Dear Friends
 
This is my first newsletter as Chair of the Friends, and an opportunity for me to introduce myself and share with you my first impressions.
 
In my first few months as Chair, I have been struck by the important - if perhaps unsung - role of the Friends in providing support for front line ministry across the Diocese. That support depends on your commitment and in particular your generous giving. My main message is therefore one of huge thanks to all of you for your continuing support.
 
The Friends have been ably steered by my predecessor Mark Pellew, to whom I would like to pay tribute. He has worked hard to ensure that the Friends have remained a vital asset to the life of the Diocese. In his final newsletter which you received over the summer, Mark set out some of the many ways in which your donations have been used to support the life of various chaplaincies. We have traditionally made regular contributions to language training for incoming chaplains and their spouses, and I see that as continuing to be an important, if discreet, way of enhancing local ministry and building links with the local community. Indeed, in some chaplaincies, language proficiency is a requirement from the host authorities.
 
Particularly noteworthy in 2025 was the support you were able to provide for the Diocesan Ministry Experience Scheme, allowing young people to explore their vocation in the different and varied context of continental Europe. Equally important was the grant from the Friends to assist two stipendiary curates, of whom one plays a challenging but vital role in the chaplaincy in Kyiv.
 
I was able to meet some of you at the annual Friends’ service and reception at Southwark cathedral in October. It was a privilege to be able to hear from you, and the service was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the life and work of the Friends together with Bishops Robert and Andrew. I came away with a strong sense of the fund of goodwill and affection for the Diocese which continues to motivate many to be part of the Friends. If you were not able to join us on that occasion, you might wish to take a look at the short article on our website: Friends.event2025
 
At the same time, I also heard, as Mark mentioned in his last newsletter, that despite your high levels of commitment and generosity, maintaining the current level of membership is proving a challenge. This of course over time risks having an impact on the funds at our disposal and in turn on our collective impact on the life of the Diocese. I would like to explore ways of attracting newcomers to the Friends, particularly younger members, including perhaps looking at how we might provide members with more direct feedback on the ways in which your money is used. I will suggest a first discussion on this at the next meeting of the Friends’ Committee in early February.
 
I would be very interested in advance of that meeting to hear from you if you have any ideas or would like to suggest any initiatives which would enrich your membership of the Friends, and which might also help to attract newcomers. My email address is guyh.milton@gmail.com, and I would be happy to receive your comments (which would be treated in confidence) directly. If you would prefer to send your thoughts by post, please address them to me c/o the Diocesan Office, the address of which can be found at the bottom of this letter. You will also find there the generic address for the Friends and the address of Jeanne French, our Honorary Secretary, whose long experience is proving invaluable to me as I learn about the work of the Friends.
 
I would like to take this opportunity to pass on my very best wishes for 2026 and thank you again for your continuing support.
 
 
Guy MILTON