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Chaplain Christine Wraight from Ashley Baptist Church set to offer stress and anxiety relief to shop staff on Station Road in New Milton




STRESS and anxiety relief and spiritual support will be offered to traders as New Milton gets its first high street chaplain.

Christine Wraight, pastoral deacon at Ashley Baptist Church, plans to visit businesses on Station Road weekly to give any staff who might be struggling the chance to get in touch for confidential help.

Sharing details with the A&T, her main aim was to help ease any pressures that may have been brought on by economic and personal factors.

Christine Wraight from Ashley Baptist Church will be offering her support to traders as a chaplain on Station Road in New Milton
Christine Wraight from Ashley Baptist Church will be offering her support to traders as a chaplain on Station Road in New Milton

A retired nurse, Christine has mental health support experience, having worked with many dementia patients.

Citing “enormous pressure” on the retail sector, she said: “I want to work with shop staff to help decrease that pressure.

“I will make sure they know that if they have problems they can offload them to me. Everything is confidential.”

Christine Wraight from Ashley Baptist Church will be offering her support to traders as a chaplain on Station Road in New Milton
Christine Wraight from Ashley Baptist Church will be offering her support to traders as a chaplain on Station Road in New Milton

Christine will distribute flyers to be placed in staff rooms or on noticeboards, inviting anyone needing help to get in touch.

Those who come forward wishing to speak face-to-face can arrange to meet at a café or at Ashley Baptist Church.

Christine has already carried out chaplaincy work for about three years, mainly in the community, working with care homes in New Milton.

Christine Wraight from Ashley Baptist Church will be offering her support to traders as a chaplain on Station Road in New Milton
Christine Wraight from Ashley Baptist Church will be offering her support to traders as a chaplain on Station Road in New Milton

“All the staff know they can contact me at any time with any worries. It has had quite a good response,” she said.

Notifying town councillors of her plan at a recent finance and general purposes committee meeting, Christine highlighted similar schemes in Southampton, Bromley and Bristol, as well as on transport networks.

Stressing the role was purely voluntary, she told them she was not asking for money but simply hoped for the council’s blessing and support.

“A chaplain can help employees better manage stress and anxiety, with guidance and counselling for work-based issues,” she explained.

“They can provide emotional support to grieving employees or those struggling with mental health issues.

“It encourages an atmosphere of mutual health and trust.”

The councillors welcomed the idea, acknowledging Christine did not require their permission to go ahead.

Committee chairman Cllr Neil Tungate said: “Working in retail can be quite stressful. Small retailers can’t offer such a service to their staff.”

Intending to get started the second week of February, Christine plans to update the town council on progress after six months.

Expansion to cover other shopping streets in future has not been ruled out, but this would require training up a small team of volunteers.



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