A new chapel and chaplaincy suite has opened at Darlington Memorial Hospital, following a dedication by the Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Reverend Mark Bryant. Kevin Tromans, Lead chaplain at County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The chapel will be open daily, between 8am and 8pm. During this time patients, their relatives, staff and other visitors to the hospital can call in whenever they wish. Our hope is that the new chapel will be used by people of all faiths and none, and are pleased that the suite includes a Wudu, a facility where Muslims may wash before prayer. The hospital chaplains will now be based in the chaplaincy suite and are always available for anyone in need of spiritual support, comfort or just a chat.
“The architect has incorporated features from the previous chapel including wood panelling. The original altar has also been retained, so there’s a real sense of heritage. “In addition to welcoming visitors at any time, the chapel will regularly host a Catholic Mass each Thursday at 10.30 and an ecumenical communion service each Sunday morning at 11.00am – to which all are welcome.” The Chapel is part of a new £27 million development at the hospital with six new state of the art theatres opening in the Spring. The existing six theatres will re-open in Spring 2018, following a significant upgrade. The increased theatre capacity is designed to improve patient experience and reduce waiting times.
Left to right: Trust Chairman, Professor Paul Keane OBE; Trust Chief Executive, Sue Jacques; Right Reverend Mark Bryant, Bishop of Jarrow; Trust Lead Chaplain, Kevin Tromans; Chaplain, Catherine Minor and Chaplain, Jim Wright.
