Faith in Later Life (FiLL) is about enabling older people in care homes, or otherwise unable to attend church, to have some access to Christian fellowship, worship and prayer.
Our group started in January 2025 after Trevor Williams and Alex Baines were commissioned by Uttoxeter Area of Parishes to have particular calling to such work. We are now a team of 11 but more are always welcome! The group is chaired by Revd Joe Cant, with Alison Hunt acting as admin support.
We have a Christian presence in eight out of the nine care homes in the Uttoxeter Area of Parishes, and the work is shared with Uttoxeter Churches Together.
Roughly once a month members go into a care home to gather a small group of Christians, or those interested in the Christian faith, to worship, pray, discuss their faith and sometimes take Holy Communion.
This adds to the work of those who visit individuals who have been members of local congregations. However, many having been active members of their church, find themselves in a place nearer to relatives and severed from their original Christian fellowship.
We are now considering the faith needs of those who are housebound, of whatever age, and cannot or find it difficult to attend regular services.
In addition our CofE Cafe offers the delivery of hot meals on a Wednesday and the opportunity to combine a visit to the Cafe with Holy Communion on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Wednesdays.
The Renew Church offer hot lunches and social time for older people on a Friday.
The Diocese promotes Dementia Friendly Church and both Tean and Marchington have Dementia cafes.
Our work is part of the work of the national Faith in Later Life movement and takes inspiration from the Bible Reading Fellowship’s Anna Chaplaincy.