As you read this, I will (hopefully!) be on my way to the UK for the staff scholarship I was meant to do in 2020 before Covid struck. On this trip I will be visiting schools in Leicester to see some Religious Education classes; RE is a core subject in all schools in England, throughout all Primary and Secondary levels. While Christianity should be studied at every level, other religions and world views must also be studied. This strong emphasis on RE has been developed because of the multi-cultural nature of British society and a recognition that we all need to both “learn about” and “learn from” people in our communities who have different cultures and faiths to our own, as well as developing and affirming our own identities. I am looking forward to seeing this in action!

I am also very excited to be visiting Whitby, where St Hilda founded her Abbey (and also where Captain Cook was an apprentice!). It will be inspiring to learn more about our saint who was so passionate about education and to be present in the place where she had such an influence on the church in Britain and on us here at school.

I will also be visiting with The Community of the Sisters of the Church in London. This is the community of nuns to which Sisters Geraldine and Etheleen belonged, who founded St Hilda’s back in 1896. The Sisters are still active in the Solomon Islands, Australia, Canada, and the UK, and are involved in a variety of ministries, from teaching Sunday School to caring for those living with HIV/AIDS, and everything in between! It will be lovely to re-establish a connection with them.

It also so happens that I will be in London when the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey takes place on May 6th. Although I am still waiting for my invitation – as the southernmost Anglican School Chaplain in the world (!) – I am excited just to be there at such an historic time; it is bound to be mad but interesting. King Charles is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith. In past interviews he has stated that he would like to change this 500-year-old title to Defender of Faith, to reflect the multi-cultural nature of the Commonwealth, so it will be interesting to see if this happens or not!

Thanks in advance for your support for those who are taking on extra responsibility with Chapel, particularly the Sacristans and Mrs Maw, and who are teaching my classes, while I am away.