A moment for unity
Last month, we welcomed people from a range of faiths and diverse backgrounds for a special evening exploring the power of prayer, hosted by the Waltham Forest Women’s Network.
A heartfelt thank you to Bhavani Agrawal, our staff nurse and member of the Network, and Ruquyya Vankad, our deputy lead chaplain, who jointly organised this meaningful gathering in our hospital prayer space.
Ruquyya shared: “The purpose of the evening was to build a sense of community amongst a unique gathering of people. It was really well attended and everyone was filled with gratitude.
“I closed the evening with a poem that brought together the themes of all the readings, carrying a strong message of unity and collective reflection. I look forward to making this an annual event.”
Representatives from Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Bahá’í, Sikh, Buddhist and Jehovah’s Witness communities took part. Each faith offered a short 10‑minute prayer, inviting attendees to listen, reflect and join in, followed by tea, coffee and biscuits.
Feedback from the evening was overwhelmingly positive:
“This was a lovely idea. Bringing all the faiths together showed our shared humanity.”
“Great event. It reminded us of how much we share in values - I wish more colleagues could experience this.”
“Thank you for organising such a great evening. It was uplifting and wonderful for staff morale.”
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