Stewards

Stewarding at services and concerts usually takes place in the evening or at a weekend and involves looking after the welcome, comfort, and safety of the congregation or audience at services or events. This can be done regularly or on an ad-hoc basis.

Minster Mice Helpers

Our Minster Mice Helpers assist with pre-school aged services welcoming families and young children to sing songs, hear a Bible story, say a prayer, and share refreshments and crafts. Minster Mice Services meet Wednesday mornings during term time.

Undercroft Museum and Information Desk

The Undercroft volunteers engage the public with the collection in our accredited museum and our Information Desk Stewards answer visitors' questions at the Information Point in the Minster. Each role has a rota with two-hour time slots throughout the week.

Servers

Our Minster Servers assist in the worship of the cathedral by performing specific duties during services. These can include the Crucifer who carries the processional cross, the Taperers who carry candles in the procession and the Thurifer who, at some services, carries and swings the Thurible emitting incense.

Library, Archive and Collections Volunteer

The Old Palace Library and Archives has several volunteer roles. These include collections care volunteers, library shelving volunteers, and archive projects. Tasks can range from cataloguing to light collections care, object handling and more.

Guides

From our Session Guides who spend half a day in the Minster, to our Scheduled Guides who lead tours each volunteer brings the Minster to life with enthusiasm and expertise. All Guides at the Minster must complete a Guides Training Course, please contact volunteering@yorkminster.org to find out when the next course is running.

Bell Ringers

York Minster has the fourth heaviest set of change ringing bells in the world and each Sunday they are rung by our band of volunteer bell-ringers. Change ringing is a traditional English art form, with the aim to ring the bells in an even rhythm. Ringers can learn ever-more complex patterns in order to ring the bells in a different, pre-prescribed number of changes. So as well as being physical exercise, it is a good mental challenge too. Practice nights are on Tuesday evenings, with ringing starting on Sunday at 9am ahead of the main service. If you would be interested in joining the York Minster Volunteer Bell Ringing Team, or coming as a visiting ringer, please contact Andy Blacklock, Head of Bell Tower, at e: headofbelltower@yorkminster.org.

Specialised Roles

We have many other volunteer roles are which include; embroidery and caring for vestments, flower arranging, and Sunday School helpers. Our Honorary Chaplains also provide pastoral care for visitors.