The Godiva Trust

About The Godiva Trust

The Godiva Trust Coventry is a Heritage, Arts & Community Group in Coventry, West Midlands.


In 1999 Pru Porretta, Coventry's official Lady Godiva and heart of England qualified Tourist Guide, discovered a lost city festival dedicated to the Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, Lady Godiva that hadn’t been shared or celebrated for over 500 years.
Following a lot of hard work, Pru staged a recreation for that September’s Heritage Open Days. Encouraged by the response, the festival has been repeated each year since, expanding to now include over 50 ‘Godiva Sisters’: women who live in Coventry but have their roots in other lands. A procession involving choirs, musicians and special banners created by each community group is led through the city by their Godiva Sister to the Priory Gardens, site of the city’s first cathedral founded by the original Lady Godiva.

Participating in Heritage Open Days has inspired the team to create further educational workshops, heritage tours, peace and citizenship programmes throughout the year. They’ve gone from strength to strength and been recognised locally and nationally with a 2011 Coventry City Council Community Champions Award for cultural diversity and a 2018 Queens Award as well as awards for Imagination Reading storytelling Cafes, part of the Godiva Trust.
• The Godiva Trust works all year to plan and expand our reach to communities and faiths. We hold storytelling and art workshops in schools and women’s groups celebrating Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Chinese New Year, International Women's Week, Black History month, Peace month.