SALISBURY Cathedral has appointed a new director of cathedral programmes and project.

Architect Richard Wood started his new job on Monday and as a senior director will have an important role in shaping the cathedral’s overall strategies and policies as well as working to ensure the success of fundraising and leading on capital projects and the managing of estates and facilities.

Richard has run his own architectural practice for the last 20 years, coordinating design and building projects mostly on historic buildings.

These projects have included managing a conservation project on a Grade 1 listed building, producing conservation management plans for Leicester Cathedral and assisting churches with grant applications and fundraising.

A Chartered Architect, Richard was accredited in building conservation in 1999. He has been an architectural adviser on the Leicester DAC and surveyor of the fabric to Leicester Cathedral.

The Dean of Salisbury, the Very Rev June Osborne, said: “I am very much looking forward to having Richard on our management team. He has a strong track record of strategic leadership and successful delivery of projects and will bring important perspectives to the conservation of this cathedral in its special setting.

“Most importantly he will work in close partnership with the director of development so that we can progress our fundraising activities against a clearly laid out catalogue of capital and sponsorship projects.”