One-day Conference
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When – Wednesday 30th September 2026, 9.30am-4pm
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Where – Priory Rooms Meeting & Conference Centre, 40 Bull St, Birmingham B4 6AF
Bringing together those who are with and for the clergy – leaders, stakeholders, academics and researchers – for this large-scale event. Expect a day of captivating conversations, workshops and networking opportunities.
Lunch and refreshments provided throughout the day.
This year’s conference will be opened by The Revd Dr Michael Volland, Bishop of Birmingham.
+Michael previously served as the Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge and has extensive experience in mission, evangelism, and church planting, including work in Durham and Gloucester. Married to Rachel, with three children, +Michael is an avid runner, participating in ultramarathons.
Keynote Speakers
We are delighted to be joined by Professor Michael Clinton, Professor of Work Psychology, based in Kings College Business School and Patricia Hunt FRSA, Bishop’s Advisor for Pastoral Care, Diocese of Sheffield and CofE Episcopal Pastoral Supervision Lead.
Professor Michael Clinton, Professor of Work Psychology
‘Seeing the best in things: How strong and clear callings help clergy interpret common daily events.’
Mike’s research focuses on worker wellbeing and effectiveness. He is particularly interested in how worker wellbeing and effectiveness can be sustained together over long periods of time. He explores how peoples’ orientations to their work, and the changing nature of modern work itself, affect worker wellbeing and effectiveness, and their inter-relationship. His recent research projects have involved studies of the contradictions of hybrid working, vocational callings and self-sacrifice as double-edge swords, and how a demanding day at work can turn workers into risky drivers on the way home afterwards. Mike’s work draws on psychological theories about self-control and self-determination, goal systems, and personal resource allocation.
Mike’s Research Excellence Framework 2021 impact case study was called Enhancing Clergy Wellbeing and Effectiveness in the Church of England. Read the impact feature on this case study here.
Patricia Hunt FRSA, Bishop’s Advisor for Pastoral Care, Diocese of Sheffield
‘Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Clergy: Restorative Counselling and Psychotherapy, and Preventative Pastoral Supervision.’
Patricia’s work focuses on how clergy wellbeing and effectiveness can be sustained together over long periods of time and long years of sustained ministry. She has been Bishop’s Advisor for Pastoral Care in the Diocese of Sheffield since 2018, and has brought the wisdom and experience of 35 years of clinical work as a Psychotherapist to this role. Following an initial research and listening phase, working together with the Bishop of Sheffield she developed a two fold strategy for Mental Health and Wellbeing for the Clergy in the Diocese, and their partners/spouses. A central and vital component of this strategy has been the initiation and development of a Pastoral Supervision Scheme in the Diocese. Patricia is the CofE Episcopal Pastoral Supervision Lead.
Workshops
The day will include three workshops exploring some of the key programme and themes that St Luke’s are currently engaged with. All delegates will be able to attend each of the following workshops:
Workshop: Evaluation from St Luke’s Pilot Global Majority Heritage & Minoritised Ethnic Curates Reflective Practice Group
Facilitated by Revd Dr Ibidun Daramola
Ibidun Daramola is a Church of Scotland minister of African descent and a graduate of communication specialising in interpersonal relationship. Ibidun obtained her Doctorate in Divinity from the University of Aberdeen with research comparing pastoral counselling in the West and Africa. She has worked for many years discipling and training university students and leaders. An accredited member of APSE and qualified pastoral and family counsellor, she has worked in several cultures and is involved with both western and non-western communities. Ibidun has led the evaluation of St Luke’s pilot project, providing curates with global majority heritage (GMH) and minoritised ethnic (ME) a reflective practice group professionally facilitated by Father Kelvin Ekhoegbe, generously funded by the Benefact Trust. In this workshop she will explore findings of the evaluation and wider implications for support.
Workshop: “I could not have got through a challenging deployment without my supervisor”. St Luke’s British Army Professional Pastoral Supervision.
Faciliated by Revd Philip Burrows and Revd Tim Treanor
Philip Burrows is an experienced Church of England minister and retired Army chaplain with over 30 years of mission and ministry experience. He holds a Diploma in Pastoral Supervision through Wesley House, Cambridge, and is an accredited pastoral supervisor with the Association of Pastoral Supervision and Education (APSE). Keen to support others in Christian ministry and chaplaincy, Philip understands the toll that parish ministry and isolated roles can have on the human spirit and is committed to providing a safe space for exploration and development.
Tim Treanor is an Anglican priest living in North Devon. He served in the Royal Engineers for 23 years. Highlights included serving with the Gurkhas in Hong Kong, Bosnia, Canada and Nepal and a post in the Ministry of Defence. Responding to a different call on his life, he left for ordination training and curacies in Exeter diocese. He had the privilege of being a Team Rector in Bath & Wells. Over the years he has been drawn to accompanying those in ministry. He has made the Spiritual Exercises and am an Ignatian Spiritual Director. He is an APSE accredited Pastoral Supervisor and have trained to run Reflective Practice Groups with the Institute of Group Analysis. Tim is involved with two of St Luke’s programmes: Advancing Clergy Reflection and Professional Supervision for Army Chaplains.
Facilitated Discussion: What stops clergy getting help for their wellbeing?
With Dr Ed Chan-Stroud, Research Fellow in Christian Ethics at the Faculty of Theology & Religion at Oxford University and Jacqueline Ede, Director of Wellbeing, St Luke’s for Clergy Wellbeing
Dr Ed Chan-Stroud is a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford in the Faculty of Theology and Religion. His research draws on both theology and psychology to explore how spiritual practices interact with mental health. Prior to his role in Oxford he worked as the Temporary Medical Ethics Adviser to the Church of England.
With 30 years in NHS, not-for-profit and education sectors, Jacqueline Ede, an occupational therapist by trade, has supported clients, carers and colleagues across a variety of acute and community mental health settings. Now as Director of Wellbeing for St Luke’s, Jacqueline is
leading on programmes that encourage practices aiming to prevent mental illness, preserve psychological health and support emotional wellbeing. She is a visiting lecturer at the University of Brighton teaching on the post-graduate Euromasters in Occupational Therapy and is due to qualify as a pastoral supervisor through Wesley House in June 2026.
Pricing and how to book
£38 – Our Supported Rate: St Luke’s is committed to ensuring the conference is accessible to all, regardless of income. Please do have a conversation with us if you are in financial hardship.
£95 - Our Cover-your-Cost Rate: This enables us to recoup the money that it costs for each person to attend.
£125 - Our Benefactor Rate: Pays for your place and provides a donation to St Luke’s helping us to host this Conference, enabling others to attend, and continuing our charitable work.
NOTE: Multiple Attendees – If three or more people from the same diocese staff team would like to attend, please contact St Luke’s before booking to discuss this at events@stlukesforclergy.org.uk. We may be able to support with a discount.
Location
The conference will be taking place at:
Priory Rooms Meeting & Conference Centre, 40 Bull St, Birmingham B4 6AF.
The Priory Rooms is located within walking distance of the main Birmingham railway stations and we strongly recommend using public transport to reach the venue.
Parking
If you are driving, The Priory Rooms has an agreed discounted rate with a local B4 Car park where visitors to the Priory Rooms can benefit from a fixed rate of £15 for up to 10 hours’ parking and £22.50 for up to 24 hours’ parking – upon arrival at the Priory Rooms, please visit reception and type your vehicle registration into the validation tablet to apply the discount.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel your place at this event before the end of August 2026 you are entitled to a full refund (minus the Eventbrite ticketing fee). Cancellations made up to this point can be made through Eventbrite.
Should you need to cancel between 1 September and 11 September 2026, St Luke’s will refund 50% of your ticket price. If you wish to cancel at this point, please contact us at events@stlukesforclergy.org.uk to arrange this.
Unfortunately, if you cancel after Friday 11th September 2026 we are unable to provide a refund. However, if there are extenuating circumstances, please contact us for a discussion.
It is possible to transfer your booking to another person within your organisation at any point up to the start of the conference. Please contact us as soon as possible at events@stlukesforclergy.org.uk if you wish arrange this.
St Luke’s will offer a full refund if:
- the event is cancelled by us or otherwise not fully performed; or
- the event is postponed and not rescheduled within 90 days of the postponement.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the conference, please do contact us at events@stlukesforclergy.org.uk.
Why St Luke’s?
St Luke’s is uniquely positioned as the foremost charity specialising in the mental health and wellbeing of clergy. Independent from the Church but working across the Anglican community, we work with experts in the field from academia and practice, delivering exceptional programmes.
From our front-line work supporting clergy via preventative approaches and restorative services, we see themes and patterns emerging. From these we develop and pilot projects that build the evidence-base for what really helps clergy.
Watch St Luke’s short Conference 2025 film here:
