Please feel free to contact any of the team at any time. However, all initial enquiries about works to your building or churchyard and queries about the faculty process or applying for consent should please be directed to the Church Buildings office on 01353 652718 or via dac@elydiocese.org
The Church Buildings and Pastoral Department team members can often be seen out and about throughout the Diocese, working with parishes and churches to care for, maintain and develop their buildings and to offer support and guidance where pastoral reorganisation is under consideration.
Each of the team members bring with them relevant qualifications, skills and experience to enable the Diocese to offer an enhanced level of professional service and support to the DAC and to parishes and churches throughout the Diocese.
The Team
Geoffrey Hunter - DAC Secretary and Head of the Church Buildings and Pastoral Department
- Email: geoffrey.hunter@elydiocese.org
- Telephone: 01353 652737
Geoffrey heads up the Church Buildings and Pastoral Department with overall responsibility for the operation and smooth running of the Department and the support and services offered to clergy, church volunteers and their professional advisers. Geoffrey joined the team in April 2016, having worked for the Diocese of London since 2006 in a variety of roles. Geoffrey acts as a central advocate for churches wishing to re-imagine their buildings through projects of re-ordering and extension. Geoffrey guides parishes through the Faculty process, including Diocesan Advisory Committee and other statutory consultations.
Geoffrey spent five years as a churchwarden himself, at Thorpe Market in the Diocese of Norwich. Since 2012 he has been a member of the National Church Buildings Council and is also a committee member of the Association of Festival Churches. Geoffrey is a history of art graduate of the Courtauld Institute of Art and also holds an MSc degree in Conservation of the Historic Environment and is a member of the Association for Studies in the Conservation of Historic Buildings and the Norfolk Churches Trust. Outside of work, Geoffrey is an amateur musician and enjoys playing with old cars.
Holly Robinson - Historic Church Buildings Support Officer
- Email: holly.robinson@elydiocese.org
- Telephone: 01353 652720
Holly joined the Diocese of Ely as the Historic Church Buildings Support Officer thanks to a partnership with Historic England and Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust. Holly works with churches where the heritage is considered to be most at risk, and as a result, is listed on Historic England's 'Heritage at Risk Register'.
Her work focuses on assisting parishes in understanding, managing, maintaining and making the best use of their buildings, with an emphasis on community consultation, heritage engagement activities and grant applications. Holly organises and facilitates the Church Buildings Support Network meetings, organises training events on topics such as maintenance, bid writing, open and welcome churches and heritage interpretation and also helps Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust to promote Ride and Stride.
Holly is a qualified secondary school teacher with a degree in Heritage Conservation, which she has combined over the last decade to become a specialist in Heritage Learning and Interpretation. She has worked for museums, the National Trust and most recently The Churches Conservation Trust, creating and delivering a number of activity and engagement programmes, including three major projects supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund).
Away from work Holly enjoys calligraphy, yoga and walking along the riverbank near her home in Guyhirn.
Sam Reeder - DAC Administrator
- Email: sam.reeder@elydiocese.org
- Telephone: 01353 652718
- Sam works part-time on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Sam supports the DAC and Church Buildings and Pastoral Department with a range of administrative tasks. Her previous experience includes a number of years working in HS&E and Facilities administration, as well as being involved in property maintenance, project work and building updates.
Sam brings with her transferable skills from her career as a retail manger - heading up a large team, meeting targets and delivering excellent customer service - as she provides help and support to all that contact the DAC office.
Philippa Pearson - Pastoral Secretary
- Email: philippa.pearson@elydiocese.org
- Telephone: 01353 652729
- Philippa works part-time on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Samuel Pedlar - Church and Community Support Adviser
- Email: samuel.pedlar@elydiocese.org
- Telephone: 07539 916607
Sacha Watson - Net Zero Carbon Officer
- Email: sacha.watson@elydiocese.org
- Telephone: 07301 29856
James Ryder - Church Buildings Adviser
- Email: james.ryder@elydiocese.org
- Telephone:
- James is working full time, whilst completing an apprenticeship with Strode College.
John Morgan – Consultant
- Email: john.morgan@elydiocese.org
- Telephone: 01353 652705
- John works part time as a consultant to the Church Buildings Team.
John provides guidance to parishes on building repair, alteration works and all other matters requiring full Faculty or List B consent, managing cases, advising on the process and the preparation of the information needed to ensure applications are ready for DAC consideration.