The Rt Revd Dr John Inge spent Monday afternoon visiting staff and patients in St Richard’s Hospice at its new Wildwood site in Worcester.  In a special service he dedicated the new altar and votive candle stand in the Sacred Space at St Richard’s.  

Bishop John remarked ‘Christians have always cared for the sick: the hospice movement is one of the greatest gifts that the church gave to our society in the 20th century and, through it, Christians are now joined by those of other faiths and none in enabling people to die with dignity.  I am delighted to be able to see, at first hand, the wonderful work that St Richard’s Hospice undertakes’.

The Bishop was then taken on a tour of the hospice, meeting staff, including members of the chaplaincy team, and some of the patients on the ward.  Revd David Knight, chaplain at St Richard’s, commented, ‘The Bishop has a pastoral care role for the whole area, and we are delighted that we are on his agenda for a visit, so early in his ministry here.  As patron of the hospice, we look forward to a long and familiar friendship with him.’

ENDS      

The Diocese of Worcester is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of 671 square miles and includes parishes in the County of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and a few parishes in northern Gloucestershire, south east Wolverhampton and Sandwell.