#peter dumbreck

[53v3nfrn5]

The infamous Mercedes-Benz CLR crash @ 24 Hours of Le Mans (1999)

One of the worst accidents in racing history, The Mercedes CLR driven by Peter Dumbreck that managed to flip head over at 24 hours of "Le Mans" race in 1999. Dumbreck was left uninjured from the 300 km/h (190 mph) crash, making it the final year Mercedes-Benz participated in the 24 hours of Le Mans.

[robinfrinjs]

The 70th running of the Macau GP (+ Google calendar of schedule)

For the first time in 10 years the Macau GP is run over two weekends again, with the first races taking place this weekend. And the important FIA F3 World Cup and the FIA GT World Cup will race next weekend and also the Motorcycle Grand Prix.

I have made a Google calendar with the complete schedule, which you can find down below.

The Macau GP is one of the only two current national Grand Prix events that are not part of the Formula One World Championship, the New Zealand GP being the other one.

History

The first running of the race was held in 1954 as a club race for local motor enthusiasts. It initially started off as an endurance race where 15 entrants competed in a four hour race over 51 laps.

In 1960 the race was first entered on the international racing calendar, and was subject for the first time to the regulations published by the FIA for sports and grand touring cars.

In 1978 to celebrate the race's 25th anniversary, a "Race of Giants" was organised. Where drivers like Jacky Ickx, Sir Stirling Moss, Bobby Unser, Phil Hill and Sir Jack Brabham participated.

In 1983 the race was first run as the FIA Formula 3 World Cup. Which was won by a young Ayrton Senna.

In 1998 Peter Dumbreck won the closest ever Macau Grand Prix - and the closest motor race in history at that time - when he beat Ricardo Mauricio by just 0.003 seconds.

More history can be found here

Format

As mentioned, the event will be run over two weekends. This is not the usual format but done for its 70th anniversary.

The past years the GT World Cup and The F3 World Cup weren't run because of Covid, this meant the main race was run with F4 cars. And mainly local drivers participated. This year F3 returns with an international field but Formula 4 stays.

FIA F3 World Cup

In 1983 the race was first run as the FIA Formula 3 World Cup. The Formula 3 race used to be more of an all-star race for drivers from several Formula 3 championships or even from other high profile championships.

But recently the FIA has reduced the Formula 3 championships so FIA F3 is the only major one to exist. This means it can now basically been seen as a non championship round for the FIA F3 championships.

This year however, still several drivers have stepped down again to F3 to participate. Formula E Driver Dan Ticktum, is a two-time winner of the event and has returned. Richard Verschoor, Formula 2 driver and the last winner of the event back in 2019 returns. But also IndyCar driver Marcus Armstrong joins the field.

Sophia Floersch also returns to the race to be there for the third time, during her debut she suffered a massive crash where she suffered a spinal fracture.

Formula 4

The Formula 4 SEA Championship runs from 11-12 November and will feature three female drivers. Vivian Siu, Miki Koyama and Bianca Bustamante. Vivian Siu is the only one of these to drive the complete F4 Sea championship this year. The Macau round however, is a non-championship round.

Formula 4 runs qualifying from 08:45 - 09:15 (CEST) on Saturday 11 November and their qualifying race from 01:00 - 01:25 (CEST). And they close the weekend with their main race from 08:40 - 09:20 (CEST)

TCR & GT

Several regional TCR and GT series race on the streets of Macau during the two Macau weekends. The first TCR race at Macau was held in 1972, and this was rare as TCR cars rarely raced at street circuits. Currently it's the final round of the China TCR Championship.

Motorcycle GP

Macau is a special event for motorcycle riders and has been since 1967. Their main race is on Saturday 18 November.

GT World Cup

The Macau GT Cup was added in 2008, and has been one of the most important supporting races of the Grand Prix since then.

The FIA GT World Cup is a race for GT3-spec cars organised by the SRO. This year it will be the sixth edition of the FIA GT World Cup.

Entry Lists

All entry lists can be found here.

The Track

Length: 3.8 miles (6.2 km)

Minimum width: 22.8 feet (7 m)

Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix Lap Record: 2:06.317 (Jüri Vips, 2019, FIA Formula 3)

Macau GT Cup Lap Record: 2:17.182 (Earl Bamber, 2019, Porsche 911 GT3 R)

Macau Guia Race Lap Record: 2:27.009 (Rob Huff, 2014, Lada Granta 1.6T)

Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix Lap Record: 2:23.616 (Stuart Easton, 2010, Kawasaki)

Where to Watch?

Every day is streamed on motorsport.tv, on the Macau GP Facebook page and their website.

Schedule

The schedule can be found right here in local time

I have added all sessions to my Google Calendar

Link to the Calendar

For any questions, my ask box is always open!

[gemmasianpowellphotography]

Lost and Found - Lighting Plan

12.03.2021

I am happy with my location shots and have narrowed down my chosen background image. I am going to use the Bellahouston Park landscape with the Dumbreck Court high rise flats. I like the composition, lighting and scale within the image. Out of my contact sheet images I particularly liked the ones with the runner in motion in the middle foreground. With my chosen object I knew this would make good sense and add depth to the overall composite. I was lucky enough to have shot my background location image on a bright sunny afternoon around 3pm and caught the blue skies and the sun was lower in the sky coming in from behind me to the right with light bouncing off the high rise flats. 

Background Location

My object is going to be a book I have been reading this year called Lockdown by Glasgow born writer author Peter May. I could picture the book standing tall like the high rise flats in front of me and I wanted it to contrast with the clear blue sky, early days of spring green grass and dark front cover with the bold red letters entitling Lockdown. The shape of my object is important to the shape of the tall flats. For shooting my object I know I will need bright lighting either window or artificial warm. I have kept in mind shooting at the same settings as location shot and focal length of 55mm. The set up will be in my home studio using a small table and white papered background. The light source will be directional from behind me to the righthand side just the same as the location shot and will need to light up the book with the importance of the front cover. I will be positioning the book in such a way as to replicate the tall high rise flat to the left within the location image as I want the binding of the book to be darker than the front. I would also be controlling the light source and thinking about light modifiers required such as defused light, direct light from the sun beam through the window onto my object and a reflector to bounce required light onto the front of the cover. 

Home Studio Object

[pneusnews]

Tra sabato e domenica si è corsa la 24 ore del Nürburgring, con il Team Falken ancora una volta tra i protagonisti. Le qualifiche erano andate benissimo, con Sven Müller, Klaus Bachler, Martin Ragginger e Dirk Wernerche che hanno piazzato la loro 911 in seconda posizione, mentre la BMW di Peter Dumbreck, Stef Dusseldorp, Alexandre Imperatori e Jens Klingmann era scattata dalla 21esima posizione.

La gara è stata interrotta a 3 ore e mezzo dalla fine a causa delle condizioni meteo impraticabili. Alla bandiera a scacchi, i mezzi Falken hanno concluso entrambi nella top15: la 911 ha chiuso al nono posto, mentre la BMW M6 si è classificata al 15esimo posto.

Oltre 400 clienti e giornalisti provenienti da ogni mercato europeo sono stati ospiti di Falken al Nürburgring.

La gara è stata vinta dalla Porsche 911 GT3 R del Team Manthey guidata da Richard Lietz, Patrick Pilet, Frédéric Makowiecki e Nick Tandy.

Falken con entrambe le auto nella top 15 Tra sabato e domenica si è corsa la 24 ore del Nürburgring, con il Team Falken ancora una volta tra i protagonisti.

[motormais]

NIO EP9 torna-se no veículo eléctrico mais rápido do Mundo

Conheça o NIO EP9, o veículo eléctrico mais rápido do Mundo, que consegue dar uma volta em Nürburgring quase tão rápido quanto um Lamborghini Aventador SV. #NIO #EP9 #Nurburgring

O NIO EP9 é um veículo super desportivo criado pela chinesa Next EV, com o intuito de ser o veículo eléctrico mais rápido do mundo. Com um total de 6 modelos construídos, cada qual com um valor superior a 1,2 milhões de euros (obviamente que estão todos vendidos), o EP9 recorre a um chassis monocoque em fibra de carbono e a motores com caixa de velocidades embutida em cada roda, gerando uma…

[purrrcedes]

Peter Dumbreck's 1999 Le Mans crash is probably the craziest racing crash I have ever seen wtf. HOW DID THE CAR JUST FLIP LIKE THAT???

[silhouettehistory]

Flying Cars SilhouetteHistory Singles

Single silhouettes of cars which flies:

DeLorean DMC-12 has flown in the movie Back To The Future 2 by Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson)

911 GT1-98 (91R) has flown in 1998 at Road Atlanta by Yannick Dalmas

Mercedes-Benz CLR has flown in 1999 at Le Mans by Mark Webber and Peter Dumbreck

Home | FB | Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Ask

[un-enfant-immature]

For $164, Jaguar will let you co-pilot its I-Pace race taxi around the Nürburgring 

The Green Hell, as the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife was nicknamed back in the late 1960s, is a 73-corner nearly 13-mile track in Germany that can challenge even the most accomplished professional race car drivers.

Now, for about $164, thrill seekers can be a passenger for one lap. Jaguar announced a RACE eTAXI promotion that customers can buy a ride around the Nürburgring in an all-electric I-Pace vehicle piloted by a professional race car driver.

The promotion lasts through the end of November. The automaker also has a regular ol’ race taxi program that for about $274 gives customers a ride in the Jaguar XE SV Project 8.

The Nürburgring has become the place for automakers such as Volkswagen, Nio and Porsche to compete for “fastest electric car” bragging rights. Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the company plans to put its Model S to test on the ‘ring.’

In August, the Porsche Taycan completed the course in 7 minutes and 42 seconds, which the German automaker said is the fastest lap for a four-door electric vehicle.

But it’s not the fastest lap for any electric vehicle. That honor goes to Volkswagen’s ID R electric race car, which completed the course in 6:05.336 minutes. The previous record was set in 2017 by Peter Dumbreck, who was driving a Nio electric vehicle.

[onwheelsxyz-blog]

VW IDR sets new Nurburgring EV record VW ID.R sets new Nurburgring EV record The electric prototype took more than 40 seconds off the previous time Volkswagen's ID.R has set a new electric lap-record at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, setting a time of 6:05.336 around the famous circuit. The lap, set by Romain Dumas in the all-electric racer, beat the previous record by more than 40 seconds. As one of the most challenging circuits in the world, the Nürburgring runs for almost 13 miles and features 73 turns. To take on the challenge of a new electric lap record, VW had to redesign certain parts of the car, which last year set hill climb records at Pikes Peak (outright) and Goodwood (electric). Fewer climbs and longer straights meant that the aerodynamics had to evolve, and powertrain elements needed to be tested to see whether they could deal with long periods of full power. The 500 kW electric racing car took the electric record from NIO's EP9, set by Peter Dumbreck in 2017, and completed the lap with an average speed of 206.96 km/h (128.6mph). The ID.R is seen as a flagship for VW's forthcoming ID. all-electric range of cars, with development on electric powertrain components and other elements going both ways - from race team to road-car engineers, and vice versa. Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group, s aid: "The Nordschleife of the Nürburgring is not only the world's most demanding race track, it is also the ultimate test for production vehicles. The ID.R has

[elektrikliaracteknolojisi]

Volkswagen ID R Elektrikli Hız Testi için DRS Sistemini Ekledi⚡️⚡️ . Volkswagen, ID R elektrik prototipine bu yaz Nurburgring Nordschleife’deki elektrikli tur rekoru denemesi için Formula 1 tarzı DRS takacak VW, Ocak ayında Peter Dumbreck ve NIO EP9 elektrikli süper otomobil tarafından belirlenen ve geçen yıl Romain Dumas’ın rekor kıran Pikes Zirvesi tepesi yarışının arkasındaki ölçütle mücadele etme niyetini açıkladı. Fransız Dumas, bu sefer yine buralarda olacak ancak ID R korkunç 20,8 km (12,9 mil) Nordschleife tarafından ortaya konan mücadeleye uyacak bir dizi değişiklik geçirecek. DRS’nin eklenmesi bunlar arasında revize edilmiş zemin, ön spoiler ve arka kanatla birlikte sürtünmeyi azaltmak amacıyla Pikes Peak’te kullanılan versiyondan çok daha hızlı olacak şekilde ayarlanıyor. Volkswagen Motorsport teknik direktörü Francois-Xavier Demaison “Nordschleife, kabaca 20 kilometre uzunluğunda neredeyse aynı olmasına rağmen, Pikes Peak’teki tepe tırmanışıyla karşılaştırıldığında aerodinamik için tamamen farklı bir mücadele sunuyor” dedi ===================================== ➡️ Ayrıntılı bilgi için BIO LINK’teki sitemizi ziyaret edebilirsiniz!!! ⬆️⬆️ ===================================== #electricvehicles #electricvehicle #tesla #ebikes #idr #electric #elonmusk #electriccar #teslamotors #zeroemissions #teslamodels #teslamodelx #ebike #energy #cleanenergy #elon #supercar #teslalife #electricbike #teslacars #evs #cars #teslaclub #vw #hypercar #teslaenergy #teslas #elektrikliaraba #thefutureisgreen #arabalar ===================================== ➡️ https://www.eatechsblog.com ===================================== https://www.instagram.com/eatechsblogtr/p/BxCB9mpArop/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=g84slyx5ph6m

[adriansmithcarslove]

Volkswagen ID.R Race Car Sets Sights on Nurburgring EV Record

After its record-breaking Pikes Peak Hill Climb run, the Volkswagen ID.R all-electric race car has its sights set on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife this summer. The automaker hopes to capture the fastest time for an electric car around the Green Hell.

The ID.R is powered by two electric motors that deliver 670 hp. The race car weighs under 2,500 pounds with the driver, or about as much as a Mazda Miata. Because the Nurburgring is vastly different from Pikes Peak, further development of the ID.R is required, so aerodynamics will be one area that VW will focus on. “Unlike the U.S. classic on Pikes Peak, which starts at an altitude of more than 9,000 feet and ends at 14,115 feet, the Nordschleife winds its way through the Eifel region at between 1,050 and 2,024 feet above sea level,” said Volkswagen Motorsport technical director Francois-Xavier Demaison, in a release.

Before the summer record attempt, the ID.R will be put through an intense development program at various racetracks. Piloting the electric race car will be Frenchman Romain Dumas, the same driver who captured the record at Pikes Peak. But breaking the Nurburgring’s record won’t be easy because it currently stands at 6:45.90 for all-electric vehicles. This was done in 2017 by Britain’s Peter Dumbreck in a NIO EP9 with an average speed of almost 115 mph.

The famous Nurburgring-Nordschleife is a 13-mile track with more than 70 turns. Besides being used by various automakers for rigorous testing, the track also hosts the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring endurance race and is a venue for the FIA World Touring Car Cup series. Why is Volkswagen gunning for a record there? For starters, VW has already invested a good deal in the development of the ID.R. Why not get another record out of it? Plus, ‘Ring records earn your brand substantial street cred, which VW could use given its ambitious electrification plans that call for 15 million vehicles in the first phase of its big EV push.

Source: Volkswagen

The post Volkswagen ID.R Race Car Sets Sights on Nurburgring EV Record appeared first on Motortrend.

via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8134279 http://bit.ly/2U7z8OU

[gemmasianpowellphotography]

Pre Production - Lost and Found

02.03.2021

Ideas for my project brief. 

My initial ideas are to shoot outdoor landscapes and composite an object within the image to create a surreal effect. I want to shoot through the day at a few of my local parks to gain inspiration. There are a few key spots within each park I go to to escape reality and these have been of great use to me during the last year surviving the pandemic. It is my place of sanctuary, peace and calm where I go to clear my head. I get lost in nature and music while looking around taking pictures. I like the colours, textures, smells, sounds and surroundings where it often can feel you are the only one around in the secluded wooded areas of the parks. Its is a time and a place to breathe, reflect and recharge. I have a few objects in mind to incorporate including an angel ornament and a dream catcher. To show the recharge element I have thought of shooting a battery and enlarging this as part of a tree trunk. 

My second idea came from walking through Bellahouston Park yesterday afternoon and looking over at the two high rise flats over at Dumbreck Court. I wondered what it would be like to live in one of those flats and through the pandemic how isolating it must be, especially having no garden and for those shielding over the last year. I have a book by Peter May called Lockdown which I thought of shooting standing upright and enlarging to the size of one of the all tower blocks compositing this in photoshop aligned with the flats. The flats overlook the park where those during lockdown isolated will have been able to look out their windows and see those dog walking, walking, running and children playing in the park. Reading is a great way to escape and I wanted to illustrate this within the composite image.

[pneusnews]

Con il quarto posto conquistato nell’ultima gara del 2017 VLN Endurance Championship, Klaus Bachler e Romain Dumas, a bordo della loro Porsche 911 GT3, hanno registrato la miglior stagione di Falken nel campionato dedicato alla gare corse al Ring. Anche Peter Dumbreck e Stef Dusseldorp hanno fatto una grande gara a bordo della loro BMW M6 GT3, concludendo all’11° posto.

Nella gara finale della stagione entrambe le vetture Falken hanno presentato un nuovo e entusiasmante design. Nell’ambito del Design Challenge, i fan provenienti da tutto il mondo hanno postato su Facebook le loro proposte. Per la Porsche 911 GT3 R è stato selezionato il progetto di Dirk Hinzmann, che si è ispirato al percorso della leggendaria Nordschleife. La comunità dei fan ha votato la proposta di Saunas Ramoska per la BMW M6 GT3, che ha combinato vari elementi grafici del sistema modulare Falken.

Si è trattato della miglior stagione condotta dal team Falken nel VLN, anche grazie alla vittoria della BMW M6 GT3 nella quarta gara della stagione, la prima assoluta sin dall’inizio del suo impegno al Nürburgring nel 1999. La Porsche 911 GT3 R ha aggiunto altri due podi nel corso della stagione.

Per chi vorrà divertirsi con i videogame ed è un fan Falken, in Project Cars 2 saranno disponibili le 2 auto che hanno corso questa stagione del VLN, mentre nel nuovissimo Gran Turismo Sport, di Sony PlayStation, c’è la possibilità di avere le auto brandizzate Falken, grazie al Logo Editor del gioco. La scelta è enorme, con quasi 160 tipi di auto diversi tra cui scegliere.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Falken: miglior stagione nel VLN e presenza nei videogiochi Con il quarto posto conquistato nell’ultima gara del 2017 VLN Endurance Championship, Klaus Bachler e Romain Dumas, a bordo della loro Porsche 911 GT3, hanno registrato la miglior stagione di Falken nel campionato dedicato alla gare corse al Ring.

[prostreetdk]

Ny artikel: http://bit.ly/2WhsKqu

Volkswagen vil dominere elbilerne på Nürburgring

Volkswagen har fuld fart på elektrificeringen, både i serieproducerede gadebiler men også på racerbanerne. Efter at have sat ny rekord i det legendariske Pikes Peak Hill Climb løb, har ID. R – Volkswagens elektriske sportsvogn – sat kursen mod endnu et rekordforsøg i sommeren 2019, hvor målet er at sætte ny rekord for elbiler på Nürburgring, der anses for at være en af de mest krævende racerbaner i verden. Selv samme bane som nær havde taget livet af tidligere Formel 1-kører Niki Lauda.

ID. R er ambassadør for den kommende familie af ID.-elbiler, som Volkswagen planlægger at introducere fra 2020 og frem. ID. R’s motorsportsaktiviteter er et bevis på, at Volkswagen er dedikeret til e-mobilitet og understreger det enorme potentiale, der ligger i fremtidens elbiler til gadebrug. ”Efter rekorden på Pikes Peak er omgangsrekorden for elbiler på Nürburgrings Nordschleife den næste store udfordring for ID. R.,” udtaler direktør for Volkswagen Motorsport, Sven Smeets og fortsætter, ”En omgangsrekord på Nordschleife er en stor præstation for enhver bil, uanset om det er en gadebil eller en racerbil.”

ID. R fintunes til Nürburgrings unikke udfordringer ID. R, der videreudvikles til rekordforsøget på Nürburgring, kører med to elmotorer med en samlet systemydelse på 500 kW (680 hk), og den vejer mindre 1.100 kg. inklusiv racerkører. ”Først og fremmest vil vi ændre aerodynamikken på ID.R og tilpasse den forholdene på Nürburgring Nordschleife, der er markant anderledes end Pikes Peak,” siger François-Xavier Demaison, der er teknisk direktør hos Volkswagen Motorsport. I modsætning til det klassiske Pikes Peak-løb, der starter i en højde på 2.862 meter og ender i 4.302 meters højde, snor Nürburgring Nordschleife-banen sig gennem Eifel-bakkerne i højde på mellem 320 og 617 meter over havets overflade. Den ikoniske bane har en helt unik karakteristik, ikke mindst på grund af den lange Döttinger Höhe-langside. “Som en del af vores grundige forberedelser til rekordforsøget, vil vi sende ID. R gennem et intensivt test- og udviklingsprogram på forskellige baner i løbet af foråret, “ tilføjer Demaison. Rekordforsøget på Nürburgring er planlagt til at finde sted i løbet af sommeren.

Nordschleife ekspert Romain Dumas skal køre ID. R I rekordforsøget Multitalentet Romain Dumas vil være at finde bag rattet ved rekordforsøget. Han vandt Pikes Peak International Hill Climb med ID. R I juni 2018, og med en tid på 7:57.148 minutter blev han den første i løbets over 100 år lange historie, der kom under otte minutter. Franskmanden har også vundet fire sejrer i 24-timers løbet på Nürburgring.

“Tanken om at køre ID. R på Nordschleife er allerede nok til at give mig gåsehud. Jeg kender banen ganske godt, men med ID. R’s ekstreme acceleration og enormt høje svinghastigheder bliver det en helt anden udfordring,” siger Dumas. “Jeg kan næsten ikke vente til de første tests. At slå rekorden for elbiler på Nürburgring er ikke bare en lille sightseeingtur gennem Eiffelbjergene”. Den nuværende omgangsrekord for elbiler lyder på 6:45.90 minutter med en gennemsnitsfart på 185 km/t, og tilhører britiske Peter Dumbreck, der kørte i en NIO EP9.

[ferrerochellevh]

Is that <b>fitness</b> tracker you&#39;re using a waste of money?

Fitness-tracking devices have helped Peter Dumbreck beat his personal best times for cycling three days in a row. The racing driver and keen cyclist ... from Google Alert - Fitness http://ift.tt/2jKzGMw

[southwarkcofe]

My journey to becoming a SPA

Michael Brockett, South Croydon Benefice (St Augustine’s & St Peter’s South Croydon), writes...

Covid has put many people’s plans on hold and changed the face of public ministry in our country and throughout the world. This was also the case with SPA (Southwark Pastoral Auxiliary) training this year that was disrupted by the pandemic bringing an abrupt end to our weekly training meetings at Trinity House.  Having mostly completed our training it was put on hold, resumed some months later on Zoom, and finally completed with our online commissioning by Bishop Christopher on November 30th.  However, it seems to me that this is a highly appropriate date for the start of our SPA ministry.  The beginning of Advent marks a new church year, and following many months of preparation and waiting for commissioning, it seems the right time. I am delighted now to be joining the many SPAs throughout the diocese and contributing to the work of the South Croydon Benefice Ministry Team.

When asked to consider ministry, like many I was hampered by doubt. Uncertainty that I was not worthy or good enough to explore a commissioned or licensed ministry; that I was not knowledgeable enough to proclaim the gospel; that I am not that perfect being. As Peter says ‘…what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God…’ (2 Peter 3:11). This is a high expectation for anyone considering ministry.  However, I received encouragement by many people to train as a SPA and would like to thank Paula Thorvaldsen for inspirational teaching and encouragement; the members of my churches congregations and PCC; and my Ministry Team, particularly our incumbent the Reverend Dr Geoff Dumbreck.  Thanks also go to my husband David who has supported me all the way.

My training over the past two and a half years has been extensive and rewarding. Beginning with studying for the Bishop’s Certificate I moved through the vocations and discernment process and interviews on to SPA training at Trinity House.  These weekly sessions, module assignments, theological reflections and work experiences have prepared me well for my role as a Pastoral Minister in my benefice.  Sharing the experiences and wisdom of my three SPA trainees has been a bonus and strong bonds have been formed between us.

During our training we have been privileged to visit different settings to learn more about how they operate.  My thanks goes to all those who made us so welcome, involved us in their work, and answered numerous questions.  The chaplaincies at The Royal Marsden and HM Prison High Down were inspirational, allowing us to accompany staff on the hospital wards and restricted areas in the prison.  Seeing behind the scenes at Croydon Crematorium and spending a day at Albin & Sons in Southwark, one of the oldest family owned funeral directors, has given us an insight into the dignity they placed on the deceased and their families. A similar privilege was undertaking a longer placement at King’s College Hospital chaplaincy that coincided at the time when Covid first started impacting on London hospitals.  To witness at first hand, as part of that team of chaplains the care and compassion given to patients and staff at the start of an unknown pandemic, was awe-inspiring.  It was a true case of seeing God’s love and compassion in action. Across the year we also had the experience of three weekend residential training sessions at Southwark’s Diocesan Training Centre at Wychcroft. In parallel to SPA training I continued as a Day Chaplain at Southwark Cathedral leading hourly prayer, as a reader, and supporting the spiritual and pastoral needs of visitors.  This is a role I have enjoyed for the past two years and SPA training has enabled me to further my pastoral and theological skills.

To end, I believe that pastoral ministry is well summarised in Thomas O’Meara’s definition in his book ‘The Theology of Ministry’.  He writes, ministry is (1) doing something; (2) for the advent of the kingdom; and (3) which is a gift received in faith and baptism. Scripture shapes the way we think about our role in bringing Christ’s compassion to people. O’Meara explains what pastoral ministry is: an understanding of a theology of pastoral care, placing theory and practice together, and theological interaction underpinning our practice as SPAs. We generally work as part of a parish or benefice team and provide pastoral support for individuals, families and groups of all ages within the church and community. In my benefice my role is to contribute to team meetings and provide pastoral and spiritual support within our benefice.   My ministry involves home visits and taking Holy Communion to the sick and housebound; making links with local schools, encouraging them to visit our churches and use our resources; and developing and signposting opportunities for social interaction for the elderly as well as assisting in worship where appropriate. This is a privilege and I am grateful for the opportunities that have been opened up for me in the service of Christ.