Dozens of Suffolk’s chaplains gathered in Ipswich to celebrate the incredible breadth of work they do across the county. The event, at St Nicholas Centre on November 26, hosted by Archdeacon Rich Henderson, looked to shine a light on the huge impact chaplains have in Suffolk across a wide variety of sectors.
Archdeacon Rich said: “The work of chaplains touches all areas of Suffolk life – from prisons, police and the military to healthcare, education, farming and much, much more. It has been incredible to hear some of the stories, the experiences of those who do this important work every day, touching the lives of thousands with kindness, care and support.”
Four speakers took to the stage at the event, organised by the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, providing ‘snapshots’ of what it is like to work as a chaplain, and how they work with people of “all faiths and beliefs”.
The Revd Wendy Norris, Managing Chaplain at Highpoint Prison, spoke passionately about her experiences working with prisoners, their families and prison staff. “We provide pastoral care, family and bereavement ministry, family liaison and much more,” she said. “It’s about bringing joy into prison.”
The Revd Linda Pepper, Lead Chaplain at Suffolk New College and the University of Suffolk, spoke of the international café she has helped set up at the university, giving people from across the world, who may be away from home for the first time, a safe space to talk. “Many of them just want someone who is able to give them some advice, to listen to their struggles and be able to be open about it,” she said.
The Revd Linda Peall, Head of Chaplaincy at the East Suffolk and North Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, talked about how the Covid pandemic had increased staff’s need for chaplaincy support. “We provide chaplaincy support for patients, relatives, visitors, staff and volunteers,” she said. “Chaplaincy continues to demonstrate how valuable the support it provides is, building on the many challenges experienced during Covid. We act as a space to help people navigate the worries of life.”
Police chaplain the Revd Stéphane Javelle described how he would be among the first people to see officers after traumatic events to speak in confidence about what they had experienced, as well as providing a listening ear to both victims and those in custody.
The event also included a keynote speech by Ceri Bryant, Health and Wellbeing Officer at Sizewell C, who shared how much it meant to her personally as a Christian working with her team as they created the role of Chaplain and brought the Revd Clive Mobbs in to support the thousands of people working on the project.
The Church of England in Suffolk oversees around 50 chaplains working across Suffolk providing support across a broad range of sectors spanning education, healthcare, hospice care, the RAF, the army, British Legion, youth groups, agriculture, the Port of Felixstowe, seafaring and deaf chaplaincy.
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