In many cathedrals there is a choir that sings services when the Cathedral Choir is away, or in some cases sings an evening service on Sundays when the Cathedral Choir is no longer on duty. These choirs are named differently in the various cathedrals which they serve, but a general term would be "Cathedral Voluntary Choirs". Some voluntary choirs are of long standing: Chester, founded around 1800, claiming to be the oldest and several more having celebrated their centenary. Others, including Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir and Guildford Occasional Singers, were formed in the 1980s. However all tended to work in isolation and it was doubtful if anyone had a record of how many cathedral voluntary choirs there were or how they operated. Lynne Browning, vice-chairman of Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir, thought it would be interesting to find out.

A questionnaire was sent to the 42 Anglican cathedrals in England, 6 in Wales and to St. Mary's, Edinburgh. One question enquiring about possible interest in forming some sort of federation of cathedral voluntary choirs received a positive reply from most voluntary choirs.

Interested choirs were invited to send representatives to an exploratory meeting in Wells on 6th July 1996. Members from the voluntary choirs serving Exeter, Derby, Guildford, Rochester, Southwell and Truro attended. There was general enthusiasm for the initiative and The Association of Cathedral Voluntary Choirs was chosen as an umbrella name. Eighteen voluntary choirs joined the Association during the first year.

The main objects are:

To arrange events on a national or regional basis, the form of which would be at the discretion of the host choir

To share or exchange services between individual choirs

To provide a channel for the exchange of information and the discussion of mutually relevant matters.

It is also hoped that the Association will help provide a wider platform for modern liturgical music, specialist training and a network for directors, organists and singers on the move or requiring assistance.

Nationwide events are held at intervals of between eighteen to twenty-one months. As geography makes it difficult to have a committee of representatives from different choirs, the Association is run by one choir at a time. In addition to planning, financing and organizing a main event, the host choir will handle the administration of the Association during the period running up to the event. It is also hoped that member choirs will arrange and invite "neighbours" to regional events.

The inaugural event was held in Wells Cathedral on Saturday 26th April 1997 under the direction of Dudley Holroyd. Over 170 singers from the choirs at Derby, Exeter, Guildford, Peterborough, Truro, Worcester and Wells sang evensong and gave a concert. Rejoice in the Lamb (Britten), Blest Pair of Sirens (Parry) and the Te Deum as set by both Haydn and Stanford were the principal works sung by the full chorus under the baton of WCVC director, Dudley Holroyd, and Exeter Cathedral VC director, Paul Morgan. Individual choirs sang four shorter pieces.

The second event was held over the weekend of 10th/11th October 1998 at Guildford Cathedral, hosted by Guildford Cathedral Occasional Singers under the direction of Martin Ham. Representatives from the Choirs in Birmingham, Chester, Derby, Exeter, Truro, Rochester, Worcester, Wells and Guildford sang evensong on Saturday and Festal Eucharist on the Sunday morning.

Chester Cathedral Nave Choir hosted the millennium event on 1st and 2nd July 2000. Choirs from Derby, Edinburgh, Exeter, Guildford, Peterborough, Rochester, Truro, Wells & Worcester joined them to sing evensong on Saturday and Eucharist on Sunday. David Poulter was the director and a formal dinner was held at Chester College with the Dean as president. The after dinner speaker was Gordon Stewart.

Worcester Cathedral Voluntary Choir hosted the fourth national event on 6th/7th October 2001. The fourteen choirs were directed by Daniel Philips, assistant organist of Worcester Cathedral. Festival Evensong was sung on Saturday and a dinner was held in the King's Hall in the evening. The after-dinner speaker was the Reverend Prebendary James Butterworth and the company was further entertained by the boys of Worcester CVC who performed Swinging Samson. Festival Eucharist was sung on Sunday.

Nineteen members of WCVC attended the fifth gathering of the ACVC held in Exeter over the week-end of 3rd/4th May 2003. Eleven choirs were represented, singing Evensong on the Saturday and Eucharist on the Sunday morning, directed by Paul Morgan, organist of Exeter Cathedral. There was a guided tour of the cathedral after Evensong and a dinner was held in the University Great Hall at which the Dean of Exeter, the Very Reverend Keith Jones, gave a most amusing and thought provoking talk. After dinner there was an entertainment by the choral scholars of Exeter Cathedral.

The sixth gathering of the ACVC was held in Rochester on 30th and 31st October 2004 as part of the celebrations of the 1400th anniversary of the founding of the Cathedral. Members of nine cathedral voluntary choirs attended, including thirteen members of WCVC. The choirs sang Evensong on the Saturday and Eucharist on the Sunday morning, directed by Douglas Henn-Macrae, Director of Rochester Cathedral Special Choir. Dinner on the Saturday evening was held in the Corn Exchange and the guest speaker was the Dean of Monmouth, the Very Reverend Dr. Richard Fenwick, Warden of the Guild of Church Musicians and former Succentor of Rochester. The entertainment after dinner was led by the acting Dean of Rochester, the Reverend Canon Jonathan Meyrick. During Rochester's year of management, Douglas Henn-Macrae (douglas@gundulf.org.uk) started to construct a website for the Association and has agreed to continue building the site. You can connect to this webaite using the following link www.acvc.org.uk.