In May we were delighted that our Church Meeting supported the appointment of Niki Lownds as Parish Nurse with Gillingham Baptist Church.  Following this, during the service on Sunday 7th July 2024, she was commissioned as GBC's Parish Nurse.  To enable us to run this important ministry we are now registered with Parish Nursing Ministries UK.

We recently caught up with Niki to find out a bit more about her role as Parish Nurse.   Hello, my name is Niki Lownds and in March 2020 I started my role as Parish Nurse at the Bridge Baptist Church in the Sunlight Centre, working under the umbrella of Parish Nursing Ministries UK.   I am a Registered General Nurse with almost 40 year's experience in a variety of clinical areas, for example Operating Theatres, General Practice and a Prison.

Parish Nursing is completely different to anything I have ever done before:  now I provide 'wholistic' care to people of all religions and none, supporting them with health issues that affect them physically, mentally and socially, and everything I do is underpinned with 'intentional care of the spirit'.  You may have heard that the Bridge Baptist Church is in the process of merging with Gillingham Baptist Church and our members have recently voted to continue with this very important ministry of Parish Nursing.

I am incredibly grateful to be able to carry on the immensely valuable work I do with the groups and individuals I support down at the Sunlight Centre.  Watch this space to hear more about some of the things I do as a Parish Nurse!

If you want more information about "Parish Nursing Ministries UK" please go to their web site at www.parishnursing.org.uk