St John Ambulance Cymru appoints new Senior Chaplains to serve communities in Wales

The Order of St John was founded on Christian principles, vowing to work ‘Pro Fide, Pro Utilitate Hominum (For the Faith, and the service of humanity). Here in Wales a new team of senior chaplains have been appointed to help us to continue to focus on the organisation’s roots in faith, whilst being inclusive and welcoming to all people, regardless of their religious beliefs.

The senior chaplain posts are all voluntary, and exist to provide support, spiritual guidance and bereavement support for all St John Ambulance Cymru staff and volunteers the length and breadth of Wales exist to provide pastoral care and spiritual support for all St John Ambulance Cymru staff and volunteers the length and breadth of Wales. They will lead acts of worship and carry out ceremonial duties within their regions.

The Priory Dean, the Reverend Canon David Morris said: “We’ve been wanting to establish this senior chaplaincy for a very long time, as an organisation St John Ambulance Cymru is unashamedly rooted in Christianity, and we want to uphold the faith but develop a modern chaplaincy that recognises the diversity of our people.

“The role of the chaplain is an important one. Within the organisation we use the motto ‘pro fide, pro utilitate hominum’, and chaplains exists to uphold both parts of that motto. Pro fide, for the faith, but also, to emphasise that St John Ambulance Cymru exists for the service of humanity.

“We recognise that not all our members are Christian, but everyone’s spiritual and pastoral needs are important. Whilst we don’t currently have non-Christian chaplains we are happy to signpost to spiritual advisors from other faiths. Our chaplains are able and willing to offer pastoral care to anyone who needs it.”

The three new senior chaplains will each look after a region, Fr Alan Pierce-Jones, originally from Prestatyn, is and Anglican priest, and is currently Managing Chaplain of HMP Berwyn, the largest prison in the UK. Fr Alan has experience of chaplaincy within the Air Cadets as a Squadron Chaplain and Wing Chaplain. He is also a qualified Duke of Edinburgh Award Expedition Leader. He will serve as Senior Chaplain in North Wales. 

Fr Jordan Spencer is from Swansea, and is an Anglican priest in the Diocese of St David’s. Fr Jordan has a history with the organisation, having joined as a cadet aged 13, he then went on to volunteer as an adult. He is currently in his second year of a Psychology Masters, and hugely passionate about inclusion, mental health and wellbeing. Fr Jordan will serve Senior Chaplain in Mid & West Wales.

 Rev’d Ian Howells, from Bridgend, has been a Christian minister within the Baptist tradition for over  40 years. Rev’d Ian has recently retired as an NHS Chaplain for the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, and moved back to South Wales where he has been assisting as a chaplain at the University of South Wales. Rev’d Ian will be senior chaplain in the South & East region.

If you’d like more information about the Chaplaincy Team, or St John Ambulance Cymru, please visit our website: St John Ambulance Cymru – Wales’ leading first aid charity (sjacymru.org.uk)