25th March 2025 | Patron
Guildford Town Centre Chaplaincy Conference
On Tuesday 11th March, The Lord Lieutenant was pleased to welcome, as patron to Guildford Town Centre Chaplaincy, over 100 from the wider chaplaincy community including GTCC’s own Volunteer Chaplains to GTCC’s annual conference held at St Saviour’s Church Guildford. The invitation was extended to all those exploring, supporting or involved in chaplaincy to come and be encouraged, inspired and connected.
Attendees joined from chaplaincies working in Winchester, Bracknell, Basingstoke, along with army and police chaplains from across Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex and as well as those more local to Guildford.
This year Helen Watts led the morning on the subject of ‘Spiritual Conversations with people with a non-religious background’. Helen shared her extensive experience gained during her current work as a Chaplain for Wellbeing in Primary Care, Birmingham, as a former church pastor and her travels from around the world training others for pastoral and spiritual care ministry.
She gave everyone attending so much to think about; an encouragement to practise respectful curiosity, a reminder of the power of listening how chaplains are different in offering that safe space and that this difference is such a blessing to share with others.
Rev Noelle Coe, Town Centre Chaplain, shared “We are very much aware through our work with GTCC over the last few years that there has been a new openness and awareness of people’s wellbeing and the role that chaplains can play in providing a non-judgemental and safe listening presence. The number attending today is a huge encouragement and an endorsement of our intention of bringing the wider chaplaincy community together”
Susanna Hoar, Project Coordinator for Volunteer Chaplains, gave an update on the work of the Volunteer Chaplains working in a range of placements across our town, and the importance of relationship in establishing these chaplaincies currently based in GP surgeries, the police station, G Live theatre, George Abbot, a large secondary school, a hostel for the homeless, a complex of retirement flats and in St Marys Church, Quarry Street.
If you would like to know more about Volunteer Chaplains and where they are currently working please do get in touch with GTCC at susanna.hoar@gtcc.org.uk
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