Anna Friends' Information Day - what an impact!
- debbiethrower0
- Apr 17
- 3 min read
We are very grateful to Anna Chaplain Carol Kidd for leading, and now reporting back on, a successful day reaching potential new recruits! Carol is a former midwife and is based near Southampton. She is part of the team of Anna Chaplains based within the Hampshire charity Caraway https://www.caraway.uk.com/:
'As Anna Chaplains commissioned to work out from our respectful churches, Lynne([Salvation Army), Susan (Kings Community Church) and myself (a Licensed Lay Minister at St James CofE Church), form an ecumenical team working and networking together on the east side of Southampton.
In addition to our designated geographical areas overlapping, we are also very fortunate to have a firm, supportive link with the team of Anna Chaplains, trustees, staff and volunteers of the Caraway charity for older persons in neighbouring Southampton. Over the past couple of years there have been increased requests for spiritual support for older persons in West End and Hedge End with referrals via our churches, the Caraway team, local Care Navigators (social prescribing) plus direct referrals from care homes and from relatives of those who are living independently yet are lonely isolated.
In 2024, I attended an online gathering, led by Julia Burton-Jones, on the value of Anna Friends, including how to train and build a cohesive team using the package available from BRF. Having purchased the training materials, we met and discussed how we might take such a project forward – planning began and on 8th March this year we held an Anna Friend’s Information Day.
The training package available from BRF suggests using the material either as 3 x 2 hourly sessions or as a whole day event. A Saturday was set and a programme planned. In our planning we decided that it would not be possible to fully engage with all the lesson plans and worksheets in the pack over a one- day course so, rather than advertise as ‘training’, we selected sections of the pack to use as a taster ‘information’ session open to anyone interested in, and discerning a calling to, being an Anna Friend.
Speakers were arranged from the pool of local Anna Chaplains and the Caraway team, advertising began via posters, flyers and relevant social media and a programme organised.
Fourteen people attended. On arrival, participants each received a pack containing copies of information sheets from the Anna Friends training material (copyright allowed); the day began and ended with shared worship and prayer, included talks, presentations, small group work and discussions with opportunity to hear chaplains’ stories. There was opportunity to see and explore samples of resources, to ask questions, as well as share valuable conversation, experience and fellowship.
Feedback was overall positive and showed an appreciation of different styles of presentation, the range of topics and speakers, and particularly the interactive opportunities to break into pairs/small groups.
As per the suggested topic headings within the BRF pack, the 3 x 90minute sessions covered:
‘Ageing Well’, ‘Living well with dementia’ and ‘Reviewing and developing roles with older people’.
The training pack contained clear directives and worksheets together with ideas for presentations.
Following the day there have been at least eight people expressing interest in further discernment on where and how God may be calling them to work alongside their local Anna Chaplains.
Conversations have begun, opportunities are ongoing for those seeking a way forward to ‘shadow’ visits to elderly persons who are housebound, to accompany chaplains to services held in residential care homes and/or memory cafes etc. Essentially, all who have expressed a calling to be an Anna Friend are being directed to engage with the necessary safer recruitment processes and safeguarding training required by the church they will link with, or via the Caraway volunteer coordinator.
Lynne, Susan and I are thrilled and excited that the information day is bearing fruit, we will soon be involved with planning commissioning services where Anna Friends will be welcomed and prayed for by church congregations. It will be a true privilege to support, mentor and provide ongoing training to those new team members who, as Anna Friends, will be link with our churches / geographical area.'
Carol Kidd: LLM / Anna Chaplain for Older Persons of Harefield and West End
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