purchased by members of the public and community groups. Even Queen Elizabeth II participated, buying and signing a brick. These contributions marked the beginning of the journey of the “People’s Cathedral.

Today, Guildford Cathedral stands strong on Stag Hill, an instantly recognisable symbol of Guildford visible for miles around—a beacon of hope and a sign of homecoming. Inside, the Cathedral’s natural light highlights its open space, creating an atmosphere of stillness and peace. It serves not only as a place of worship but also as a vibrant venue for community events.

This remarkable building is a testament to what can be achieved when people pull together. From the passion and dedication that made its construction possible in the 20th century to the present day, Guildford Cathedral remains “Open to God, Open to All.”

Added Saturday 4th April 2026