Cambridge United Chaplain visits Hospice Patients

It’s been football fever recently with the Women bringing the Euros Cup home. The patients at the Living Well Service were also treated to a guest talk from Cambridge United’s Chaplain, Stuart Wood, who is the Minister at Barnwell Baptist Church.

Stuart began by sharing a little of the club’s history and the origan of its name. The club was set up in 1912 by the Vicar who wanted to give the local ‘kids on the streets’ something to do. Did you know Cambridge United were first called ‘Abbey United’ and in 1951 changed to Cambridge United when Cambridge City also changed their name from Cambridge Town?

His time with the club began in 2005 and he served the club for 12 seasons from 2005-2017, before taking a break when he committed to other roles in the community as a Governor of a local school and with Air Ambulance. He began back at the club in 2023. He has written about many of his experiences in his book titled ‘Keeping Faith in the Team’.

There were many parallels with Stuart’s and the club’s values and Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. Connecting with the local community is just one. Supporting people of faith, all faiths and no faiths is another similarity. Stuart shared:

“I do what I do because I love it – it is a calling and my faith drives me. I try to live by the two commandments – love God and love people”

he continued:

“I walk alongside people in the up’s and down’s of their lives.”

Stuart is aware of the power positive interactions have for people, however small. Stuart added:

“When I am interacting with people, I always want them to leave with a positive experience of that encounter. I can’t always make it better, but I am there as someone to listen and talk to”.

He shared the often-unseen side of football and explained:

“When a player gets injured long term it can be a lonely place. I once supported a player who broke his ankle just six weeks into a three-year contract. For him, his football career was over and he had to work out what life looked like for him going forward.”

“When the game is on, I’m often not watching the ball, I’m watching the players and their body language – if they make a mistake, get taken off the pitch or get ‘stick’ from the fans – so I can be more aware when talking to them later on.”

Stuart continued:

“The Club also seeks to prepare the players for life after being a professional footballer. They are encouraged to get involved in the local community and have ‘real life experiences’. I know they got a lot out of visiting the patients in the Inpatient Unit last December.”

“I have led the minute’s silence or applause at matches and conducted funerals for fans and their families. It is a privilege and honour to work with the players and staff, their families, supporters and fans and I never want to take it for granted.”

The session concluded with the club’s theme song ‘I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts’ and patients shared how much they had enjoyed the talk. One patient said:

“I don’t follow football, but I found that really interesting.”

Patients visit the Living Well Service once a week for eight weeks. The sessions are designed to help make every moment count for people in Cambridgeshire living with a life-limiting condition and those who need end of life care.

Patients have an opportunity to use the air conditioned gym, talk with Physios and Occupational Therapists to support movement, chat to clinical nurse specialists who can support with advance care planning, relax with complementary therapists, take part in life-story and craft activities and learn and listen to guest speakers.

Patients and their families have access to the Sanctuary at the Hospice, where they can pray, leave a message on the memory tree or take time out to sit quietly.

The Charity’s Chaplain, Kate Young (her office is situated next to the Sanctuary) is also available to speak with patients and their loved ones.

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Our ‘Outstanding’ services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. Our aim being to provide the highest quality care, helping people to make every moment count. You can find out more about how we are funded here: arhc.org.uk/how-we-are-funded.