The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Chapel has taken delivery of disposable prayer mats for use by Muslim staff.

Throughout the last year the chaplaincy has been researching ways to enable all faiths to worship safely in this difficult time at the hospital and have opened up the chapel as a shared prayer space to manage social distance and to give everyone a place to worship or undertake quiet time.

The hospital’s chaplains have been active on wards supporting both patients and staff, wearing the appropriate PPE to ensure that they stay safe. In addition the hospital community has been able to speak to a virtual chaplain face to face and also help connect patients to their faith representatives by phone or iPad.

Adrian Woodbridge, Lead Chaplain for the Trust, said: “We wanted to enable our Muslim colleagues to continue worshipping in a safe protected environment during the pandemic and we are grateful for the N&N Hospitals Charity for supporting this initiative.”

Mercy Kaggwa, Fundraising Co-ordinator, added: “As a fundraiser for the N&N Hospitals Charity I am proud that we are able to support staff welfare in this way. As the Co-Chair of the BAME Staff Network, I am delighted that our hospitals charity along with the Trust recognises the importance of the varying faiths practised across our workforce. By enabling the disposable prayer mats to be funded it ensures that personal, spiritual, religious and cultural wellbeing is fulfilled in our diverse workplace and that during these difficult times, our health and safety continues to be of paramount importance.”

To find out more about the charity visit www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk