The Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust (WCCT) has triumphantly exceeded its fundraising target, raising over £500,000 in just two years to help remove financial barriers for children wishing to join the historic Wells Cathedral choir.
Launched in 2023, the Coronation Fund has garnered generous support from individual donors and grant organizations alike. Arnold Wills, Chair of WCCT, hailed the achievement as “a remarkable sum raised in such a short time,” highlighting the widespread commitment to the Trust’s mission: to guarantee that no gifted child is prevented from becoming a chorister due to financial constraints.
This inspiring effort has the endorsement of the Trust’s royal patron, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh, who has encouraged the public to “support this very special appeal.”
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Dean of Wells Cathedral, Toby Wright, expressed heartfelt approval of the milestone: “Surpassing this target is a great joy. More importantly, it enables many young people to thrive through the unique musical and spiritual experience offered by Wells Cathedral.”
Thanks to the Coronation Fund’s success, WCCT can now fully cover the costs of choristers’ education—raising funding from over 95% to 100% of tuition fees. Choristers, aged seven to fourteen, attend Wells Cathedral School, one of only four government-supported specialist music schools in the UK.
Timothy Parsons, Director of Music at Wells Cathedral, emphasized the fund’s life-changing impact: “This initiative opens the doors for children who otherwise would not be able to consider becoming a chorister at Wells Cathedral.”
Families with children aged six to nine are invited to participate in a “Be a Chorister for a Day” event on Saturday, September 20, 2025. Further details can be found at wellscathedral.org.uk.
To celebrate this landmark achievement, an annual evensong service will be held on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 5.15 pm. The service will feature civic and church dignitaries including High Sheriff of Somerset Janet Montgomery; Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt Revd Michael Beesley; Wells MP Tessa Munt; and the Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq. Mr Saddiq praised the Trust’s profound impact: “The dedication and support provided transforms the lives of the choristers. I am immensely proud of the incredible work accomplished by the Trust.”