Sylvia Lancaster from the Sophie Lancaster Foundation speaking at the launch of "Call the Chaplain" by Kate Mcclelland

"Love can build a bridge" sung by Leicester Partnership NHS Trust choir, the Songbirds, led by Kate McClelland at the launch of "Call the Chaplain"

Kate's talk about lollipop moments at the book launch

Call the Chaplain book launch by Leicester Partnership NHS Trust 16th May 2014

It was a great honour to be present at the book launch of Call the Chaplain at Leicester Stage Hotel yesterday. The LPT had put on a fabulous event with intervals of song from Kate's Songbirds choir from LPT and wit from the deputy CEO and Chief Nurse Adrian Childs. The event was attended by people from all aspects of Kate's ministry including volunteers, switchboard operators, former colleagues, nurses, consultants and CEOs, including the publishing editor Christine Smith from Canterbury Press, friends and family.

LPT had made a video of Kate's work as Head of Pastoral and Spiritual care in the Trust and some of the reasons she wrote the book especially around issues of "Dying Matters".

Sylvia Lancaster spoke powerfully of her work for the Foundation, started in response to the death of her daughter Sophie and her partner Rob, who were attacked and killed in Manchester  for just being Goths. Sylvia works to educate communities and government on recognising sub cultures in hate crime legislation and adopting preventative strategies to tackle it. All the proceeds from Kates book are going to support the Foundation.

Kate also spoke briefly on the "lollipops"like stepping stones that had had dramatically enabled her work as a chaplain and as an author.

Media Invitation by LPT for book launch on May16th 2014

MEDIA INVITATION

                            

Book launch: Friday 16 May 2014

Celebration event to launch Hospital Chaplain’s new book  - ‘Call the Chaplain’

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust is holding a special event on Friday 16 May to mark the publication of ‘Call the Chaplain’, a book written by their Head of Spiritual and Pastoral Care, the Reverend Kate McClelland. The book, published by Canterbury Press is a personal reflection of Kate’s work as a hospital chaplain.

Hospital chaplaincy is not for the faint-hearted.  Kate McClelland shares a first-hand account of supporting people of all ages and backgrounds as they experience some of the most intense moments of their lives. A warm-hearted and often emotional account, the stories in the book reflect moments of love, loss, hope, joy, grace and forgiveness, and raise important questions about dignity, freedom and choice.

Kate writes passionately and emotionally using personal stories which reflect on the highs and lows of her own experiences as a chaplain and shares with the reader valuable insights into how best to understand and value the patient and be a true advocate for them at a time of vulnerability and weakness. The book costs £12.99 and Kate will be donating all royalties of the book sales to the  Sophie Lancaster Foundation  which aims to challenge prejudice and intolerance, and have UK hate crime legislation extended. 

Kate said: “Working as a chaplain is an extremely enriching and privileged position and none more so than in a healthcare environment, supporting people who are often at their most vulnerable.  

“In the book I’ve written about the highs and lows of spiritual and pastoral care and my own ministerial journey.   It’s a personal, open and honest account of my experiences, which I hope people will enjoy reading.” 

Kate leads a dedicated team of multi-faith chaplains at LPT who undertake an important and vital role within the Trust.  The event gives Kate, her team and LPT an opportunity to showcase a new strategy for the department and a vision for the future for the Spiritual and Pastoral Care, which we hope will benefit our patients, service users, carers families and staff.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

We hope you will be able to join us to celebrate the launch of Kate’s book, the work we are doing and the plans for the future. There will be a photo/filming/interviewing opportunity on the day with Kate McClelland and her team.

Please RSVP as soon as possible at commstemp@leicspart.nhs.uk or 0116 295 0802. 

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) provides a range of health and wellbeing services mainly for people living Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The Trust serves a population of one million, has a budget in excess of £282 million and employs approximately 5,400 staff. For more information visit  HYPERLINK "http://www.leicspart.nhs.uk" www.leicspart.nhs.uk

For further information please contact: Georgia Shaw, Communications Specialist, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Tel: 0116 295 0802, E:  HYPERLINK "mailto:nicky.mawer@leicspart.nhs.uk" nicky.mawer@leicspart.nhs.uk

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Sunday 4th May 2014 Interview at BBC Radio Leicester

The interview was with Monica Winfield about the book Call the Chaplain. Its a little truncated and because its radio there are no visuals!
Heres the link!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umnlmIddAEI

Call the Chaplain, Canterbury Press, Norwich, April 2014

Hospital-based pastoral care is a privileged yet complex area of ministry. It involves spiritual journeying to the heights and depths of human experience, often in brief and transient pastoral encounters. Illness and fear lay bare life's realities and there is often need for reconciliation as well as healing. Chaplains, visiting clergy and the growing number of lay volunteers need to be able to interpret pained silences or body language - and often in a matter of minutes. This warm-hearted and practical handbook explores patient encounters and the challenges of the current health care environment. Through stories and examples it explores the essential skills needed for this kind of work: the importance of ritual, difficult pastoral tasks, deflecting anger, caring for the carers, working in multi-faith contexts and much more. 

I  was born and brought up in Wigston, Leicestershire and attended Guthlaxton School. I became a Methodist Minister in Dudley in 2003, having trained at the Queens Foundation in Birmingham. Creative Arts played a large role in my work as a minister, creating modern ways to express the gospel stories and engage local communities. My passion for equality and anti-discrimination good practice was invigorated as I lived in a prominent BNP area and was engaged in promoting work with minority and disadvantaged groups.

As a chaplain at University Hospitals Leicester I specialised in end of life care working with the palliative care MDT team and also with the neonatal unit and the delivery suite. Here I encountered end of life when it had hardly begun, from the agony of battling with cancer, to journeying with someone at the natural end of their life. The privilege and intimacy of those moments are captured in this book. 

The proceeds from the book will go to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.