October What's On

After months of planning, Trena Cox: Reflections 100 opens at the Cathedral on Monday 7 October and is here until Friday 8 November! This exciting exhibition explores the art and legacy of one of Chester’s unsung heroines, Trena Cox (1895-1980). A professional female stained glass artist based in Chester, Cox's vibrant designs can be found at over sixty locations throughout the northwest and north Wales. Come along to the exhibition to discover her incredible life story and see her art in situ in the Cathedral while also exploring local artists’ responses to her work.

There are a plethora of workshops and activities taking place alongside the Trena Cox exhibition.

Sketchbook Saturdays on 19 October and 2 November at 10.30am. Join Trena Cox Project Lead and Cathedral Artist in Residence, Aleta Doran, in mindful and creative afternoon drop-in sessions.

Community Co-Creation talk on 22 October at 12pm with Community Workshop Facilitator Clare Owens exhibition share her experience and process working with local community groups and the creation of collaborative artwork.
Symposium on 25 October at 1pm. Using the life and legacy of Trena Cox as the focal point, attendees will hear from a variety of respected speakers from across the stained glass, heritage conservation, and art sectors. To make this event as accessible as possible, we encourage you to ‘pay what you can’ for your ticket. Find out the full schedule here.
Symposium Keynote on 25 October at 7pm, using the life and legacy of Trena Cox as the focal point, attendees will hear from a variety of respected speakers from across the stained glass, heritage conservation, and art sectors. Ticket includes admission to drinks reception starting at 7pm.
Meet the Artists who have created art in response to Trena Cox’s stained glass on 29 and 30 October at 2pm.
Conservation Talk on Wednesday 30 October at 12pm. Hear Stained Glass Conservator Carlotta Cammelli from local stained glass conservation firm Recclesia talk about their approach to conserving one of Trena Cox’s most significant stained glass windows: the St Christopher window at Chester Cathedral.

This exhibition wouldn’t be possible without the research by Aleta Doran, the hard work of the Project Team and our incredible sponsors UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Megan Gwynne-Jones Trust, Couch Charitable Trust, Ursula Keyes Trust, Cllr. Simon Eardley, The Arts Society Chester.

Our first concert of the month is Beatles by Candlelight on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 October at 7.30pm. Enjoy over 40 Beatles hits featuring a cast of West End Singers and an epic live band. Tickets available here. 

Small Sounds, a drop-in music session for children aged 0-5 and their grown-ups, continues this month on Monday 7, 14, and 21 October. These free drop-in sessions are incredible way to spend time with your little ones and help them discover the joy of music through songs and play. 

Learn how to protect your finances with experts from Natwest at the Fraud and Scams Workshop on Wednesday 9 October at 11am. This session is free of charge and available to all, whoever you bank with. Tea, Coffee and Biscuits will be provided. Please register your attendance here to help with catering. 

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of opera with A Night at the Opera by Candlelight on Friday 11 October at 7.30pm. A captivating showcase of timeless classics that will transport you to the grandeur of the stage.

Saturday 12 October at 7.30pm, enjoy A Night at the Opera: an unforgettable candlelight experience featuring five opera singers, Heather Buckmaster, Sarah Helsby-Hughes, Imogen Garner, Joseph Buckmaster, and Matthew Durkan, the evening will showcase their extraordinary talents as they bring to life some of the most beloved arias and duets in opera history. Tickets available here.

Queen by Candlelight returns Saturday 19 October. Direct from Carnegie Hall, New York and following a run of sell-out shows across the UK and Australia, join us for an incredible night of Queen Anthems, featuring a cast of West End Singers accompanied by and epic live rock band.

Assemble at Chester Cathedral will explore the question What’s the ‘problem’ with homelessness? On Thursday 24 October at 6.45pm. Assemble is an invitation to come and hear engaging speakers on topics that are relevant in our modern world. Speakers to include Shareshop outreach worker Jamie Edwards, CEO of OneRoof Leicester Salma Ravat and more. Book your free ticket here. Refreshments available from 6.15pm.

Family activities will be back Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 at 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm. Come along to these free activities in the back of the Nave.

Princess Concert returns with a Halloween Special on 31 October at 2.30pm. Come along for a magical journey into the world of enchantment with a spooky twist. There will be a new show and cast with some additional family favourite Halloween-themed songs. Book tickets here.

Key services this month

This month we are hosting several special services, in our role as the mother church of the diocese and at the heart of civic life. On Sunday 6^th October at 3pm, there will be a special service of Choral Evensong to mark 200 years of the RNLI. On Saturday 12^th October at 3pm, we welcome those newly licensed as Readers, Pastoral Workers and Lay Workers, serving parishes across the diocese. Friday 18^th October at 5.30pm sees a traditional language Eucharist for the feast of St Luke, Apostle and Evangelist. On Sunday 20^th October, we host the annual service to mark the beginning of the new legal year, in the context of Choral Mattins (now rarely used across the Church of England, so a real treat for fans of the Anglican choral tradition).