I’ve been a Minister for over twenty five years now and during this time, for about ten years, I sought to engage with the wider church scene.  I attended Minister’s Conferences, led a local Pastor’s Fraternal, took part in Workshops and counselled individuals with mental health problems.  I had two aims: first to share the fruits of my PhD studies in Ethics and second to enable Pastor’s to better help those in their congregations suffering a mental health problem.

I work a few days a week as a Mental Health Practitioner in our local NHS Mental Health Resource Centre. GP’s refer to us people with such concerns as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders and we then offer assessment and interventions such as counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Mindfulness.

For the past month or so a Cement Mixer belonging to the Hope Construction Company has been parked overnight and over the weekends on the pavement on the road that leads up to my house.  The pavement is completely blocked by this cement mixer and it obstructs the flow of traffic.  Yet there is it, night after night, left by the person who drives it, who must obviously live in the neighbourhood.