IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson, JETHRO TULL frontman Ian Anderson and Justin Hayward of the MOODY BLUES will perform for the first time together under the name Canterbury Rocks At Christmas on Saturday, December 10th at the Canterbury Cathedral Nave in Kent, England in support of The Canterbury Gift, which raises funds for the ongoing renovation work on the cathedral.
According to Wikipedia, The Canterbury Cathedral Appeal was launched to protect and enhance Canterbury Cathedral's future as a religious, heritage and cultural centre. Every five years the cathedral carries out a major structural review. The last so-called Quinquennial made it very clear that a combination of centuries of weathering, pollution and constant use had taken its toll on the building and there were some serious problems at Canterbury Cathedral that needed urgent action.
Much of the cathedral's stonework is damaged and crumbling, the roofs are leaking and much of the stained glass is badly corroded. It is thought that if action is not taken now, the rate of decay and damage being inflicted on the building will increase dramatically with potentially disastrous results, including closure of large sections of the cathedral in order to guarantee the safety of the million plus worshippers, pilgrims and tourists who visit the cathedral every year.
Ian Anderson spoke of the importance of supporting Canterbury Cathedral recently. "If our generation and the future generations don't do it, then it will be lost," he said. "There is a real parallel regarding the preservation of our great buildings, and the greater sense of conserving our world. We need a huge change of thinking about the stewardship of our planet and all it contains, both natural and man-made. Canterbury Cathedral is a place for life today. But it is also a place for the future and, whether you are a Christian or not, it is a place which should remain forever close to our hearts."
