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Heritage Volunteering at The Arts Society Cambridge

2026 AGM Report

Our volunteers offer their time and energy to help us preserve and celebrate the arts and heritage. But you also get something back from volunteering – you’ll make new friends, learn new skills, and you can enjoy knowing you are making a huge difference.

At The Arts Society Cambridge our hard working and multi-talented team of heritage volunteers are currently immersed in very exciting long-term projects at two much loved Cambridge treasures.

The David Parr House

For forty years from 1887, this extraordinary, ordinary Cambridge house was the home of David Parr, a highly skilled decorative artist who hand painted the designs of William Morris and George Frederick Bodley in grand stately homes, civic buildings, churches, palaces – and in his own modest terraced house in Gwydir Street.

Our heritage volunteers have been involved since 2017, first as gardeners, textiles advisers, collections assistants, cataloguing the contents and now as house guides.

Lovingly preserved by four generations of the Parr and Palmer families and now open to the public you can now see this private world for yourself. Book a tour at https//:thedavidparrhouse.org

All Saints’ Church Jesus Lane

Our hard working Heritage Volunteers continue their ambitious project at The Painted Church, welcoming more visitors and raising funds for conservation. Film maker Scott Antony spent some time at the church and has produced this gorgeous photo film celebrating the unique interiors of this very special place. Click HERE to see Scott's video.

The beautiful church of All Saints’ has strong links to the David Parr House as we know that a young David began his career as a decorative artist here in 1871. The highly ornamented walls and the beautifully executed calligraphy are echoed in the David Parr House.  Designed in the Victorian Gothic style by George Frederick Bodley, the painted church is considered to be one of the finest churches of its period in the country.  As well as its exceptional hand painted walls the church is also famous for its stained glass (designed by such luminaries as William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown and Charles Eamer Kempe).  Back in the seventies a dwindling congregation led to All Saints' facing partial or total demolition and it was only through the determination of a local campaign group that it was saved from the bulldozers by garnering national support. The church was then taken on by the Churches Conservation Trust in 1981; they carried out some restoration work and opened All Saints' to the public again. 

However, in recent years visitor numbers have declined, and in October 2021 our heritage volunteers launched their project to put All Saints’ back on the map by organising a series of varied and exciting events and activities. The church is now an established venue on the cultural scene in Cambridge with monthly recitals, art exhibitions, storytelling, guided tours, talks and much more. Visit www.thepaintedchurch.co.uk OR click HERE for more information on forthcoming events.

Events planned at The Painted Church in 2024 (May be subject to change)
January 21: Cambridge Early Music Consort – Matt Gouldstone, director
March 10: International Women’s Day – Hannah Watson Emmrich, piano
March 10 – 24: Art Exhibition (sponsored by The Arts Society Cambridge)
September 21: Opus 1 - Britten Sinfonia
December: Christmas Concert with Granta Chorale

Sunday recitals on the first Sunday of the month at 1.15pm
January 7: Piano trio with John Richens
February 4: Karolina Csáthy, violin
March 3: Cambridge University Instrumental Awards Scheme
April 7: St Radegund’s Voices – Katie Hawks, director
May 5: CUBE – Cambridge University Brass Ensemble
June 2: Oliver Morrell, tenor; Will Sims, piano
July 7: Kevin Loh, guitar
August 4: Galliard Trio
September 1: Peter Mallinson and Matthias Wiesner, two violas & piano

October Fest 2024
October 6: Mitchison Ensemble
October 13: Rosie Moon, double bass
October 20: Accorde – Andrew Foxley, conductor
October 27: Peter Mallinson, viola & violin
November 3: Richard Scofield, saxophone; Iain Clarke, piano
December 1: TBC

For more information about volunteering please contact Pat Robinson at patrobinson26@yahoo.co.uk

Heritage Volunteering at The Arts Society Cambridge

2026 AGM Report

Our volunteers offer their time and energy to help us preserve and celebrate the arts and heritage. But you also get something back from volunteering – you’ll make new friends, learn new skills, and you can enjoy knowing you are making a huge difference.

At The Arts Society Cambridge our hard working and multi-talented team of heritage volunteers are currently immersed in very exciting long-term projects at two much loved Cambridge treasures.

The David Parr House

For forty years from 1887, this extraordinary, ordinary Cambridge house was the home of David Parr, a highly skilled decorative artist who hand painted the designs of William Morris and George Frederick Bodley in grand stately homes, civic buildings, churches, palaces – and in his own modest terraced house in Gwydir Street.

Our heritage volunteers have been involved since 2017, first as gardeners, textiles advisers, collections assistants, cataloguing the contents and now as house guides.

Lovingly preserved by four generations of the Parr and Palmer families and now open to the public you can now see this private world for yourself. Book a tour at https//:thedavidparrhouse.org

All Saints’ Church Jesus Lane

Our hard working Heritage Volunteers continue their ambitious project at The Painted Church, welcoming more visitors and raising funds for conservation. Film maker Scott Antony spent some time at the church and has produced this gorgeous photo film celebrating the unique interiors of this very special place. Click HERE to see Scott's video.

The beautiful church of All Saints’ has strong links to the David Parr House as we know that a young David began his career as a decorative artist here in 1871. The highly ornamented walls and the beautifully executed calligraphy are echoed in the David Parr House.  Designed in the Victorian Gothic style by George Frederick Bodley, the painted church is considered to be one of the finest churches of its period in the country.  As well as its exceptional hand painted walls the church is also famous for its stained glass (designed by such luminaries as William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown and Charles Eamer Kempe).  Back in the seventies a dwindling congregation led to All Saints' facing partial or total demolition and it was only through the determination of a local campaign group that it was saved from the bulldozers by garnering national support. The church was then taken on by the Churches Conservation Trust in 1981; they carried out some restoration work and opened All Saints' to the public again. 

However, in recent years visitor numbers have declined, and in October 2021 our heritage volunteers launched their project to put All Saints’ back on the map by organising a series of varied and exciting events and activities. The church is now an established venue on the cultural scene in Cambridge with monthly recitals, art exhibitions, storytelling, guided tours, talks and much more. Visit www.thepaintedchurch.co.uk OR click HERE for more information on forthcoming events.

Events planned at The Painted Church in 2024 (May be subject to change)
January 21: Cambridge Early Music Consort – Matt Gouldstone, director
March 10: International Women’s Day – Hannah Watson Emmrich, piano
March 10 – 24: Art Exhibition (sponsored by The Arts Society Cambridge)
September 21: Opus 1 - Britten Sinfonia
December: Christmas Concert with Granta Chorale

Sunday recitals on the first Sunday of the month at 1.15pm
January 7: Piano trio with John Richens
February 4: Karolina Csáthy, violin
March 3: Cambridge University Instrumental Awards Scheme
April 7: St Radegund’s Voices – Katie Hawks, director
May 5: CUBE – Cambridge University Brass Ensemble
June 2: Oliver Morrell, tenor; Will Sims, piano
July 7: Kevin Loh, guitar
August 4: Galliard Trio
September 1: Peter Mallinson and Matthias Wiesner, two violas & piano

October Fest 2024
October 6: Mitchison Ensemble
October 13: Rosie Moon, double bass
October 20: Accorde – Andrew Foxley, conductor
October 27: Peter Mallinson, viola & violin
November 3: Richard Scofield, saxophone; Iain Clarke, piano
December 1: TBC

For more information about volunteering please contact Pat Robinson at patrobinson26@yahoo.co.uk