Work Place Chaplaincy Scotland Blog

Service with a smile

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On a dull November day, we spent some time with our chaplain in Fort Kinnaird in Edinburgh, Judith Wilkinson (pictured).

Judith's smile soon chased away the clouds and it was clear from the welcome she received in the management suite and in the shops, that her chaplaincy is valued by those she meets.

Here's what Liam Smith, Regional Manager, Shopping Parks, British Land, had to say about the benefits of having a chaplaincy service available at Fort Kinnaird:

“Tenants here have expressed the view that the chaplaincy service is a good thing to offer. The retail business is really, really busy and Judith, it is about perseverance. Most of the time people say: ‘no thanks’ and the difficulty is that it’s all about building good relationships with the tenants. Once you have their trust, it is easier. Having a chat over coffee is easier than in the shop, because the retail world is so focussed and commercial.

"That’s fine if they are focussed. That is their world, retailers are trained to sell to customers, but I have to stress Judith is doing a really good job here. It can seem a thankless task, because it is a very difficult environment to work in because people are so busy. I do think the Work Place Chaplaincy service is valuable and a few of the tenants say they have found the service useful.”

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Judith and Liam enjoy a chat
Merlin's sparkling night
Reaching out

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