What others have to say

Dear Fiona,

Having worked at City firms for most of my career I recently hit a difficult spot in my private life, a breakdown of my long-term relationship. I felt that I had lost my balance; nothing seems to make sense any more. With job pressures and family chores continuing unabatingly I felt like I was cracking up and thinking of quitting.

By pure chance in the same month of this break-down the chaplaincy service was advertised on the internal digital noticeboards at my firm and I thought “I give this a go”.

Over the following couple of months I met with Fiona a few times over coffee and just having someone that would listen to me (and make some good suggestions) was immensely helpful. While my situation is by no means resolved and continues to throw up new challenges via the conversations with Fiona from the chaplaincy service I found my feet again and now feel prepared to continue on my path.

The Canary Wharf Multifaith Chaplaincy has established itself as a unique and valuable support and resource for people and companies in the large, growing and diverse workplace community of Canary Wharf. Through its’s Christian, Muslim and Jewish chaplains, Fiona and her team have provided real help to many people, whether of faith or not, suffering from bereavement or difficult situations and issues at their workplaces or elsewhere in their personal lives.

The half-hour Communion service is a weekly oasis of peace and calm in the midst of the City bustle and work deadlines, which follows the familiar and comforting rhythms of the Christian calendar and liturgy. The service is a traditional format of prayer and New Testament reading followed by a short reflection and Communion, and gives a chance to take a step back, consider and meditate on our lives and actions and the role we play in our family, workplace and community.

At different times of the year there is also the option of a study group, which explores a modern theological book over the course of a few weeks through shared dialogue and discussion. This gives the opportunity to deepen our Christian understanding, to puzzle out how best to lead a Christian life, what this might look like, and how best to put this into action at home and at work.

I find these activities provide both a healing balm and strengthening medicine for a busy modern world, and try to take part whenever I can. They also offer an opportunity to meet a diverse community of people brought together by a common workplace and shared faith. Come and see for yourself…

The Chaplaincy is an important part of the life of Canary Wharf, not only supporting the spiritual life of the community, but in practical terms. The Chaplaincy’s leadership  in forming the G30 Banking Conduct and Culture Interest group and drawing together a wide range of businesses in the Wharf to explore how they might  respond to the  ethical concerns raised by the report,  has been a positive force in bringing us all together (financial institutions, legal and consulting firms) on these important issues.

Together, we have built out a site which stores relevant materials to enable us to share resources and now, under the auspices of Chaplain Fiona Stewart-Darling, we are looking at how values shape leadership with figures from the business world.  The Chaplaincy has been instrumental in shaping our ideas and bringing people on board.

Fiona and her multi-faith team at the Canary Wharf Chaplaincy have been invaluable to us here at Northern Trust, sharing their knowledge and experience of integrating faith and work and supporting our employees through a multitude of challenges.  The Canary Wharf ‘parish’ is fairly unique and Fiona and her colleagues strike a perfect balance between traditional ministry and the trials and tribulations that such a busy and fast-paced environment.”

“Fiona founded the Canary Wharf Diversity & Inclusion Forum 10 years ago to bring together D&I and HR professionals across the estate to share best practice and ideas on making Canary Wharf and more diverse and inclusive place to work, shop and live.  We are proud to co-host this with her currently and fully support the need for close collaboration in order to make progress more quickly.

I value the unique independent pastoral care afforded by the experts in the Chaplaincy team that allows me personally and members of my organisation to access this as an additional element of our employee welfare toolkit

In the midst of a busy day the lunchtime services provide a time of peace, reflection and renewal. A time for fellowship and connection with God. The CWMC has been so valuable and has become a vital part of my working life