How we can support you

Our small team of Chaplaincy staff and volunteers, drawn from different faiths and backgrounds, work alongside ward staff to offer support to your whole family while your child is in hospital. We are committed to providing pastoral and spiritual care, looking after the whole person, often simply listening to how things are going, but sometimes being there to talk about some of life's deeper matters, should you wish.

We are there for people of all faiths and people of none. The help we offer is confidential, non-judgmental and sympathetic and we will always respect your beliefs as you walk through perhaps one of the toughest times of your life.

Our Chaplaincy volunteers, in green T-shirts with purple lanyards, normally visit the wards once a week to offer help to parents and relatives, and they can also arrange for a hospital chaplain to visit you. Our Friends For Parents team, in yellow T-shirts with purple lanyards, patrol the wards offering practical support and restocking the Parent's Rooms with tea and coffee (subject to Covid-19 restrictions).

Religious care

There are of course times when a family would like specific religious care, such as prayers, a baptism, or a visit from a particular faith community. We have Christian & Muslim members of staff who can visit you and your child on your ward and we have helpful connections with many faith communities locally. 

The Sanctuary (E405)

On the fourth floor, next-door to Lighthouse Ward, you can find the peace and tranquillity of The Sanctuary. This is a multi-faith space, open 24 hours a day for you to be still, possibly pray, or simply to get away from the noise of the ward for a moment. Holy writings from a number of faiths are there for you to use and Muslim prayer mats are available.

You are welcome to join us for a 15 minute service of Christian Prayer (Church of England) on Tuesdays at 12.15pm, and every Friday at 1.15pm our Muslim community hold Jum'a Prayers at the BRI Sanctuary in the King Edward Building (B402).

Contact us

You can ask a staff member to contact the Chaplaincy and we'll be there to support you as soon as a team member is available. You can call us on 0117 342 6799, or you can e-mail us at Chaplaincy@UHBW.nhs.uk.

How to contact the Chaplaincy team 

If we can be of any help to you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can speak to the ward staff and they can call the chaplain or Friends for Parents or a chaplaincy volunteer for you.

You can call us on 0117 342 6799. Together we offer a seven day a week service throughout University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust. In an emergency a chaplain can be contacted by staff 24 hours a day.

See all Sacred Spaces within our hospitals

Prayers of the World

Friends for Parents

There may be times when you find that being at the bedside of your child is quite draining and that it can be difficult to drag yourself away. However, for your own wellbeing, you will need to take a break from time to time. Friends for Parents are a team of volunteers who visit the ward each day to see if they can be of assistance to families. They can help you by:

• visiting you and your child
• spending time with you on the day of your child's treatment or surgery
• sitting with your child while you take a break
• telling you where to get information on local facilities
• trying to help you with any other queries or needs you may have to make things easier for you while your child is in hospital - or just having a cup of coffee and a chat with you.

Friends For Parents volunteers wear yellow polo shirts.

Please note: Unfortunately due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Friends For Parents volunteers are unable to visit the wards at the moment.  Please contact the LIAISE team for the latest information or alternative support.