Carol Service

The biggest gathering of students and staff from the whole of the University takes place each December at the University Carol Service. Organised by the Chaplaincy and students from church groups and religious societies on campus, nearly 2000 people attend a memorable evening of readings, carols and choral singing in the awe-inspiring atmosphere of Canterbury Cathedral.

The 2023 Carol Service is on Monday 11 December at 7.30pm. Although the event is free of charge, admission to the Cathedral on the night is by previously-issued, paper ticket only because of the demand for seats.

This year's appeal, for homelessness charity Porchlight, is online only via the Justgiving platform.

Students

Come and collect your tickets from the foyer of the Grimond Building (behind the Templeman Library) on:

• Mondays 28 November and 5th December: 12:45pm - 2pm
• Tuesdays 29th November and 6th December: 5.45pm - 6.30pm

Students may collect up to three tickets per ID shown. You can bring along someone else's ID and get additional tickets. We are offering four distribution times so that as many students as possible have a fair chance of getting a ticket, regardless of their timetable commitments.

Accessibility

We can make different arrangements for students with disabilities or mobility or sensory conditions, please contact Revd Dr Stephen Laird s.c.e.laird@kent.ac.uk to indicate how we can support your participation.

Staff

Please e-mail your requests for tickets to Revd Dr Stephen Laird s.c.e.laird@kent.ac.uk before 2 December. We will respond with details which will enable you to access tickets online. Please e-mail your requests rather than leaving a telephone message! Staff requests for up to four tickets per application will be accepted and you will receive your tickets (subject to availability) on or before 6th December.

Please note that demand for tickets for the University Carol Service, from both students and staff, continues to increase. Meanwhile, due to fire regulations, seating-space in the Cathedral Nave has been slightly reduced.

Every year we welcome offers from students who would like to act as Volunteer Stewards at the Carol Service. Volunteer Stewards are given duties to perform, such as issuing programmes, checking tickets etc., and are instructed to sit in their designated places at the Carol Service.

Volunteer Stewards do not need to queue for tickets, but need to be available for a training session at 5:15pm on Thursday 6th December OR at 5:15pm on Friday 7th December. You may also be needed at the Cathedral from 2:30pm-3:30pm on Monday 11th December, and from 6.20pm that evening (i.e. just over an hour before the service starts).

We plan to have appointed these helpers before the general issue of tickets so volunteers will know that they do not have to struggle to get tickets themselves. If you are interested in volunteering for this rewarding role, please e-mail Revd Dr Stephen Laird s.c.e.laird@kent.ac.uk as soon as possible