I find that making the Christian journey in the company of friends and advisers is vital for my own ministry and faith.

I both give and receive Spiritual Accompaniment/Direction. I have seen a spiritual director for the past 20 years or so. I am a member of the Wiltshire and Dorset Spiritual Accompaniers Network; an excellent Network which not only supports compliance, ensuring that members have up-to-date Safeguarding training and DBS checks, but also provides training and resourcing for all those who offer this ministry. I also have my own Supervisor (a requirement for accompaniers in the Network) who supports my work and encourages best practice.

I use the term 'accompaniment' here, but am also comfortable with the more traditional form ‘direction’. Whatever works for the individual. I do want to be clear that I do not yet hold a formal qualification in spiritual direction, as some others do (though as of February 2024 I am undertaking the very well regarded 18 month course offered by Sarum College). My practice draws on my life experience as a Christian and an ordained minister, as well as my long experience of being directed. A spiritual direction relationship is grounded in prayer, in listening, and in exploring your life of faith. If, however, you are searching for someone who already holds a formal qualification, I can put you in contact with those who oversee spiritual direction, who would be very pleased to speak to you.

As an ordained Anglican priest with the Bishop's Permission to Officiate, I also offer the ministry of reconciliation (confession). Sometimes this forms part of a spiritual accompaniment relationship, but I am also very happy to hear confessions from others.

I also offer work consultancy and mentoring where that feels more appropriate. These disciplines are distinct, though with areas of overlap. At the beginning of any potential new work consultancy or mentoring relationship we would be careful to demarcate boundaries between our work and that which you might already have ongoing with, for example, a spiritual director.

I am a fully up-to-date in training in Safeguarding, which I take very seriously. Up-to-date safeguarding training is a requirement for an Anglican priest to hold the bishop's Permission to Officiate.

Because I do not work full-time any more, I do ask for a donation to cover my expenses of offering this ministry. Donations are negotiable as we meet, but are usually between £30 and £35 per session for spiritual direction. If we explored a work consultancy or mentoring model, we would talk about the sort of donation might be appropriate. Obviously I do not ask for any donation to hear confessions, because the Church of England does not charge for the sacraments!