Katie Evans writes:

I visited the Royal United Hospital (RUH) Spiritual Care Centre to find out about opportunities for Quaker involvement. The Chaplaincy Team provides spiritual and religious care to patients, their carers and families and to hospital staff. They support people of all faiths or none.

Would you be interested in volunteering with the hospital chaplaincy as a ward visitor or supporting their Sunday afternoon worship?   

Ward visiting

• Ward visitors are assigned to a ward and offer pastoral/spiritual care to patients and staff.
• Time commitment: one or two half day sessions per week. Morning sessions 9:30-12:15, afternoon sessions 1:30-4:30.
• Training and supervision are given, with briefing and debriefing before and after each session. Volunteers begin by shadowing one of the chaplains, then are shadowed before going out on their own.

Sunday worship

• Time commitment: one Sunday a month, 1:30 – 4pm.
• This involves going to wards to ask who wants to come to the service, collecting patients from wards, greeting patients at the Spiritual Care Centre, attending worship service and serving tea and coffee.

To find out more, contact the RUH Chaplaincy Team on 01225 824039 or email ruh-tr.chaplaincy@nhs.net

RUH Spiritual Care Centre’s Courtyard Sculpture Garden. Image from RUH web site.