About the Guild

The St. John's Guild supports over 20 Member Branches throughout England, has its own registered Care Home in St. Albans, as well as a Holiday and Short break Centre in Clacton-on-Sea.

St. John’s Guild was founded in 1919 through the initiative of Miss Dorothy Light together with the Reverend Christian Waudby, a blind Anglican priest who was concerned at the isolation and loneliness in which so many blind people lived.

St. John’s Guild seeks to:

• Promote services to reduce the loneliness and isolation of those with a visual impairment and to encourage independent living.

• Raise awareness within the Church of England of the works of St. John’s Guild.

• Develop further branches where appropriate in the United Kingdom and increase individual and Branch membership.

• Provide residential and respite care at St. Raphael’s, St. Alban’s, Hertfordshire.

• Organise short breaks and holidays, respite care, information and training at St. Anne’s, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.

• Promote Retreats and pilgrimages to Walsingham for Guild members and others.

• Publish literature in Braille, large print and on audiotape.

St John’s Guild:

• Provides spiritual and practical support to people who are blind, deaf/blind and partially sighted within the Church of England.

• Promotes awareness of the needs of those who are visually impaired through its Branch network.

• Manages residential care at: St Raphael’s, 29, Avenue Road, St Alban’s, Hertfordshire AL1 3PY

• Organises holidays, short breaks, information and training.

• Publishes a Newsletter three times per year in print, large print, Braille and on tape and ‘The New Church Messenger’ an innovative and informative magazine in Braille and on audiotape.

• Produces the Bible Reading Fellowship’s ‘New Daylight Notes’, in Braille.

• Values the involvement of people who are visually impaired in its management structures.
   

How you can help us help more Blind and Deafblind People

There are many ways you can help St. John’s Guild: Many blind and deafblind people depend on St. John’s Guild for practical support, social contact, residential care, holidays and short breaks.
We in turn depend on the generosity of the public to enable us to provide these vital services.

• A Donation

• Give as you earn

• A legacy

• Voluntary help

• Gift Aid

• Gifts in kind, such as services or equipment

Make a Donation

Print out this Form to make a donation to the Guild, just click the icon then print via your browser.

Click on the PDF Icon to open a printable form >

For further information and details of how you can support St. John’s Guild, become a Member or a Friend to St. Raphael’s, please contact:

Richard McEwan the new St. John's Guild

Chief Officer outside St. Raphael's

St John’s Guild Branches

At the heart of the service offered by St. John’s Guild is a structure of local branches. Each one provides an opportunity for visually impaired people to meet on a regular basis for spiritual fellowship, worship and social support. Each branch undertakes it’s own programme, which reflects the needs and interests of its members.

Branches are usually attached to a parish church where the local priest acts as chaplain. The aim of the group is to meet together for fellowship, worship and for social support.

Organisation is in the hands of the branch secretary. A common bond for all branches is saying the Guild Office or celebration of the Eucharist. In 2002 we introduced Volunteer Regional Officers who support a group of branches, visiting them regularly and offering information and help as appropriate.

For many years, the Guild has been organising Retreats, Pilgrimages and holidays. Visits to the Shrine of our Lady at Walsingham have been particularly appreciated.

Below is a list of branches together with meeting times and dates. For further information, please contact the Branch Secretary or the Guild Office.
 

Cheltenham
Meeting date/place	3rd Tuesday - 2pm The Cornerstone Centre, Severn Road, Cheltenham
Chaplain	Rev Margaret Thame, 13 Brighton Road, Cheltenham, GL52 6BA Tel: 01242 241228
Secretary	Mrs Ann Clark Tel: 01242 244082
Treasurer	Mr Fred Parkinson, 28 Hollis Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6JJ Tel: 01242 234176
Regional Officer	Mrs Judy Dunk, 61 Brownshill Green Road, Coundon, Coventry. CV6 2AP Tel: 024 7627 5160.

Clacton-on-Sea
Meeting date/place	1st Friday - 2pm St James Church, Wash Lane, Clacton on Sea.
Chaplain	Rev Anthony Spooner St James Vicarage, 44 Wash Lane, Clacton on Sea, C015 1DA Tel: 01255 422007
Secretary	Mr Paul Brett
Treasurer	Mr Paul Brett, 41 Nansen Road, Holland on Sea, Essex. C015 5EE Tel: 01255 815423
Regional Officer	Miss Anne Abel, 109b Kilburn Park Lane, Kilburn, London. NW6 5LB Tel: 020 7625 9760

Coventry
Meeting date/place	4th Saturday - 3 pm St Nicholas Church, Sherwood Jones Close, off Engleton Road, Radford, Coventry.
Chaplain	Rev Graham Marcer 21 Tulliver Street, Radford, Coventry. CV6 3BY Tel: 024 7659 8449
Secretary	Mrs Judy Dunk 61 Brownshill Green Road, Coundon, Coventry. CV6 2AP Tel: 024 7627 5160 e: Contact Judy Dunk
Treasurer	Mrs Elizabeth Jones 101 Keresley Road, Coventry, CV6 2JF Tel: 024 7633 2228
Regional Officer	Mrs Judy Dunk

Kendal/ Windermere
Meeting date/place	3rd Monday - 2pm St Mary’s Church, Ambleside Road, Windermere.
Chaplain	Rev David Willmott St Mary’s Vicarage, Ambleside Road, Windermere. LA23 1BA Tel: 01539 433205
Secretary	Mr Christopher Bradbury, Four Ways, Patterdale Rd, Windermere LA23 1WB Tel: 01539 446186
Treasurer	Mr C Bradbury
Regional Officer	Mrs Margaret Chambers

Kensal Green
Meeting date/place	2nd Sunday - 2pm St John’s Church, Kilburn Lane, Kensal Green
Chaplain	Interregnum
Secretary	Miss Anne Abel, 109b Kilburn Park Lane, Kilburn, London. NW6 5LB 020 7625 9760
Treasurer	Miss Rosemary Millington, 12 Herbrand Street, Peabody Estate, London. WC1 1JF 020 7837 4559
Regional Officer	Miss Anne Abel

Maldon
Meeting date/place	Last Sun - 2.30 pm The Octagon, St Mary’s Church, Church Street, Maldon, Essex.
Chaplain	Rev Andrew Mackintosh St Mary’s Vicarage, Park Drive, Maldon. CM9 5JG Tel: 01621 857191
Secretary	Miss Anne Robertson, 13 Victoria Road, Maldon. CM9 5HE Tel: 01621 851284
Treasurer	Mr Donald Cook, 55 Coleridge Rd., Maldon. CM9 6DH e: Contact Donald Cook
Regional Officer	Miss Anne Abel

Northampton
Meeting date/place	1st Friday - 2pm Methodist Chapel, High Street, Great Billing, Northants. NN3
Chaplain	Rev Steven Palmer The Rectory, 25 Church Walk, Great Billing. NN3 9ED Tel: 01604 788508
Secretary	Mrs Pat Ferrett 6 Scott Road, Wellingboro', Northants. NN8 3DJ Tel: 01933 678352 e: Contact Pat Ferrett
Treasurer	Miss Jeanne Joy 8 Field Mill Road, Bellinge, Northants. Tel: 01604 411217 e: Contact Jeanne Joy
Regional Officer	Mrs Margaret Hicks, 54 Foxes Way, Warwick. CV34 6AY Tel: 01926 493476

Plymouth
Meeting date/place	1st Tuesday - 2pm St Peter’s Church, Wyndham Square, Plymouth.
Chaplain	Preb. Sam Philpott St Peter’s Church, 23 Wyndham Square, Plymouth. PL1 5EG Tel: 01752 222007
Secretary	Mrs Patricia Holloran-Williams, 161 Rothesay Gardens, Crownhill, Plymouth PL5 3TB Tel: 01752 700767
Treasurer	Mrs P Holloran-Williams
Regional Officer	Mrs Margaret Chambers

St Albans
Meeting date/place	1st Thursday - 2.30 pm St Raphael’s, 29 Avenue Road, St Albans. AL1 3PY Tel: 01727 851337
Chaplain	Rev. Peter Wadsworth, St Saviour’s Vicarage, 25 Sandpit Lane, St Albans. AL1 4DF Tel: 01727 851526 e: Contact Peter Wadsworth
Secretary	Mrs Elizabeth Muhley, 1 St Raphael’s Court, Avenue Road, St Albans. AL1 3EH 01727 850976 e: Contact Elizabeth Muhley
Treasurer	Mrs Doreen Godwood, 4 St Raphael’s Court, Avenue Road, St Albans. AL1 3EH 01727 858074
Regional Officer	Mrs Margaret Chambers

St Saviours (St Mary’s)
Meeting date/place	3rd Friday - 2.30 pm St Mary’s Church, Bourne Street, Pimlico, London. SW1W 8JJ
Chaplain	Reverend Alisdair Coles The Vicarage, 26 Graham Terrace, Pimlico, London SW1W  Tel: 0207 730 2423
Secretary	Mrs Jenny Shanahan, 59 Salisbury Road, Harrow, London. HA1 1NX Tel: 020 8248 5516
Treasurer	Mrs Jenny Shanahan.
Regional Officer	Mrs Margaret Chambers

Sleaford
Meeting date/place	2nd Wednesday - 2pm Church Room, St Denys Church, Market Square, Sleaford.
Chaplain	Rev. Canon Dennis Askew, Langford House, 4 Hereford Close, Holdingham, Sleaford. NG34 8TP Tel: 01529 305645
Secretary	Mr Douglas Hoare, 34 Grantham Road, Sleaford, Lincs. NG34 7NB Tel: 01529 303506
Treasurer	Mr Douglas Hoare
Regional Officer	Mrs Margaret Hicks

Tewkesbury
Meeting date/place	3rd Thursday - 2pm The Gough Room, The Abbey Office, Church Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
Chaplain	Rev Paul Williams, The Abbey House, Tewkesbury. GL20 5SR
Secretary	Mrs Joyce Bishop, 4 Old Hospital Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. GL20 5NQ
Treasurer	Mr Peter Milford Tel: 01684 296552
Regional Officer	Mrs Judy Dunk

Thrapston
Meeting date/place	2nd Monday - 2pm St James’ Rectory, 48 Oundle Road, Thrapston, Kettering. NN14 4PD Tel: 01832 732393
Chaplain	Rev Graham Bell, St James’ Rectory, 48 Oundle Road, Thrapston, Kettering. NN14 4PD Tel: 01832 732393
Secretary	Mrs Marion Wilson, 25 Barnwell, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 5PZ Tel: 01832 272759
Treasurer
Regional Officer	Mrs Margaret Hicks.

Warrington
Meeting date/place	1st Monday - 2pm St Margaret’s Church, St Margaret’s Avenue, Orford, Warrington.
Chaplain	Rev John Reed, St Margaret’s Vicarage, St Margaret’s Ave, Orford, Warrington. WA2 Tel: 01925 631937
Secretary	Mrs Bessie Towers, 8 Elizabeth Drive, Padgate, Warrington. WA1 4JQ Tel: 01925 812617
Treasurer	Mrs Bessie Towers
Regional Officer	Mrs Margaret Chambers

Woking
Meeting date/place	2nd Tuesday - 2pm All Saints Church, Woodham Lane, Woking. (Not Feb, Aug and Dec.)
Chaplain	Rev Iain Forbes The Vicarage, 25 Woodham Way, Woking. GU21 5SW Tel: 01483 762857
Secretary	Mrs Marilyn Gillard, 12 Woodham Way, Woking.