Message from the Chair

New Steps

From previous WHCT Chair – Margaret Rowe

In 2010 a separate Trust was set up within the original in memory of Jim Rowe, with special provision for donations made to remember him and his commitment to the chaplaincy service at Wellington Hospital.

The Trust’s vision has moved from “weathering the crisis” to “ensuring a sustainable service”. Our present reserves are enough to sustain 12 months of a worst case scenario. Further fundraising is a priority, with the aim of achieving around $20,000 pa to provide continuity into the future.

We have established a website to provide a point of contact for those hundreds of people who value the chaplaincy service but are not linked to church communities.

We are exploring a graduate research project into quantifying the role of chaplaincy as a partner in hospital healing and reconciliation, something intuitively understood but not yet adequately explored.

We also provide tangible community support – and a listening post – to our chaplains, who attend each Board meeting. The Trust also connects with hospital management, in the person of Jen Boryer, Capital and Coast’s manager of community services.

Our commitment

We’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, please continue your generous help to ensure the chaplaincy service at the hospital survives and grows. Board members are very clear that whatever shape the hospital system develops, there will always be vulnerable people within it who will benefit from the quiet support of the chaplaincy service. Please join with us in making sure it’s there, whenever and wherever needed, 24 hours a day.