What others have to say

“I want to see chaplaincy to be a long term sustainable enduring aspect of the Wharf. I worked on the Wharf before moving to the heart of the City. When I asked for a chaplain, there wasn’t one. This was a real wake up call for me of how this very valuable, beautiful thing that happens on the Wharf is crucial. I don’t think we realise how lucky we are. And I really missed not having somebody that I could pick up the phone to. I think it is something to be treasured and protected and I don’t want it to be taken for granted. So, what I want is a sustainable long-term plan for chaplaincy because it really does offer something that I think is very special. I have seen the Wharf develop and there’s clearly lot of care investment put into the growing cultural agenda of the Wharf, but we mustn’t lose sight of what chaplaincy can do to support.

“At Citi we value our Canary Wharf Multifaith Chaplains for the support and compassion they provide to members of staff who are often more comfortable speaking in confidence to an individual who is not directly involved with our business. We value that they are an independent service. It is important for us to have someone regularly on site who can be a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on and a source of help and advice when necessary. I believe our employees appreciate the presence of a chaplain on site, and that it helps improve the happiness and morale of the workforce. The service is free and confidential, covering all faiths (Citi agreed in 2014 to pay for this service through the estate service charge). The chaplains regularly engage with staff on a one-to-one basis during visits. The service is an alternative to our Employee Assistance service and the support provided may, on occasion, provide employees with the resilience to stay in the workplace. In this regard the assistance that the Canary Wharf Multi Faith Chaplaincy gave, during and post pandemic and continues to give with return to working on site, has been invaluable for both Corporate and Retail businesses on the Wharf”.

“I value the unique independent care afforded by the experts in the Chaplaincy team that allows both me personally and members of my organisation to access this as an additional element of our employee welfare toolkit including providing pastoral, multi-faith and events that support our working and personal life.”

“Chaplaincy makes a difference to me. We have developed a good relationship and I enjoy our coffee time for catching up and talking. It makes a difference knowing there is someone there to talk to, someone there just to listen. It is a facility that can benefit everyone and is tailored for individual or collective support for businesses if required”.

“EBRD are fairly new residents to Canary Wharf, and we were delighted when the Canary Wharf Multifaith Chaplaincy got in touch in our first weeks. We were surprised to learn about all of the fantastic advice and support that is available to the Canary Wharf Estate’s working community. As an International Financial Institution our staff are a rich make up of many different countries, cultures and faiths. We are delighted to share all the services that the Multifaith Chaplaincy provide with our staff, who I am sure will benefit from this inclusive chaplaincy.”

Bumped into Fiona recently after a very long time and we briefly discussed how we had first met a few years ago, for a chat over a cup of coffee.

I had contacted her as I was at that time suffering from some turmoil and grief following the tragic death of a CW Colleague up here at The Wharf. I was a bit confused as to why I was so upset when the guy had been a work colleague, not a close friend. We talked for a while and I remember clearly how accurate and simple her response had been. Would I not be more concerned if such a tragic event had NO effect on me! That gave me pause to think. Of course! Why was I concerned about being upset by this? It was perfectly normal to be upset by such an event. Within the hour it felt as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Of course I still think about him, and miss him like anybody would. However it does not concern me that I have such feelings. It is perfectly normal!

Following this I have spent the last few years undergoing training to be a CW Mental Health First Aider. Very useful training and I have already used this training on a good few occasions particularly during/following Covid.

“I love that the CW chaplaincy is so inclusive and respectful of all faiths and no faith. You and your colleagues have such an important role to play on the Wharf and in wider society”.

“It is nice to have a caring person that comes in and takes time to genuinely ask how you are, regarding your mental health and physical health. Because these days there are so many people who are just not interested in other people. It is just nice to have Saleha come round and say ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ Many of us do not have time to go to church because the pace of living today has pushed us the way that we have gone. An act of humanity reminds us that there is faith, regardless of whatever that may be.”

“The CW Chaplaincy is a service we leverage to help us plan and lead Islamic based faith related discussions.  Both Shaykh Mogra and Shaykha Saleha have lead informative sessions during times of special focus such as Ramadan and acted as panel members in discussions in multi faith forums. The chaplaincy service is one of the first ports of call for advice throughout the year.  Personally, I also listen to the weekly short podcasts”.

It has always been a pleasure to work with Sheikh Mogra and Saleha. On several occasions, they have come and spoken at Morgan Stanley and have received positive feedback for their engagement with us. They are both very organised, easy to work with and incredibly supportive in contributing to our events. We look forward to working with them in the future. The services the Chaplaincy provides are important and valued by our members.

“In the busy, high pressure sometimes turbulent and lonely days and nights of startup life, the Canary Wharf Chaplaincy has always provided a sanctuary, a sympathetic ear and guidance for those in need.”

L39 Is a community of 1,250 leaders in cybersecurity, fintech and retail tech.

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.

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