THE Lord Lieutenant of Kent has announced he is standing down as chairman of the Canterbury Cathedral Trust Fund.

Allan Willett has taken the decision on medical advice after experiencing heart problems in recent months.

Over the past year he has been closely involved in the launch of the £50 million Save Canterbury Cathedral campaign.

Mr Willett, 70, said: “Although the heart problems are not life threatening they affect my energy levels and the doctors have urged me to reduce my personal workload, not least so that I can continue to do justice to my primary role as the Queen’s representative for Kent.”

The Lord Lieutenant has atrial fibrillation, which affects the regularity of his heartbeat and for which he is receiving treatment.

The campaign has already raised £6 million and Mr Willett said it was a good moment to make way for a younger chairman who could carry it forward in the longer term.

He will continue to chair trustees’ meetings until a new chairman is appointed and will remain as a trustee.

Mr Willett will also remain a dedicated supporter of the Cathedral both as Lord Lieutenant and as a benefactor – his own charitable foundation is giving £500,000 to the campaign fund.

The Dean of Canterbury, the Very Rev Robert Willis, said Mr Willett had been a tremendous supporter of Canterbury Cathedral for many years and had led from the front with the initial stages of the fund-raising campaign.

“We are all very grateful to him for his enthusiastic and dynamic leadership and are delighted that he will remain as a trustee,” the Dean said.

Campaign director Brig David Innes also paid tribute to the Lord Lieutenant and said his leadership in launching the campaign had been invaluable.

“Without his dedication, drive and determination our early success in raising more than £6 million for the campaign would not have been possible,” he said.

“Allan has helped lay the foundations for what I am sure will be a very successful campaign over the coming years and we look forward to continuing his excellent work.”

Brig Innes said work was in hand to find a successor and he was confident that the campaign would be able to attract someone of Mr Willett’s standing.