A groundbreaking community Wellness Hub has been established by The Church of England in Chorley. 

Fr Neil Kelley and the people of St Laurence’s Church in the town centre, launched their new initiative at the weekend to an audience featuring many key representatives of the local community.

Those in attendance included Speaker of the House of Commons, the local MP Sir Lindsay Hoyle; the Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev Philip North; the Director of Public Health in Lancashire, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi; Deputy Mayor of Chorley and Councillor Tommy Gray. 

Representatives from St Catherine’s Hospice; from the local NHS, including GP surgeries, as well as local councillors were also in attendance.

The Hub is an embodiment of our Diocesan Vision 2026; seeking to have Healthy Churches Transforming Communities.

Bishop Philip commented: “It’s groundbreaking and transformative in Lancashire in a number of ways, not least because St Laurence’s is the first Church of England parish in the County to appoint a Parish Nurse.

“I love the whole project and the vision that sits behind it. Community-based, it’s about health in the community but at its heart it is about being human; with a vision sitting behind it of the whole person made well. It’s a model that could be rolled out in churches across Lancashire.”

At the launch event Parish Priest, Fr Neil, welcomed guests saying: “Today marks a milestone in our journey as a church, though by no means marks a destination. 

“When I came to the parish in 2017 we began to prioritise healing and to try and place all our work into that context of healing and wholeness. We worked together on a bold vision for our future and, like so many other churches, we were getting going on some of that when Covid hit.  

He added: “At one level, the Covid pandemic threw life upside-down. But at another level it afforded us an opportunity to look afresh at how we connected with our community.” 

There are several levels of service on offer at the new Hub. 

The church’s emergency food parcels provision grew out of a makeshift food bank in Fr Kelley’s dining room just as the first lockdown began.  

Three years later it is still going strong - though no longer in the dining room. There is a dedicated phone line which is staffed 24/7 and a team of delivery drivers who take the parcels out. 

The Hub’s ‘pay what you can’ Taste Café began at the end of the first lockdown and was opened by Sir Lindsay in August 2020.  

Originally operating outside to keep in line with covid regulations, the service has grown considerably over the three years it has operated.  

In 2022 Rachel Gilkes was appointed Kitchen Manager to ensure sustainability and consistency. Food is provided every weekday for which no charge is made, but donations are not refused.  

According to the church, this has only been possible thanks to generous individual donations and some considerable support from Chorley Council. February 2023 compared to 2022 shows an increase of 355% with more than 1800 tables served. Some Tuesdays the church feeds more than 200.  

Fr Kelley paid tribute at the launch to his staff team and to the many volunteers helping to make this provision possible: “As with our emergency food parcels scheme, none of this would happen at all without the amazing large band of volunteers – I think we have more than 130 on the books at present.  

“I am also so grateful to our six-strong staff team. Without this amazing combination of volunteers and paid staff the wheels of St. Laurence’s would have fallen off long ago. Without them we just couldn’t do it.” 

Rachel is also the Debt Centre Manager for Christians Against Poverty (CAP); taking up the role in 2022.  

The number of clients accessing CAP at St Laurence’s is growing at an alarming rate according to Fr Kelley and the service is presently at capacity. 

St Laurence’s is also the first Church of England parish in Lancashire to appoint a Parish Nurse with assistance from the organisation, Parish Nursing Ministries UK, which helps local churches and Christian organisations appoint and support nurses.  

These nurses, in turn, support people and communities with whole person healthcare. This is care for the person’s overall well-being; body, mind and spirit.  

Said Fr Kelley: “We are delighted to welcome our new Parish nurse, Lisa Corbert who will start work when her training is complete at the end of May. 

“The Parish Nurse will especially benefit our vulnerable guests who come under the radar with regard to accessing a local GP or NHS services.  

“From advice on diet and wellbeing, blood pressure, diabetes and mental health issues, our Parish Nurse will be available twice a week both for appointments and drop-ins.” 

Congratulating the church on launching the hub on social media Parish Nursing Ministries UK issued a statement saying: “We are looking forward to working in partnership with your parish nursing group and it is a joy to have your nurse on our current Preparation for Parish Nursing Practice Course, working towards the Certificate in Parish Nursing.”  

Guests at the launch enthused about the development.  

Sir Lindsay said: “The church is the heart of the community, and how the church delivers for the community is what is really important. The fact that you are here to help people through crisis is important too; it matters.  

“Father Neil has brought an inspirational change to Chorley: don’t stop now, continue to grow and let us be the pathfinders here in Chorley for others.” 

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Director of Public Health Lancashire, added: “The role of the faith sector in Lancashire is exemplary and very embracing of health and wellbeing, particularly for the vulnerable.  

“The Wellness Hub here at St Laurence’s is something this community should be really proud of: great partnership working in our communities can really make things better. We are really look forward to using the hub project as a model and spreading this good practice. 

Meanwhile, Rev Dr Gillian Straine, CEO of ‘GoHealth’ (The Guild of Health and St Raphael) an organisation that has supported the launch of the Wellness Hub also commented: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with St Laurence’s Wellness Hub, which we have badged as a Healthy Healing Hub.  

“Their combination of services including addressing debt; prayers for healing; providing food parcels; a bereavement café and mindfulness (to name a few) address the multifaceted healing needs that people face today.  

“The team, directed with great inspiration by Fr Neil Kelley, offers an example of profound service and energy that is an example to many churches.” 

 Additional words: Mark Ashley 

Captions for pictures, top to bottom:  

• Pictured at the Wellness Hub launch are (l-r) Bishop Philip; Jenny England, Compassionate Communities Project Lead at St Catherine’s Hospice; Sir Lindsay Hoyle; Tracy Foster, Community Engagement Lead at St Catherine’s and Father Neil Kelley 
• Bishop Philip talks to Sir Lindsay Hoyle at the launch 
• Many key local community representatives were in attendance for the launch including the Director of Public Health in Lancashire, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi 

Ronnie Semley, 25/04/2023