St Catwg Ministry Area has a rich history of ministry to the elderly and the housebound, reaching back 20 years, when the pastoral team was inaugurated by Rev’d Sally Rees. This ministry is still reflected in the current MA Action Plan which highlights our commitment to Older People’s Ministry in the MA.
At a national level the Bible Reading Fellowship developed the concept of the Anna Chaplaincy network, a team of people named in honour or Anna, the 84-year-old woman who spent her life in prayer and worship and was overjoyed as she greeted the 40-day old Jesus. The Anna Chaplaincy network became national, developing materials which honoured the need for spiritual care to those in later life. Sally became the first Anna Chaplain in the diocese.
Covid lockdowns presented significant challenges to ministry to the elderly, both locally and nationally, and it is significant that while most care homes were largely abandoned, we were seeking ways to deliver resources safely into the care homes, to support the housebound on the phone and enable staff to meet the spiritual needs of residents. Our ongoing commitment to care home ministry was noted and approved at a recent inspection in Greenhill in Crickhowell.
As Sally planned her retirement, she sought to safeguard the ministry and started to succession plan. An application was made to the Gibbs Trust to employ an Anna Chaplain for 8 hours a week for Crickhowell, Llangattock and Llangynidr and £5,000 was granted to cover a year’s salary.
Nell Cawley was the successful candidate for the post and, with ongoing support from pastoral visitors and Rev’d Mairwen, she ministers to those in Care Homes, to those living with dementia and the housebound. She has now been in post since 2023 and is recognised by the volunteer bureau as a person who can be approached to take referrals to those in need of support, including those living with dementia and the elderly and vulnerable.
This is ministry at the very edges of society, where Jesus walked. They are places which we may not want to think about, but most of us will hope that someone will be there, either for ourselves or for a loved one, when the need arises. It is there that we commit to building relationships, holding hands, singing hymns and praying, and we see Jesus breaking through. The need is huge, but she is seen as representing the church in the community.
Financing Nell’s Role
It costs roughly £500 / month to employ Nell and the initial funding from the Gibbs Trust has now finished.
In our dreams, it would be wonderful to see the whole wage bill covered by standing order giving; to have that gift aided would secure this post for another three years and offer the spiritual care that we would want for ourselves or our loved ones
Would you prayerfully consider whether you would be able to support this ministry please?
£5 is the average cost of a glass of wine in a pub.
£10 a month is roughly the cost of a light lunch at Bookish – without the drink.
We already have a monthly donation of £100 set up. So, if 10 people committed £40 per month that would be the wage bill covered in its entirety.
We have an anonymous donor who will match fund all donations made in February 2026.
Now that the MA bank account is up and running, we are inviting people to set up standing orders. For online banking that is a straightforward process. If you do not have easy access to banking facilities, and would like help to do so please contact Mairwen (07968 864114)
If you are a taxpayer, please note that we can reclaim 25% of your donation in gift aid so £10 / month would become £12.50 at no additional cost to you.