Marsh Charitable Trust – Marsh Volunteer Awards with St Paul’s Cathedral

Marsh Volunteer Awards with St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral currently have 345 active volunteers, who commit their time to the Cathedral in a wide variety of ways. Volunteer roles range from Visitor Experience and Schools Volunteers, to those helping with flower arranging and bellringing, to volunteers assisting with the liturgical services at the Cathedral as communion assistants or visiting ministers.

These Awards recognises the dedication of the St Paul’s Cathedral volunteers and celebrates both individuals and teams who go above and beyond to welcome visitors and ensure the upkeep of the cathedral.

Photo credit: Graham Lacdao/St Paul’s Cathedral

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The Luxmuralis Volunteers, The Friday Guiding Team, Gillian Scahill, Patrick Rice, Julia Male, and Mary O'Shea 2026

The Luxmuralis Volunteers

The Luxmuralis Volunteers have played an extraordinary role in delivering a major after-hours visitor experience at St Paul’s Cathedral. The event was an immersive sound and light show to tell the story of St Paul’s. Their contributions went far beyond what was usual for them, demonstrating remarkable commitment, adaptability, and enthusiasm in support of a complex and high-profile event. The volunteers were instrumental in ensuring the smooth running of the Luxmuralis event, which welcomed approximately 18,000 visitors over several nights. Many of them stepped up to work multiple consecutive evenings, often taking on roles beyond those they initially signed up for. Their flexibility and dedication allowed the event team to manage high visitor numbers in low-light conditions safely and efficiently, while still maintaining a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere throughout the Cathedral. Their calm professionalism and friendly engagement helped create a peaceful, community-focused environment that enhanced the magical atmosphere of the event.

The Friday Guiding Team

The Friday Guiding Team are a wonderful group of experienced guides, with a total of over 160 years of experience between the volunteers. They are always willing to share they knowledge. They give lectures at the Guildhall which are shared via a livestreaming service to 200 participants and provide various tours for the Friends of St Paul’s Cathedral, as well as corporate companies. The members have also volunteered to take part in the Evacuation exercise and took on roles for the different requests made of them. The team is always keen to celebrate each other and have a real friendship.

Gillian Scahill

Gillian is a natural leader of mixed-ability and age teams of Wandsmen. Gillian is the Honorary Secretary of the Wandsmen, she was elected to this role 3 years ago and she took over from a volunteer who held the role for 21 years. She has recruited and welcomed 40 new volunteers into this team during this time, making improvements on how they are welcomed to the team. She always charmingly courteous to colleagues and cathedral visitors and is unflappable in a crisis. She has led an evolving team of Wandsmen with a positive change of culture since her appointment to become a self-supporting and confident band of volunteers, so much so that other Wandsmen have been inspired to continue their work with the team. She is a role model, the first woman in this post and an example to all.

Patrick Rice

Patrick has an outstanding commitment to the Cathedral and its visitors. Patick is always quick to volunteer for extra duties, including with other days’ teams when they are short of guides, and for special events. Patrick has exceptional people skills and, when not giving tours, he is at the Cathedral entrance greeting visitors to make them feel welcome. He has profound knowledge of the Cathedral’s history and the treasures on display, combines this knowledge with infectious enthusiasm and engaging tone. Specifically, formal visit by the Sri Lankan High Commissioner and entourage had been arranged, to be hosted by the Dean. Through some miscommunication the Dean was not present when the VIP party arrived. Patrick took on the task of welcoming the VIPs and giving them a tour of the Cathedral.

Julia Male

Julia has consistently demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and passion as a tour guide at St Paul’s Cathedral. Her work has been widely praised by visitors of all ages and backgrounds, reflecting both her deep knowledge of the Cathedral’s history and her natural ability to connect with people. Julia’s yours have not only conveyed historical facts but have brough the Cathedral to life in an engaging and memorable way. Julia has also played a pivotal role in supporting collaborative initiatives, helping to strengthen relationships with partner organisations and enhance the overall visitor experience. Feedback from repeat visitors frequently emphasises that her tours are a standout feature of their visit, with many noting that her enthusiasm and expertise inspired them to return. Her professionalism, knowledge and passion for the Cathedral continue to make her an invaluable member of the Visitor Operations Team, leaving a lasting positive impression on everyone who visits.

Mary O’Shea

Mary is a dedicated and much-loved member of the Saturday Volunteer Team at St Paul’s Cathedral. She’s always the first to arrive, setting up the desk, preparing tour materials, and warmly welcoming visitors with her signature smile. Her extensive travels across America make her a natural conversationalist with American guests, often sharing stories from towns she’s personally visited. Mary is calm, capable, and endlessly helpful, and handles any visitor query with grace, whether it’s locating a monument or navigating London’s transport. This past year marked a personal milestone for Mary. Despite her longstanding service, she had never felt confident enough to lead tours. That changed when a neighbour asked for a personal highlights tour of the Cathedral. Determined to rise to the challenge, Mary immersed herself in research, sought advice from guides, and practised with fellow volunteers. The tour was a resounding success. Since then, Mary has begun offering short tours to visitors, and her growing confidence has added a new dimension to her already outstanding contribution.

Previous Winners

Thursday Visitor Experience Volunteer Team, Christopher Allen, David Hooper, Jennifer Muwonge, and Yvonne Jackman

Thursday Visitor Experience Volunteer Team

These volunteers are one of nine teams who welcome the public into the Cathedral and offer tours to visitors to help them learn more about the building and its history. This team regularly receive positive feedback from visitors who have had a fantastic experience thanks to the efforts and enthusiasm of the volunteers who have taken them on tours. The volunteers have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the building and bring it to life in an interesting and entertaining way. They hold visitors’ attention and deliver informative tours with a touch of humour. More experienced members of the team mentor new volunteers to ensure that the high standards in the team are maintained for the future. They support one another through additional training, ensuring that they all have as much knowledge as possible to pass on to the public.

Christopher Allen

Chris has been a volunteer at the Cathedral for many years and leads a team of Visitor Experience volunteers with care and a strong sense of humour. He has been instrumental in the development of training programmes for volunteers at the Cathedral, helping to write the courses in his spare time to ensure that Cathedral volunteers are well prepared to welcome visitors. Chris’ knowledge of the Cathedral is truly amazing, and he is always keen to learn more, especially if a member of the public poses a question that he cannot answer. At 81 years old, he travels hours to the Cathedral every week which further highlights his dedication and commitment. Chris is also a member of the Volunteer Council, helping to shape the volunteer offering at the Cathedral and advocating for the needs and concerns of his fellow volunteers.

David Hooper

David has volunteered as a Guide and a Team Leader at the Cathedral for over 30 years. He has also worked extensively with the Schools and Families teams over the years, helping to educate young people about the Cathedral and its history. He is a model for other volunteers at the Cathedral and has stayed committed in his support despite facing personal difficulties. David has helped and encouraged his fellow volunteers and has a wealth of knowledge about the Cathedral which he willingly shares with everyone. He has also helped to promote the activities at the Cathedral more widely through media interviews and interactions with the general public. David takes on any role that is presented to him at the Cathedral and has shared his own experiences as an evacuee in the Second World War to help bring life to the history of the building.

Jennifer Muwonge

Jennifer has volunteered at the Cathedral as an altar server for 40 years, assisting the clergy with public worship at services. She was one of the first diverse members of the altar server team, being a woman as well as a black person, and has paved the way for other diverse persons to join the altar servers. Jennifer represents the altar server team on the Volunteer Council, offering suggestions for improvement for the volunteer offering at the Cathedral and being the voice for any issues or concerns in her team. She attends every Council meeting and draws on her experiences as a volunteer throughout. Jennifer is a tower of strength and support to new volunteers, encouraging them to take part in additional training and giving them the confidence to succeed in their roles. Jennifer has overcome personal barriers and challenges throughout her time volunteering but has remained dedicated to the Cathedral throughout.

Terry Richards

Terry is a Volunteer Guide at the Cathedral, offering informative tours which are full of humour and entertainment for the public. He also undertakes Touch Tours, which provide visually impaired people with the opportunity to experience the Cathedral. Terry is always willing to give up his time to support his fellow volunteers through their training and participates in every aspect of Cathedral life. He has dressed up as historical characters such as Sir Christopher Wren to tell the story of the Cathedral and taken part in external media opportunities to promote the Cathedral to an even wider audience. Terry receives excellent feedback from visitors, particularly referencing his work with younger audiences, and is one of the most popular Guides at the Cathedral. He is well liked by staff and volunteers alike and is an invaluable member of the Cathedral team.

Yvonne Jackman

Yvonne has been a member of the Visitor Experience Volunteer Team for many years and stood in as Deputy Team leader when the previous volunteer stood down and recruitment was taking place for his replacement. Despite having some reservations, she rose to the challenge of the role and kept the team going seamlessly throughout this period of transition. She is highly regarded for her knowledge of the Cathedral and often gives talks to external groups on the subject of the Cathedral to help promote it to a wider community. Yvonne leads on a range of tours and has also been instrumental in introducing new topics for tours at the Cathedral, increasing the offer available to visitors. She has also supported new volunteers and is unfailingly pleasant, calm and professional in her manner to everyone she encounters.