From hospice chaplain to counselling with alpacas

Harry Edwards was chaplain at charity Severn Hospice

The chaplain of a Shropshire hospice is leaving his role after 30 years to pursue a new adventure on his alpaca farm.

Harry Edwards worked at Severn Hospice and was a former Church of England vicar.

Now, he will use his knowledge to offer specialist counselling and training services at his farm at Penley.

He said his time at the hospice had been a privilege, often helping people and their families as they went through end-of-life care.

"The hospice has a non-religious foundation, but it recognised that offering a spiritual dimension to its care was just so important," he said.

"Spirituality is very difficult to define - for some it's a religion and belief in a greater power, for others not.

"But everyone has it within them and it's how they respond to that which defines it for them... my role was to help them connect to whatever was within themselves."

Mr Edwards also often arranged and performed weddings and blessings for patients, as well as conducting their funerals.

Sometimes, he would conduct a person's funeral shortly after their wedding.

Alongside helping patients, he also helped staff as part of his pastoral duties.

"My time at the hospice has been so rewarding and fulfilling, but I'm not retiring, I'm just giving up full-time work," he said.

Mr Edwards will be using his alpaca farm to offer counselling and training, adding that the animals offered a "real therapeutic benefit", particularly for people who are neurodiverse.