9 July 2025
On Thursday 19 June, The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford visited Farleigh Hospice.
The visit was supported by the Rev Andrew Merchant, who is the hospice’s Spiritual Care Volunteer Chaplain, Volunteer Day Chaplain at Chelmsford Cathedral and Priest at St Andrew's, Chelmsford.
The Bishop met with Farleigh Hospice’s Chief Executive, Michelle Kabia, took a tour of the building and gardens and enjoyed lunch in the Courtyard Cafe.
She then visited the hospice’s specialist Inpatient Unit (IPU) and chatted with a patient and their family and a volunteer in the lounge, before being introduced to Locality Care Manager, Kate Tighe, and members of the IPU team.
They spoke about the number of patients Farleigh cares for onsite and in the community and the range of services the hospice offers. They also discussed how the teams work with patients on advanced care and preferred place of death plans.
Bishop Guli was also delighted to hear about Farleigh’s Buzz in the City art trail through Chelmsford this summer, which includes one of the giant bee sculptures being hosted within the grounds of Chelmsford Cathedral.
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani said:
“It was inspiring to see the vital work of Farleigh Hospice first-hand. It was also a great privilege to talk with patients and their families; and to witness the dedication of Farleigh Hospice staff as they provide support and care for people affected by life-limiting illnesses and bereavement.
“I enjoyed hearing about Farleigh’s Buzz in the City art trail summer and look forward to seeing the bee sculpture hosted by Chelmsford Cathedral."
Michelle Kabia, said,
"It was an absolute pleasure to meet with Bishop Guli at Farleigh Hospice today. She was aware of our team’s work in supporting people facing a life-limiting illness, including the provision of palliative and end of life care.
“We talked about the many challenges relating to increasing demands for our care and ever-decreasing resources that this hospice faces to ensure that we continue to offer exceptional care for our community when it is needed.
“There are exciting opportunities ahead for us to work collaboratively and to ensure that we raise awareness of the important role that our hospice has within our local community."
This article was orginally published on the Farleigh Hospice website.
