Get to Know Teddington Hospital Chaplaincy
About Me: I became Chaplain at the end of July, so I am quite new in this role. My home church is St Richard’s in Hanworth, where I have been involved in parish ministry for over 11 years. During that time, I have provided pastoral care to those affected by sickness, mental health issues and loss. I grew up as a Methodist and became a Methodist
Local Preacher in 2010, having started training in 2005.
TMH Chaplaincy: The Chaplaincy team mainly visit the in-patients, of which there are a maximum of 29. They tend to stay on the ward for about 2-3 weeks for rehabilitation. TMH provides a lovely environment and great care for patients, and I have been impressed by its dedicated staff.
The Hospital has a beautiful Multi-Faith Chapel, open to anyone at any time, for quiet prayer or to light a candle. People can also write prayer requests; we remember these during Chapel services, which are open to all, and take place twice a month on Sunday afternoon at 4pm, led by the Methodist and Baptist Churches. In my experience so far, patients are generally very happy to have a chat with a member of the Chaplaincy team, whether or not they have any faith background.
The team currently comprises myself and two fantastic volunteers, who each visit one afternoon a week to chat to patients. Our role is to offer pastoral, spiritual and religious support, as appropriate. I have prayed with patients, but mostly offering a friendly hello, a listening ear and a chat is what’s appreciated.
I would love to expand the team of volunteers, so that we could have someone going into the ward to visit every day. If this is something you might enjoy, please get in touch with me at emma.hughes43@nhs.net.
Emma Hughes, TMH Chaplain