We are delighted to announce that Nerys Watts will be joining the Wells Cathedral community as our new Chief Operating Officer.
On her selection as the next COO, Nerys says, ‘I am thrilled to be invited to join the fantastic team at Wells Cathedral, and at such an exciting time too. It will be a real privilege to be part of and help make a difference in this special and spiritual place, alongside all the people who work and volunteer here.
‘It will be an exciting challenge to add value to a place where worship has been celebrated for over 1,000 years, and which is also such an important heritage site of remarkable beauty and completeness. I look forward to helping deliver all the Cathedral’s ongoing work in conserving and opening up this spiritual treasure in Somerset to a wider public, and to helping make Wells Cathedral thrive as a place of welcome for everyone.’
Nerys has worked in the heritage sector for nearly thirty years. Most recently, she served as Director of External Affairs at SS Great Britain Trust, where she led the Fundraising and Development team, as well as the Interpretation team.
Prior to that, she worked for over twenty years at the National Lottery Heritage Fund. She led the South West regional team and oversaw significant investments in a wide range of projects across the region, many of which were Cathedrals or Major Churches, ensuring they were valued as living places of Christian worship as well as for their beauty and historic significance.
Nerys is passionate about heritage and its impact on people and places and is committed to making heritage inclusive and accessible to all. She is an active member of the Bath Heritage Advisory Board and serves as a Trustee for both the Royal Cornwall Museum and the Charles Causley Trust.
The Revd Canon Toby Wright, Dean Designate of Wells Cathedral, says, ‘I am delighted Nerys will be joining us at this important time in the life of the Cathedral. She has shown a deep appreciation for our cherished place of worship and understands the vital role that the beauty of music plays at Wells Cathedral.
‘Nerys brings a wealth of experience from the heritage sector and has a passionate commitment to helping us reenergise for the future. I warmly welcome her to the team, so that together we can enhance our vision for this great cathedral, as a place of worship, hospitality and welcome for everyone.’
Nerys Watts, new Chief Operating Officer