On Monday 7th February 2017 Worcestershire Acute Trust Spiritual & Pastoral Care services gathered to sign a new Multi-faith covenant. Rev’d David Ryan, Chaplain at Alexandra Hospital and Caragh Merrick, chair of Worcester Acute Hospitals NHS Trust welcomed representatives from the local faith communities, healthcare staff and volunteers in the ceremonial signing of the covenant.

Signatories. David Camberlain (Lay Buddhist), Rabbi Margaret Jacobi, Cllr Jabba Riaz (Muslim) and Rev’d Canon Owain Bell formally witnessed the acceptance of the covenant as a guiding document for an inter-faith approach within the Hospital Trust. Each gave a short speech affirming the value of diversity within the wider community and the importance of faiths working together to ensure that patients receive the best care possible, and that staff are supported pastorally and spiritually, recognising the wonderful work that they do.

Rev’d Guy Hewlett, Chaplain at the Royal and Kidderminster Treatment Centre lead the reading of the “Act of Commitment”. He began:

In a world scarred by the evils of war,
racism, injustice and poverty,
we offer this joint Act of Commitment as we
look to our shared future.

Those gathered recited with Guy:
We commit ourselves,
as people of many faiths,
to work together
for the common good,
uniting to build a better society,
grounded in values and ideals we share:

community
personal integrity
a sense of right and wrong
learning, wisdom and love of truth
care and compassion
justice and peace
respect for one another
for the earth and its creatures.

We commit ourselves,
in a spirit of friendship and co-operation,
to work together
alongside all who share our values and ideals,
to help bring about a better world
now and for generations to come.

Concluding and closing words were given by Mrs Tricia Bradbury, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire and Rev’d Dr David Southall, Team Leader of Spiritual & Pastoral Care.

The full text of the covenant can be read here