Chaplains
Chaplains at work on the Greenwich Peninsula
We have a team of eleven chaplains working on the Greenwich Peninsula:
ten in The O2, two on the Bovis Lend Lease construction site in the
Greenwich Millennium Village, one in the Syral food refinery on the
western side of the Peninsula, four in ASDA in the retail park in
Bugsby's Way, and now a team of three at Plumstead Police Station. In
The O2 pairs of chaplains are
allocated groups of restaurants, bars, etc., and there is a chaplain
present at some point during the day Monday to Thursday and on Friday
or Saturday evening (visiting the nightclubs).
What we do when we are on site
We are available for conversation and listening.
All conversations will necessarily be brief,
but we can arrange to meet up later to finish a conversation.
We are there to offer support and to ask how things are going.
Often people can bring worries from home to work or the other way round
which can affect their home or work life, causing stress and unhappiness.
What we don't do
No Chaplain on their own initiative will attempt to persuade anyone
of the virtue or truth of the chaplains own Faith.
They might employ the resources of their own Faith
to respond to expressed spiritual need,
and if asked for reasons for their own beliefs might respond.
Confidentiality
Anything said to a chaplain is assumed to be confidential.
It will not be repeated or passed onto anyone else
without an express permission to do so.
Sometimes the Site Chaplain attends meetings and will bring up
subject areas that have been brought up with themselves
or other chaplains working on the site.
This is more likely to happen if more than one person has mentioned
the same issue of concern.
Names are never given to the managers or trades unions' officials,
or whoever else might be in a meeting.
We always depersonalize an issue so that it cannot be traced back
to any individual or group of individuals.
The multi-faith nature of the chaplaincy
If you want to speak to a chaplain from a specific religion
and it is not the religion of the chaplain you are talking to,
please ask and it can be arranged for you.
Offence will not be caused by asking for another chaplain from another Faith.
If you have a problem with a Chaplain
If the management, trade union officers or anyone else have concerns
about the behaviour of a chaplain it should be raised with the
Site Chaplain in the first instance.
The details of the site Chaplain can be found on the notice boards.
Comments can also be made to the Chair of the
Greenwich Peninsula Chaplaincy Steering Group —
who can be contacted through this website.
From 2005 to 2007 on the O2 construction site
From 2005 to 2007 a team of eight chaplains operated on the O2
construction site. A survey was conducted near to the end of that
period. To see the results,
click here.
The Chaplaincy Team
Mr. Nigel Anderson: Christian
Nigel is a Christian and worships locally at St Alfege's where he helps keep the
church open for visitors and tourists at weekends. He is a trained 'listener'
and works as a special needs teacher in a Greenwich secondary school. In his
spare time Nigel enjoys singing, reading and walking. (updated June 2009) |
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Davinder Kaur Babraa: Sikh
Davinder practices her faith of Sikhism at the Ramgarhia Temple in Woolwich. She is a retired
teacher and now spends most of her time with the British Thyroid Foundation
running a help line, organizing meetings and supporting families. Davinder is
also asked to speak about her faith to a wide range of people and
organisations, including teachers, local authorities and the World Council of Churches. Davinder is a keen
walker in her spare time.
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| Balbir Singh Bakhshi: Sikh |
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Sheikh Ali Hassan Barakat: Muslim
- Ali is an Imam and Chaplain for the
Oxleas NHS Trust.
With a wealth of experience gained from nine years as both an Imam
and as a hospital chaplain Ali has chosen to bring these skills
to the workers on the Peninsula.
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- The Rev'd Derek Clacey:
Christian
Derek is Team Vicar in the Church of England
Team
Ministry of East Greenwich.
Born in Dartford, he trained as a
quantity surveyor and spent 11 years in the building industry before training
for ministry. The last 30 years have
taken him away from this area to serve in Nottingham, Harlow,
Aylesbury and The New Forest before returning in 2004. Having returned to his roots, he finds it an
exciting place to live, enjoys the buzz and diversity of urban life, and is
fascinated by the closeness of the take-aways, railway station, buses, Charlton Athletic, and The O2 Building. (updated 17/06/09) |
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- The Rev'd Martyn Coe :
Christian
- Martyn Coe is a
Christian Minister
working in Greenwich
within the
United Reformed and Methodist Churches.
Initially a trustee of the chaplaincy, in 2005 Martyn was appointed
by his regional church to work in East Greenwich and the Peninsula
until 2010. Martyn has since become one of the Chaplains and has stood
down as a trustee.
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- The Rev'd Michael Dent:
Christian
-
Michael has been involved in Workplace Chaplaincy for something in excess
of twelve years, currently undertaking the visiting of a Ministry of Defence
Research Establishment, as well as Construction sites in South West Kent, and on
the Greenwich Peninsula. He currently serves as Co-ordinator of the London and
South East Region of the Industrial Mission Association. (updated 06/05/09)
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- The Rev'd Cynthia Finnerty:
Christian
- Cynthia is an Honoary Curate in the Parish of East Greenwich at
St. George's Church. She has spent most of her life in this area and
she is keen to see the new community develop harmoniously on the
Peninsula. Cynthia is also a part time music teacher; she enjoys
developing local drama projects and keeping up to date with new
scinetific developments.
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| The Rev'd Jeremy Fraser: Christian |
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| Dr. Vitthaldas Mahajan: Hindu |
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| Mrs. Vidya Misra: Hindu |
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- The Rev'd Arthur Obiora:
Christian
- Arthur has served the Church
of England Parish of St. Catherines, Hatcham. In his other working life
he has been a Civil Servant, Magistrate and Industrial Engineer and was
a Clerk to the Medical Tribunal. Aurthur belives wholeheartedly in the
multi-faith ethos.
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The Reverend Nancy Odunewu :
Christian
- Nancy is a member of the Joint Council for
Anglo — Caribbean Churches.
- Nancy is flexible in her worship,
which she feels enhances her career as a consultant,
as well as aspiring to work at an Inter-faith level.
-
Her work in the Church has been amongst young people, as well as adults,
creating projects which reflect the needs within the Community and Churches.
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Deacon Jane Rice: Christian
- Jane
is a Methodist Deacon, and so called to a ministry of service and pastoral
care.
- She
enjoys living and working in a multi-faith community and creating liturgy and
rituals for worship and life. She also enjoys music from the 60' s,
swimming, gardening, creative arts, and being with their
first grandchild.
- She
believes that one of the most exciting ways to be enriched is to
listen to the stories and faith journies of others and to continue to discover
that which deepens one's own faith perspective.
- Her
greatest joy is to find ways to enable people to both discover and express
their spirituality and their religious faith. (updated 22/12/09)
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Harbhajan Singh :
Sikh
- Harbhajan
co-founded the Anglo-Asian-African-Caribbean Friendship and
Cultural Association in May 1977. This was set up to bring mutual
understanding and exchange of culture between diverse communities.
Three years ago he co-founded the Bexley Multi-Faith Forum and is Vice Chair.
- Harbhajan is an experienced prison Chaplain. Harbhajan is a retired teacher,
he is a currently a school governor and Chair of the Greenwich Asian Parents Forum.
He also acts as the Public Relations Officer for the Council of Gurdwaras,
South East
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- The Reverend Malcolm Torry :
Christian
- Malcolm Torry has served the Church of England
parish of East Greenwich, and particularly the congregation of St.
George's Westcombe Park,
for thirteen years. He and his wife Rebecca have now moved into the
Greenwich Millennium Village on the Greenwich Peninsula, and most
Sunday mornings he is now to be found at the parish's new congregation
meeting in the school hall in the Greenwich Millennium Village, Holy
Trinity, Greenwich Peninsula. He has been a parish priest and
industrial chaplain for nearly thirty years. As well as being
Co-ordinating Chaplain on the Peninsula, he is chaplain to the Syral
food refinery on the western side of the Peninsula. He has been
Co-ordinating Chaplain since 2003, and is responsible to the Greenwich
Peninsula Chaplaincy Steering Group for the work of the chaplains. (updated 06/05/09)
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| The Rev'd Stephanie Warner: Christian |
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| Phra Kru Lom: Buddhist: Associate Chaplain |
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