Diocese of Shrewsbury

What Diocese of Shrewsbury does

The Diocese of Shrewsbury is a registered Roman Catholic charity (Shrewsbury Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust, charity number 234025) founded in 1851, serving 170,000 Catholics across 89 parishes in Cheshire, Shropshire and parts of Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Derbyshire. It is led by the eleventh Bishop of Shrewsbury, Mark Davies (in office since 2010), and operates a community-led ministry that delivers sacraments, pastoral care, faith formation, vocations discernment, safeguarding, marriage tribunals, youth ministry and Catholic education oversight. The diocese is staffed by approximately 200 lay staff across the Curial Offices in Prenton, the Cathedral in Shrewsbury, parishes and a network of 109-112 Catholic schools serving 43,000 children across 12 local authorities.

The organisation runs an integrated digital portal at dioceseofshrewsbury.org, providing a parish finder, Catholic faith resources, news and events, and OCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) enrolment, with a separate education microsite at educationshrewsbury.org. Core technology is modest: a Webflow-based website, online donations via the MyDona third-party platform with Gift Aid declaration, email newsletters, and livestreaming of Cathedral services through churchservices.tv. There is no public API, no developer-accessible infrastructure, and no disclosed AI/ML capability. Donor relationship management is handled via standing orders, online giving and Gift Aid reclaim (adding 25p per £1 from HMRC for UK taxpayers), with dedicated funds for general operations, Youth Mission, Retired Priests, Clergy Education and Training, Caritas and School Building.

The revenue model is donation-driven, supplemented by Gift Aid uplift and school-related income streams. Key customer segments are parishioners (170,000 across 89 parishes), Catholic schools, clergy and religious, and parishes themselves as internal operating units. The diocese pursues a community-led go-to-market through parishes, schools, the Cathedral, retreats, pilgrimages (including the 75th annual Lourdes Pilgrimage in 2026) and digital communications, with external advocacy positioning on issues such as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and debt justice through CAFOD.

Name

Diocese of Shrewsbury

Legal name

Shrewsbury Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust

Website

https://dioceseofshrewsbury.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1851

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Roman Catholic charity (founded 1851) serving 170,000 Catholics across 89 parishes in Cheshire, Shropshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Derbyshire, with 109 Catholic schools and approximately 200 lay staff, funded primarily through donations and Gift Aid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Administration & Catholic Pastoral Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Catholic diocese services
• Parish administration
• Catholic education
• Religious charity
• Pastoral care

Headquarters

HQ city

Prenton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: The Diocese receives donations through online giving (MyDona platform), standing orders, cheques, and weekly offertory envelopes. Gift Aid declarations allow reclaim of 25p per £1 from HMRC for UK taxpayers. Funds support formation of priests, safeguarding, cathedral, curia, parishes, and 109 Catholic schools.
2. Clergy Education and Training Fund: Dedicated fund covering seminarian formation (approximately £30,000 per year) and Permanent Deacon training (approximately £4,000 per year), as well as ongoing clergy professional development.
3. Retired Priests' Fund: Fund providing housing, healthcare, nursing care, and day-to-day living expenses for retired priests of the diocese.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Roman Catholic diocese serving 170,000 Catholics across 89 parishes in Cheshire, Shropshire, and parts of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Derbyshire. It delivers Catholic spiritual services (Mass, sacraments, pastoral care, faith formation), oversees 109-112 Catholic schools with 43,000 children, runs youth ministry, safeguarding, vocations discernment, and the Marriage Tribunal, and supports the Lourdes pilgrimage and other diocesan events. Funding comes from donations, Gift Aid, and planned giving administered through its Curial Offices in Prenton.

Product overview

The Diocese of Shrewsbury operates a unified digital portal as a single integrated website serving 170,000 Catholics across 89 parishes in Cheshire, Shropshire and beyond. The offering comprises a core parish information and faith resources portal (with Catholic Faith Resources, Parish Finder, News & Events, and Become a Catholic/OCIA services) supported by 13 departmental modules (Education Department, Safeguarding Services, Marriage Tribunal, Youth Mission Team, Schools Singing Programme, Vocations Services, and others). The portal also includes donation and giving services (Online Donation System via MyDona, Gift Aid Declaration Service, Planned Giving Service) and dedicated funds for Clergy Education and Training and Retired Priests. The Diocese's education module separately supports 112 schools and 43,000 children across twelve local authorities via educationshrewsbury.org.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Donation System Online giving platform built on the MyDona third-party service, supporting single and recurring donations to diocesan funds including General Donations, Youth Mission, Retired Priest, Education of Clergy, Caritas, and School Building, with Gift Aid declaration capability for UK taxpayers.
• Lourdes Pilgrimage Annual diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. The 75th annual pilgrimage runs 31 July to 6 August 2026. Open to parishioners, the sick, and volunteers across the diocese.
• Education Department Services Diocesan education oversight and support for 112 Catholic schools across twelve local authorities serving 43,000 children, delivered via the educationshrewsbury.org portal. Includes the Schools Singing Programme for sacred music in schools.
• Become a Catholic (OCIA) Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) programme enabling individuals to join the Catholic Church through formation, with 171 adults received at the last Easter.
• Safeguarding Services Diocesan safeguarding office protecting children and adults at risk across parishes, schools, and diocesan activities, coordinated by the Safeguarding Coordinator.
• Marriage Tribunal Diocesan ecclesiastical court that hears nullity cases for individuals whose marriages have ended in civil divorce, in accordance with Catholic canon law.
• Youth Mission Team Diocesan youth ministry working with young people in parishes and schools through retreats, missions, school chaplaincy and the Stockport hub.
• Vocations Services Diocesan team accompanying men and women discerning their vocation in marriage, priesthood, religious life, or consecrated singleness.
• Clergy Education and Training Fund Diocesan fund covering seminarian formation (approximately £30,000 per year for around six years), Permanent Deacon training (approximately £4,000 per year), and ongoing clergy professional development.
• Retired Priests' Fund Diocesan fund providing housing, healthcare, nursing care, and day-to-day living expenses for retired priests of the diocese.
• Gift Aid Declaration Service UK tax relief service allowing the diocese to reclaim 25p on every pound donated by UK taxpayers, increasing donation value at no additional cost to donors.
• Planned Giving and Standing Order Service Regular giving programme allowing donors to set up monthly or quarterly standing orders directly from their bank to support diocesan operations and funds.
• Parish Network Services 89 parishes across Cheshire, Shropshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Derbyshire delivering Mass, sacraments (baptism, marriage, confession), pastoral care, faith formation, and parish-level evangelisation to 170,000 Catholics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 171 adults received into the Church at Easter
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• World Apostolate of Fatima (England & Wales)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2026The Diocese of Shrewsbury hosts the Centenary Pilgrim Virgin Statue and Relics of Saints Jacinta and Francisco for a day of prayer, devotion, and reflection at Shrewsbury Cathedral. The event is arranged by the World Apostolate of Fatima (England & Wales).
• CAFODminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diocese participates in CAFOD initiatives, including calls for debt justice, working together with the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development.
• Marriage FoundationminorOthersResearch on family breakdown statistics cited in Bishop's marriage homily. Marriage Foundation provides research data on family stability.
• Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diocese operates under the national Catholic Bishops' Conference which coordinates policy, provides guidance on life issues, and conducts annual audits.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Archdiocese of Liverpool: Neighbouring Roman Catholic archdiocese serving Merseyside and surrounding areas. Operates a comparable parish-school-chaplaincy model across a similar geographic footprint in the North West of England.
• Diocese of East Anglia: Catholic diocese serving Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Peterborough. Operates parishes, schools, and chaplaincy under the same national Catholic framework.
• Archdiocese of Birmingham: Large UK Catholic archdiocese operating parishes, schools, and cathedral services in the West Midlands. Directly comparable in scope, governance structure, and Catholic Charities framework.
• Diocese of Nottingham: Catholic diocese covering the East Midlands. Operates a comparable parish-school-curia model with registered charity status and diocesan trust governance.
• Archdiocese of Cardiff: Catholic archdiocese serving Wales and parts of England. Operates under the same canonical and Charitable Trust structure, with parishes, schools, and central curia.
• Diocese of Leeds: Diocese covering West Yorkshire with a similar parish-school portfolio. Shares the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales framework and operates a registered diocesan trust.
• Diocese of Hallam: Catholic diocese covering South Yorkshire and the Peak District. Operates parishes, schools, and Catholic Charities under the same English and Welsh Catholic governance structure.
• Archdiocese of Southwark: Catholic archdiocese serving South London, Kent, and Surrey. Comparable in size and operational structure, with parish network, schools, and diocesan departments.
• Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle: Roman Catholic diocese covering North East England with parishes, schools, and chaplaincy services. Operates under the same Catholic Bishops' Conference framework as Shrewsbury.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales: National assembly of Catholic bishops providing coordinated policy, audits, and inter-diocesan guidance. Functions as the overarching governance body for the Diocese of Shrewsbury and its peers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diocese-of-shrewsbury

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Diocese of Shrewsbury