Meet our team: the Membership Team
In this blog series we look forward to introducing our team here at the CCT. We hope you will enjoy learning more about the scope and variety of the work that we do.
This week we caught up with Jenny Ringo, Kate Burden & Emily Ding in the Membership Team. The team are usually based in the London Office and are responsible for membership and central fundraising activities such as donations, appeals, legacy giving, events such as Historic Church Tours and supporting applications to trusts and foundations, alongside Suzanne Harris, Grants and Capital Campaigns Manager.
Jenny Ringo - Head of Fundraising & Membership
What is your background?
I joined the CCT just over 4 years ago in what is either my second or third career. I originally started out as a management consultant with Accenture. While my son was at school I combined freelance work and a number of voluntary roles including Chairing my Church Action Group (leading the fundraising for a £500k project to reorder the interior of our Grade 11* GE Street designed church in SE London) and a couple of years as Hon Membership Secretary for Dulwich Picture Gallery.
What does your role involve?
In my role I lead a team of three people. As well as running our memberships schemes, we are responsible for all central fundraising activities including grant applications to Trusts and Foundations, Donations, Appeals, Fundraising events such as Historic Church Tours and Legacy Giving.
What was the first CCT church you visited?
I think the first CCT church I ever visited was St. Peter and St. Paul’s, Albury, during a school field trip led by my Art Teacher who inspired my love and interest in gothic church architecture, but I am not going to tell you how long ago this was!
Kate Burden - Fundraising Officer
When did you start working for CCT?
I joined CCT as Fundraising Officer, for Membership and Donations, shortly before Lockdown was introduced in March. Whilst I was learning the everyday operations, I was also meeting most of my colleagues for the first time on Zoom from my Living Room. These past few months have been a great learning curb, and I cannot wait to explore more of our churches as they reopen once again.
What is the first CCT church you visited?
As the newest member of the Fundraising and Membership team, I see it quite fitting that the first CCT church I visited was the latest addition to our collection, St Peter’s in Tickencote, Stamford. On a sunny winters day, the church looked stunning on our approach, however, the interior was truly remarkable. With a Romanesque vaulting and a Norman arch, both featuring intricate carvings, this church is certainly worth a visit!
Emily Ding - Fundraising Officer
What is your background?
I started working at the CCT in the Spring last year having previously worked in higher eduction fundraising. I studied history at university with a focus on architectural history so it's a joy to work for the CCT, playing a part in protecting historic buildings and ensuring that our incredible heritage can reach the widest possible audience.
What is your favourite detail found in a CCT church and where is it?
My favourite detail in a CCT church is probably at All Saints' Cambridge. All Saints' is an incredible Bodley church, decorated in the Arts and Craft style - almost every surface is adorned with vibrant patterns. High above the west window (only really visible with a very powerful camera zoom!) a piece of decoration lists the artists involved and among these names is 'D. Parr SNR', who was, at the time, a 17 year old apprentice at the decorating firm F R Leach & Sons. Last summer I had a day out of the office to take a group of supporters' on a tour around Cambridge and we combined a visit to All Saints' with a trip to David Parr's house - 186 Gwydir street - which had recently opened to the public. It was truly extraordinary to see - from buying the house in 1886 to his death in 1927 in the same way he had decorated All Saints' he had also painstakingly decorated the walls of his own terrace house.
