We are delighted to welcome Wayne Mills, a Registered Humanist Chaplain, who is going to provide a talk on Existential and Humanist Pastoral Care and its place in the changing landscape of healthcare chaplaincy. 

Drawing from extensive experience in palliative care, Wayne is passionate about a chaplaincy approach that views human nature as open-ended, flexible, and capable of embracing the vast spectrum of human experience. He believes that each person’s journey is unique, and his role is to create space for that uniqueness to emerge, especially during times of vulnerability and uncertainty.

Wayne’s work is grounded in an existential perspective, approaching each encounter with a receptive and nonjudgmental attitude. He focuses on exploring with individuals what truly defines their sense of self and purpose, rather than imposing fixed answers or predetermined spiritual meanings. For Wayne, chaplaincy is less about providing solutions and more about accompanying people as they navigate the complexities of life, suffering, and meaning.

He recognises that isolation, loneliness, a fear of death, and freedom, are inherent aspects of the human condition and aims to support individuals in finding their own sources of strength, hope, and meaning - even in the face of profound end of life challenges. 

Beyond providing pastoral care, Wayne is a sector coordinator and skills trainer with the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network (NRPSN), which champions equal access to care and support. They advocate for institutions to increase non-religious carers in pastoral roles, reflecting that over half of British society identifies as non-religious. The NRPSN believes people needing support should have the option to speak with someone who shares their worldview. 

Operating across healthcare, prisons, the armed forces, and education, the NRPSN's trained volunteers and practitioners provide a professional and inclusive alternative to traditional religious support services, with ongoing efforts to broaden their institutional presence.

This talk is free to attend but optional donations are always very welcome and help us to put on more talks like this in the future. Looking forward to seeing you there!