Firstly, we would like to thank all of our readers for their comments and feedback to the Cathedral News survey conducted last year.

The format and style of Cathedral News have not changed for about seven years, with the price fixed for the last four years.

Given the reduction in subscribers and the substantial time and cost involved in producing the publication it was time to re-evaluate it and ask our readers their opinions.

As we read your responses a number of themes became clear, notably the high value readers place on Cathedral News and a desire for both news and the music scheme to be provided together.

Many also wanted to receive news further in advance and had an interest in longer articles with more detail about the life of the Cathedral.

The proposal for a new Cathedral News was presented to the Cathedral’s Community Forum in March and received its support. It outlined a magazine which: • Retains both the music scheme and news articles but also accommodates longer articles aiming to give a greater insight into what the Cathedral does.

• Moves from a monthly publication to a larger magazine every two months (saves production time; is more cost-efficient; allows for a higher quality and larger magazine to be created; will be published earlier giving greater forward notice about events).

• Is published in full colour (changes in print technology mean that the cost of this is minimal) with pictures.

• Is sold at £1.50 per issue. Ultimately, the goal is to publish a new Cathedral News which incorporates all that our current readers enjoy with new ideas that we hope will appeal to them and to a wider audience too.

Those with long memories may recognise some similarities with the previous incarnation of Cathedral News!

The first edition of the new version will be the July - August 2010 edition, focussing on the Cathedral’s Education work and featuring a foreword from the Dean. It will be available in mid June.

All current subscribers will automatically receive copies covering all the months they have already paid for and of course refunds are available to those who prefer not to receive the new format. Further details for subscribers will be included in the first issue (also on page 15).

We look forward to producing the new style of Cathedral News and thank you for all your support over the years.