Insight into The Monastery: Kath North, the longest-serving volunteer

Kath North is the longest-serving volunteer at The Monastery, having been closely involved for nineteen years. Kath’s great-grandparents were married at The Monastery in 1879 and since then twenty-five other members of her family have been baptised here as well.  Although Kath did not visit The Monastery when it was a functioning church and Franciscan Friary, she has been involved with The Monastery of St Francis and Gorton Trust since the early years of the Trust.

For the first of our Insight into The Monastery series, we wanted to talk to Kath to share what she loves about this special place and why she has chosen to volunteer here for almost two decades.

How did you get involved with the work of The Monastery?

In 1999, my partner, Graham, was researching his family history and it prompted me to do the same. When we were talking about where I should start researching my family history, I thought that Gorton Monastery might be the best place as it had been my family’s church for generations. We decided to take a visit to Gorton Monastery, hoping that it was still there and hadn’t been taken down.

When we were driving down Gorton Lane, I was shocked to see what was left of the building and how much damage it had suffered. When we stopped to take pictures, a gentleman approached us to tell us that the building was about to be knocked down. We saw a notice on a fence near the building with information and a number. When we called, a gentleman answered the phone and we were referred on to Elaine Griffiths, (then Project Leader for the Monastery of St. Francis & Gorton Trust), and she invited me to an Open Day.

I had never actually been into the building before and I was shocked at the state it was in but, at the same time, I was also completely blown away by it. The stained glass windows were boarded up, there were pigeons flying about, the floor was a terrible mess and there was stonework all over the floor where the altars had been smashed up: I was completely heartbroken and wanted to find a way to help save the building.

When did you start volunteering?

During that Open Day, I asked Elaine how I could help with the fundraising to help save the building. She gave me a stack of leaflets to hand out and I was more than happy to help! Not long after this, I took up a volunteering role for three days a week to help to raise the funds for the charity to try to save The Monastery.

I started going to events and other places to set-up stalls to sell Monastery souvenirs and hand out leaflets to raise awareness about the building. It was a challenge sometimes, especially in mid-winter – we would be on a stall in the cold, handing out leaflets and rattling a donations tin to get a little bit of money to have saved the building.

The building has changed a lot since the late 1990s when you first started volunteering, with large grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help save and restore the building. It now operates as both an events venue as well as being open to the general public. How have you dealt with this dramatic change over the years?

There have been lots of different kinds of changes since I started volunteering. Getting a wedding licence for the site in 2007 was a big change and really helped to make the site sustainable, to help bring in the money needed to keep running the building. A few years after the building had been restored, we started off doing Sunday Open Days and people were really impressed with how the building had been restored. It has been so great seeing lots of people coming in and enjoying the building over the years.

Elaine was always aware that we needed the public’s support and I do believe that most people have been behind us 100% over the years. With the recent Heritage Lottery Project (Sharing the Story), we have been able to open up and improve new spaces such as the Welcome Wing, a permanent Gift Shop, our tea room – The Victorian Pantry and the new boards around the cloisters telling the story of the building. Sometimes it can be hard to get a balance between being open to the public and having the events that keep the building going, but we try to do the best we can and most people seem to understand.

There’s always something new being planned and it is a really exciting place to volunteer. It has been a long process over the years but it has been a really enjoyable journey.

What projects are you now working on as a volunteer at the Monastery and what do you do day-to-day?

Some days I concentrate on doing research for the building to add to a growing archive that we have. Even twenty years on, there is still a lot which we are still discovering about the building. I also help with the Open Days too, talking to visitors about the building and The Monastery’s story, helping in the gift shop, the Victorian Pantry (the on-site café) and on the Welcome Desk. I also do specific tasks as well too whenever needed as I am always willing and happy to help wherever I can.

What do you think is your favorite part about volunteering at The Monastery?

I have made so many friends through my time volunteering for The Monastery and learned so much about the building itself. I love being able to pass on the knowledge that I have learned to visitors when they come into the building and to share the story of The Monastery’s journey.

What do you do like the most about The Monastery?

I love the Lady Altar because it is the place in the building where I feel most at ease and relaxed. I have had some great moments with close friends near the Lady Altar over the years and it has become such a special place to me.

“Peace Bee with You” at The Monastery

There was quite a buzz throughout Manchester over the past summer, as hundreds of artistic bees landed all over the city as part of the Bee in the City Art Trail.  Overall one hundred and one big bees and one hundred and thirty-one little bees appeared across the city from Monday 23^rd July until Sunday 23^rd September, giving everyone across the city plenty of time to view their favourite bees or complete the bee trail.

Bee in the City hosted a farewell weekend at HSBC UK National Cycling centre where the bees were put on display for one final time before they found their new colonies and were auctioned off to raise money for the We Love Manchester Foundation.  On the night of the auction, there was a buzz as seventy-seven of the big Bee in the City sculptures went up for auction, raising  £1,128,250 on the night.  However, the smaller community bees have stayed in Manchester for everyone to enjoy.

Don’t worry if you missed an opportunity to see the bee trail – one of the little bees has recently landed at The Monastery on loan from Newall Green Primary School.  The message and inspiration of Newall Greens Primary Schools design is to ‘treat others as you would wish to be treated’.  Newall Green Bee represents the school’s peace promises, reminding everyone at the school to be a good, caring citizen.  Newall Green Primary School named their Bee after what they truly believe in ‘Peace Bee with You’.  The design of their bee is Peace Mala beads, which represent fourteen faith communities, whilst the white beads represent one’s own spiritual path.

So, before the ‘Peace Bee with You’ Bee buzzes off, come and pay it a visit soon at The Monastery!

£3m Welcome Wing Opens

The eco-friendly 6,650 sq ft building was commissioned by The Monastery of St Francis & Gorton Trust, the charity that saved and restored the existing Grade II* buildings and is now responsible for the upkeep of this heritage asset. The project, which took 12 months to complete, was made possible by a National Lottery grant of almost £2million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), together with a £1million donation from the Stoller Charitable Trust.

Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, the new building provides flexible, purpose-designed and carbon-neutral space, allowing the Trust to expand and extend its facilities and projects for the local community and general visitors, while continuing to host corporate and private events.

This new front wing sits on the footprint of an original building that was taken down in the 1960s. It has been carefully designed by Eco Arc, an ecological architecture practice based in Kendal, Cumbria so the modern building seamlessly connects to the 150 year-old E.W. Pugin-designed former Church and Friary. Specialist Manchester-based contractor HH Smith & Sons Ltd worked alongside project managers, Buro Four to deliver the building on time and to budget.

Elaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the Monastery Trust said: “This is a tremendously exciting day for us. This new building blends beautifully with the church and friary and we are delighted with the result.  We also love how it is flooded with light, making this a fantastic space for both community and corporate events.

“This has been the biggest investment we have made in the building since we completed the major £6.5 million restoration work to save the Monastery ten years ago and it’s wonderful to see it finished. We couldn’t have achieved this without the generous support of National Lottery players, Sir Norman Stoller and Trustees of the Stoller Charitable Trust and other donors.  This summer will be offering a full programme of community activities, and for the first time, we’re able to realise our long-held ambition to ‘Open Every Day for Everyone’.”

Nathan Lee, Head of HLF North West, said: “We’re delighted to see the new Welcome Wing at Gorton Monastery open its doors to the public and hugely grateful to the National Lottery players who have made this possible. Thanks to HLF support, the Monastery Trust has been able to carry out urgent conservation work and create this fantastic new space for the local community, celebrating the monastery’s history and making it sustainable for the future.”

Trust Chairman appointed Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester

Paul Griffiths DL, (64) chairman of the Gorton Monastery Trust has been appointed by Her Majesty the Queen as the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.

The Lord-Lieutenant Warren Smith who is the Monarch’s representative in the County, made the appointment following a recommendation to Her Majesty.  Mr Griffiths will replace Mrs Edith Conn, OBE, DL, JP who has held the position since 2014.

Paul has been a serving Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, supporting the Lord-Lieutenant of the County for thirteen years and was High Sheriff of the County in 2013/14. His commission as Vice Lord-Lieutenant took effect on the 13th June 2017.

He is a Mancunian born and bred, who lived in the suburb of Gorton from the age of seven and became an altar server at The Monastery. He has spent many years working in the food industry in technical, commercial and sales/marketing roles and as Chief Executive, conducting business in the UK and in many parts of Europe.

When endangered, the Monastery was listed by the World Monuments Fund Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World, alongside Pompeii and the Taj Mahal.  Paul co-founded The Monastery of St Francis & Gorton Trust, with his wife Elaine, in 1996. In 2012 he was made National Heritage Hero by the Heritage Alliance, in 2014 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for services to community by the University of Bolton.

The Monastery now operates as a successful corporate, cultural and community events venue, where all proceeds are used to maintain the historic buildings and support the Trusts outreach projects in the community in health, education, arts and skills.

He sits on the North West advisory boards of Business in the Community, Manchester Guardian Society Charitable Trust and the Greater Manchester High Sheriff’s Police Trust. He is a judge of the International Indian Chef of the Year competition, a representative member of the North West of England and Isle of Man Reserve Forces’ and Cadet’ Association and is a qualified helicopter pilot.

Commenting on his new voluntary role as Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Paul Griffiths said: “It is a great honour to have been appointed to serve as Vice Lord-Lieutenant and I know I stand on the shoulders of many in this dynamic and inspirational county who have gone before me.  As Greater Manchester is the largest county outside London, with some 2.8 million people living here, I understand the importance of building a bridge and connectivity with the business community, while continuing to champion, together with Lieutenancy colleagues, the truly outstanding and tireless work of volunteers.

I look forward immensely to supporting the Lord-Lieutenant Warren Smith, in the performance of his duties and will try to encourage more people to think about the Responsible Business agenda as well as championing volunteering which is so important and valuable to the Greater Manchester community”.

The Lord-Lieutenant is Her Majesty’s representative in his county and it is his first and foremost duty to uphold the dignity of the Crown. When called upon to do so, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant will support the main duties of the Lord-Lieutenant which include;

• Visits of members of the Royal Family to the County;
• Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force at the command of Her Majesty, or invitation of the commander concerned;
• Civic and Social;
• Presentation of Medals and Awards on behalf of Her Majesty;

The Vice Lord-Lieutenant assumes responsibility for the county should the Lord-Lieutenant be ill or abroad or otherwise incapacitated.

Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith said; “Paul is one of my hardest working and proactive Deputy Lieutenants. I am therefore delighted Her Majesty The Queen has approved my recommendation to appoint Paul as Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.”

Paul and his wife Elaine have a daughter Katy, two stepchildren Heather and George and an inappropriately named Cocker Spaniel Dog called Angel.

For more information about the work of the Greater Manchester Lieutenancy and The Monastery, please visit; www.manchesterlieutenacy.org and www.themonastery.co.uk.