Anna Chaplain for Wells Cathedral Wendy Haslam, who is also a counsellor, trainer and supervisor, has been delivering Anna Chaplaincy Training for churches in Guernsey.
A large group met at Holy Trinity Church in St Peter Port, on Saturday 25 February. The training included an introduction to Anna Chaplaincy, loss in later life and dementia, spirituality in later life and dementia, as well as the different contexts and approaches for churches in serving older people.
The day was arranged by Helen Sheppard, Guernsey’s only Anna Chaplain at present. Wendy said Helen ‘had clearly reached out across the denominations which resulted in 38 people attending the day, including care home managers and a representative from the Alzheimer’s Society on the island. There was a wealth of experience in the room and an eagerness to reach out to those in later life. Holy Trinity Church hosted the day wonderfully including a delicious ploughman’s lunch.’
Patricia Hellier, an Anna Friend, kindly ensured the smooth running of the IT and made valuable contributions within the day.
It was ‘a most successful day, enjoyed by us all.’ There is some interest in taking Anna Chaplaincy further, Wendy reports, ‘and much interest in continuing to work together as a group on the island reaching out to the needs of the elderly.’