Pippa Swan, Belfast Trust’s first paid non-religious pastoral carer Northern Ireland Humanists has welcomed a milestone for equality in healthcare, after non-religious pastoral care volunteer Pippa Swan was appointed to a paid bank role, providing non-religious pastoral care within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. Pippa, a trained non-religious pastoral carer with Northern Ireland Humanists, has been appointed as a Bank Chaplain. This means she can be called upon when the Chaplaincy team needs extra help, including providing cover when other chaplaincy staff are unavailable. It is the first time in Northern Ireland that a non-religious person has been appointed to a paid chaplaincy role within a Health and Social Care Trust. Non-religious pastoral care provides emotional, moral, and practical support to people who do not identify with a religion, particularly at times of illness, distress, loss, or uncertainty. It is delivered by pastoral carers trained and accredited by the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network, who offer compassionate, person-centred support without religious assumptions or beliefs. As part of her chaplaincy work, Pippa provides support to …