St Edmundsbury Cathedral are celebrating being a dog friendly Cathedral with a new 2025 calendar featuring dogs in the Cathedral.

12 local pups were photographed around the building for the calendar, including a border collie giving a sermon, a Scottish terrier playing the Cathedral’s organ and a cocker spaniel using a kneeler. The desk calendar features a different breed each month of the year, with models supplied by those in the cathedral community.

Marketing and Communications Manager, Catherine Rayson, created the calendar with photography by Tom Soper Photography and printing by local firm, Premier Printers. She says, “With Bury St Edmunds being voted the most dog friendly town in England last year, we wanted to celebrate the fact that dogs are very welcome at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. All our models were so well behaved and gave me two of the most fun workdays I’ve had in a while!”

The launch of the new calendar comes just a few weeks before Bury St Edmunds compete once again in the National DogFriendly Awards. The awards honour and acknowledge establishments that go above and beyond to accommodate the UK’s 12.5 million dogs and their owners, ensuring a welcoming and supportive environment.

The calendar will be on sale from Tuesday 1 October in the Cathedral Shop and via the Cathedral reception. Copies cost £10.00.

Dogs have been welcome in St Edmundsbury Cathedral for some time, with a request that they be kept on a lead. Some pups are even regulars at services, like May’s model, Mikey. Visitors and their furry companions will find a water bowl outside the Cathedral and a warm welcome in the form of a dog treat from the welcome desk.