A bishop in Somerset will do socially distanced prayer for staff and residents in her local care home on Thursday evening as part of a campaign to draw attention to the commitment and work of care home staff.
Rt Rev Ruth Worsley, Bishop of Taunton will be joined by other clergy from the community to also give gifts to residents and staff at Fletcher House.
The blessing will follow a virtual gathering in which Bishop Ruth will hear from care workers about their experiences, both before and during Covid-19.
Bishop Ruth said: "Many of us have hugely valued those in our society who have continued in key work during the lockdown. Our appreciation has been particularly shown to NHS staff through the Thursday 'clap for carers' and this has extended to others too.
"One of the seemingly forgotten group of keyworkers, over a number of years, has been those who work in our social care system. Care homes in particular have come under huge pressure from the virus and are reaching breaking point. Having heard some stories from care workers both in the media and through personal contact, it's become apparent that they often feel overlooked, undervalued and yet have a deep commitment and passion for their work.
"I have been grateful to hear their stories first hand, and to go out and show my appreciation for them this week. I hope others will join me in blessing their own care homes and praying for care staff.
"I've also pledged to share some of the experiences and learning from the conversation with our local MPs, to encourage them to act to ensure those we rely on in the social care sector are paid a wage that reflects the importance and value to society of their work."
