National Volunteers' Week - Lynda's story

Lynda Logan photo and quote

Our lead chaplain, Lynda Logan, has described the variety of support provided to staff by her voluntary team and the satisfaction she takes from the role.

Lynda Logan is one of four volunteers – three chaplains and one associate chaplain – who provide independent and confidential pastoral, emotional and spiritual support to staff and volunteers across the Trust, as well as their families.

This includes supporting them through difficult times, such as severe illness or the loss of a loved one, as well as conducting funerals for EEAST employees and official services such as Christmas carol services.

“A chaplain’s role is a varied one and no two weeks are the same,” said Lynda. “We provide pastoral and emotional care and a listening and confidential ear in times of need, helping with personal or family problems as well as work-related problems.

“Affirming the worth of every ambulance service employee, responding to the needs of all ranks and grades, we proactively seek out staff in high pressure areas. Our key responsibility is to work with others in helping to keep staff fit and healthy. It is a role which may be described as ‘healing and binding up those within the ambulance service who constantly have to deal with the damaging effects of our human nature.’”

Prior to COVID-19, the team regularly visited stations, going to 218 between April 2019 and April 2020 and travelling nearly 4500 miles. Over the same period, they held 3,217 general conversations with staff and 556 significant conversations which required some form of further signposting, support or action.

During 2019/20, they together dedicated a staggering 2,842 hours to their voluntary roles, accompanying staff on shifts and attending major incidents or emergencies involving mass casualties. During lockdown, they have continued to provide a service and stay in touch with staff over the phone and online, as well as by attending virtual crew rooms.

“The most difficult part of our role is that of acting as a ‘critical friend’,” added Lynda. “We reflect on work situations from major strategic decisions with wide implications for staff to relationships within management, supervisory or team structures. We reflect on the state of the world and on matters of justice, poverty, legality and values which affect the workforce. Each day, we pray for the staff during our personal time of prayer.

“A chaplain’s work is often hidden, unseen by most staff. Chaplaincy is often termed a ‘bridge ministry’ with chaplains working as ‘bridge builders’.

Bridges are wonderful structures which provide passage over roads or other obstacles, allowing us to travel with ease between places which otherwise might not be very accessible. In the main, people tend to use bridges without taking any notice of what is underfoot, the planning and work that has gone into building them, or the job that they do.”

Published 6th June 2021