Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals which serves a population of over 400,000 across the Boroughs of Elmbridge, Hounslow, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, and Woking provides acute hospital services to a very diverse population.    For many years the hospitals have provided a Christian chapel of worship and ad-hoc arrangements for other faiths on both sites.    Now in the first stage of a project to improve facilities on both sites a Multi-faith Centre for those of all faiths and of no faith has been developed at St. Peter’s Hospital.   A similar project is being developed at Ashford Hospital.

“Our hospitals provide services for patients from all areas of life and it is important, in our increasingly diverse society, that we provide appropriate and suitable facilities for our patients, visitors volunteers and staff to worship or to simply contemplate in a quiet area,” says Trust Chief Executive Paul Bentley.  “The development of this new Multi-faith Centre has been a joint project with contributions from many of our local faith groups and I am delighted that we have been able to work so closely with all of them.”

Until 1998 the St Peter’s Hospital Chapel was situated on the Ramp Corridor.  The new Chapel, in its present position was dedicated ten years ago shortly after the nearby Accident and Emergency Department was opened.    The area has now been re-designated “The St. Peter’s Multi-faith Centre” and comprises the existing Chapel, a Multi-faith Prayer Room, a Quiet Room and an Ablutions Room for the use of those who observe ritual washing before prayer.    Facilities also include a shoe rack, for   those whose custom is to remove footwear before prayer, the design of a simple compass in the Prayer Room floor and ample secure storage space for sacred texts and religious artefacts.

Head of Pastoral Care at Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals, Judith Allford comments: “In recent years we have been greatly enriched by an increasing cultural and religious diversity both within the community served by the Trust and among our own volunteers and members of staff.  Our vision was therefore to develop the Chapel area in order to provide more fitting facilities for all who wish to spend time in quiet, reflection, meditation or prayer.  A group made up of local faith representatives and staff came together to discuss and develop the project and the centre we have opened today is the result of their commitment and hard work.”

Judith Allford continued: “A special feature of the new Centre is the new set of double doors which now link the Multi-faith Prayer Room to the Chapel.  The purpose of these doors is both practical and symbolic.  Practically, they offer the option to extend the space in both the Prayer Room and the Chapel when the need arises.  Symbolically, they represent the welcome and hospitality which it is our desire to offer to one another across our different faith traditions.”

The beautiful decorative glass set in the doors is the work of Ms. Jane Campbell, Fellow of the British Society of Master Glass Painters, who also created the original glass features in the Chapel.  The new glass doors complete the symmetry of the Centre and are the gift of the League of Friends of St. Peter’s.   The overall design of the area and many of the features now included owe much to the work of Nigel Stevens, our Buildings Project Manager. 

The Multi-faith Prayer Room, Quiet Room and Ablutions Room and the new set of double doors which now link the Chapel and the Prayer Room were opened by some of those most closely involved with the development of the project.    After the cutting of ribbons and lighting of candles of hope and peace gifts of sacred texts and other religious artefacts generously given by our faith communities for use in the Centre were received.

Following the opening vegetarian snacks and soft drinks generously donated by the Friends of St. Peter’s were served in Café Friends and in glorious July weather befitting the occasion those attending were able to enjoy the beauty of the garden adjoining the Multi-faith Centre.

Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Buddhists were amongst the faith’s represented at the opening and those attending included:

·          Rabbi Jackie Tabick, North West Surrey Synagogue

·          Rev Jean Robinson, Chaplain, Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation NHS Trust

·          Ven Stuart Beake, Archdeacon of Surrey    

·          Rev Richard Cook, Guildford Diocesan Inter-Faith Advisor                                         

·          Buddhists Rocana and Tavaro

·          Hindu representatives Mr B R Desor and Mr & Mrs Dihan

·          Farhana Qureshy, Chaplain, Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation NHS Trust

·          Rt. Rev. Kieran Thomas Conry Ph.B S.T.B. Bishop of Arundel and Brighton               

·          Iman N Ahmed Sulaymani, Director, Hounslow Jamia Masjid

·          Ms Jane Campbell FMGP, designer of the glass installed in the new Multi-faith Centre

·          Mrs Candy Morris, Chief Executive, South East Coast Strategic Health Authority

·          Mr Paul Bentley, Chief Executive, Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust

·          Mr Clive Thompson CBE, Chairman, Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust

·          Mayor of Spelthorne, Cllr Simon Bhayde and his wife Candy

·          Deputy Mayor of Woking Tina Liddington