This event was held at 11am on Wednesday, 1st June 2016 at The Royal Military Chapel, The Guards’ Chapel, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, SW1E 6HQ, 

The visit included:

  • Talk about the Guild of St Helena by Joan Mallett
  • Weekday Communion Service (Anglican) Celebrant The Senior Chaplain, Rev’d  Dowell Conning
  • Coffee
  • Followed by a talk about the Guards Chapel Silver by Christopher Harpham, who is the Keeper of the Chapel

CTiW joined with Members of the Guild of St Helena, who meet monthly at the Guards Chapel. They are a long-established charity, founded in 1875 to work closely with Army chaplains, initially to visit the sick, help illiterate soldiers write letters home, teach children to read etc.  Its members are all connected in some way with the Armed Forces – wives, widows, daughters or civilians working within the services. A short talk about the Guild was given, and we joined the members afterwards for refreshments.

 

All were very welcome to join us. Note: this event has now taken place, but is included here for information.

An account of the visit can be read in Issue No. 5 (Summer) of the CTiW “Occasional Newsletter”

 

Website http://www.householddivision.org.uk/guards-chapel-welcome and http://www.army.mod.uk/chaplains/23369.aspx

For directions to the Chapel please see http://www.householddivision.org.uk/guards-chapel-information

For Poster please click meet the neighbours poster Guards Chapel

 

During World War 2 the Chapel was badly damaged by a V1 flying bomb. For account and photos please see West End at War website http://www.westendatwar.org.uk/page_id__151_path__0p2p.aspx

Beside the Chapel is the Flanders Fields Memorial Garden. The soil in the circular grass bed was collected from 70 World War I battlefields in Flanders, Belgium, by Belgium and British children.