Parish Priest and Parish Nurse. While some curates (trained priests) have always been sure of their calling as a Parish Priest, I have never really known where I would end up. I think that’s because of being bi-vocational, a nurse and a priest. After finishing the training for priesthood I asked: What on earth am I going to do next? It was Rev'd Paul Holley, who came to the rescue, knowing it was an unusual set of gifts being both a nurse and a priest. Paul invited me to consider a role as a Parish Nurse in Bodmin and two other towns. It was a perfect role for me. Paul went about sorting out some funding and I began my new role in November 2022, training as a Parish Nurse and setting up a professional service. I still get to minister as priest in the local churches. Win-win!

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So, what is a Parish Nurse? A parish nurse serves a church that has a vision and mission to reach out into the community. The service is a professional one, parish nurses are registered nurses who are trained and accredited by Parish Nurse Ministries UK and validated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The service is set up and run by a registered nurse who is a Christian, focusing on wholistic health, wellbeing, and healing, who targets the health needs of the local community and is inclusive of all faiths and none.

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What do Parish Nurses do and don't do? Parish Nursing sits within the existing wider healthcare system between primary care and family based personal healthcare and is a community-based service which promotes health and extra healthcare to support people in times of need. Parish Nurses do not give medical treatments or direct nursing care and they do not replace NHS, local authority nurses or services or specialist nursing charities such as MacMillan nurses. Neither do we preach or convert people. We do offer health education, health screening, health support, spiritual care, and support at the end of life.

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Why set up a service like this now? Timing is everything and since the pandemic there has been so much change and stresses on healthcare services, I am hoping that parish nursing in Cornwall will flourish, bless the local primary care services whom I will be working with, the churches and the local communities.

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Contact Rev'd Geraldine: Email: parishnurse@bodminway.org   Mobile: 07957 609 085   

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Rev'd Geraldine offers her Parish Nurse service at Time Together, through the Community Circle and during Community Space on Friday mornings at St Petroc's Parish Centre.

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Rev'd Geraldine set up a ‘Camelford and Delabole Parish Nursing’ Facebook page in September 2023.

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First Sermon at St Petroc's Church

St Petroc’s Church welcomed Rev’d Geraldine Ashton to its service on Sunday 11 June 22023. Many know Geraldine from Time Together or Community Space as Bodmin Way’s Parish Nurse, but this time, Geraldine attended church in her role as priest. Geraldine preached a super sermon about encouragement service. 

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Commission Service

Commissioning of Rev'd Geraldine Ashton as Parish Nurse took place at a Bodmin Team Ministry service in the Parish Church of Saint Hydroc, Lanhydrock, with the Rt. Rev'd Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro, on Sunday 26th February 2023.

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