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On 29 January, a service was held in the Apse Chapel in Peterborough Cathedral to present John Barker with the Canterbury Cross, an award given by the Archbishop of Canterbury for outstanding services to the Church of England. John Barker was chosen to receive this award for his outstanding contribution in leading and promoting the care of church buildings as centres of mission and worship.
Early in his career at an architectural practice John began to specialise in church buildings and over time, operating from his own practice, he has specialised in ecclesiastical work.
Becoming one of the first surveyors to be approved for doing quinquennial surveys, John has worked with some nationally significant churches in the Diocese. He has also overseen repairs to church buildings, advised on maintenance, undertaken carefully considered re-ordering schemes to better serve the mission of the church, and wider conservation work to over 160 chapels and church buildings. John’s diligence and perseverance helped to secure significant grant funding to enable parish churches to be conservatively repaired, better understood and appreciated, and subsequently passed to future generations to enjoy.
Since 2017, John has shared his knowledge with Peterborough Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches, he is a Trustee and Vice Chairman of the Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust and Trustee of the Francis Coales Charitable Foundation supporting and encouraging church volunteers to seek grant help for ecclesiastical work where needed. Until his recent retirement John was an Inspecting Surveyor, for the both the Diocese of Peterborough and the Diocese of St Albans, where he championed the use of church buildings to help serve their communities.
The Canterbury Cross was presented by the Archdeacon of Oakham, the Venerable Alison Booker, and the Archdeacon of Northampton, the Venerable Richard Ormston. Thanks for his extraordinary contribution were also given by Diocesan Secretary Andrew Roberts, DAC Secretary Emily Elliott, and Canon Rowan Williams on behalf of the Cathedral.
On receiving the award John said, ‘I am honoured to receive the Canterbury Cross and I thank God for the opportunities I have had throughout my career’.