The Cathedral is looking to recruit a team of Choir Chaperones. To support the music department staff in their work with the choirs and to provide supervision of choristers before, during and after rehearsals and services. Choir chaperones will be the chief point of contact for choir parents. They will take charge of the children in breaks between rehearsals and services, especially on Sundays when there is lunch for the choirs and a recreation period before the rehearsal for Choral Evensong. The Choir Chaperones will remain on site until the last chorister has left the site after each service or rehearsal.

The Cathedral has a fine musical tradition. The Director of Music is responsible for the boys’ and girls’ choirs. The boys’ choir (usually numbering 25 boys drawn from local day schools) normally sing at the Choral Eucharist on Sundays at 11.00 am, and at Choral Evensong on Sundays at 3.00 pm and Tuesdays 5.30 pm. The girls’ choir (numbering 28 girls) typically sing at Choral Evensong on Mondays and alternate Thursdays at 5.30 pm and Sundays once a term. In addition to this regular pattern, there are several special services throughout the year at which one or both choirs sing and additional services at Christmas, Holy Week, and Easter.

• Be the first point of contact for choir parents while on duty, including contacting parents of choristers who have not turned up when expected, and liaising with parents where necessary when arrangements for collecting choristers from the Cathedral change.
• Be on hand to support choristers in the event of any unforeseen circumstance, contacting parents or guardians as appropriate.
• Supervise the choristers before and after rehearsals and services and ensure that they are ready to rehearse and are robed and in place at the appropriate time before each service.

• Escort choristers to the lavatory as and when needed – this may be during rehearsals or services.
• On Sundays, help supervise the choristers during the choir lunch and the boys’ football activity as well as supervising any other choir activities prior to rehearsal.
• Accompany and supervise choristers when they are singing off-site at other venues.

Those appointed as Choir Chaperones will need to undertake safeguarding training before commencing work.

Essential

• In sympathy with the aims and objectives of the Christian Church and the Anglican tradition
• Experience of working with groups of young people.
• Friendly approachable, with a good sense of humour.
• Able to relate well to young people between the ages of 7 and 17.
• Flexible and able to deal with unexpected situations and respond calmly.
• A genuine interest in the Cathedral’s Choirs and their work.
• Adherence to and awareness of Diocesan safeguarding policies – A Safe Church
• This post is subject to receiving a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check.

Desirable

• Some understanding of the pattern and format of Church of England worship.
• Experience of drawing up rotas would be an advantage for the candidate looking to take on that responsibility but not for the other chaperones. If you have this skill, please highlight it in your application.

The Cathedral is situated on the south bank of the Thames adjacent to London Bridge in a largely business area. It is also a Parish Church. Only a small number of people are actually resident in the parish which comprises large commercial offices, two hospitals, the Cathedral Primary School and the Borough Market. The local area has undergone tremendous change with the opening of the Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern, the Millennium Footbridge and the Jubilee Line extension station at London Bridge as well as numerous other redevelopments including The Shard and re-developed London Bridge station. The normal Sunday morning congregation is eclectic with the many visitors from all over the world. Sunday Evensong is Choral in the Anglican Tradition.