When you step out at the top, over the turret, all you can see is that it’s a long way down and you are not sure if the ropes are going to be all right. You’re told to push off, which instinctively you don’t want to do, so that’s probably the moment my heart rate was at its highest. At one point I was dangling around, facing the gathered throng on the ground, which was on one level encouraging and the other slightly intimidating. Seeing Devon from the roof of the Cathedral you can see it is such a beautiful place to be and such a beautiful place to serve." - The Bishop of Exeter

Funds raised from the abseil will directly support the development of the Cathedral’s Grade 1 listed Medieval Hall. Not only does this part of the project aim to transform the space into a warm, accessible community hub for learning and engagement activities, it also seeks to make the building more sustainable – through underfloor heating aided by an air source heat pump – and to conserve the remarkable original features, such as the wooden beam roof. We have ambitious plans to improve the Hall and the Cathedral Cloister over the next five years, and so we look forward to hearing people’s ideas on what activities they would like us to offer in our future, new and improved spaces.”

The Cathedral is an iconic building right in the centre of Devon. It’s a sign of the Christian faith, but it’s also a centre of hospitality for so many different groups. It’s really important that the fabric is taken care of… it’s a thousand years’ old, so it’s really important that we raise money to keep it going.”