Pastoral and Spiritual Support team

The University of Plymouth Pastoral and Spiritual Support team is made up of a diverse range of people from different faiths

 
Debbie Clement-Large, Pastoral and Spiritual Support Advisor 

Dr Debbie Clement-Large

Multi Faith Pastoral and Spiritual Care Coordinator
  • Leads, manages and co-ordinates the Pastoral and Spiritual Support service.
  • Runs Lunchtime Meditation Sessions on Wednesdays from 12:30–13:00.
  • Runs monthly Success Intelligence personal development workshops to build faith in yourself. Bookable on MyCareer.
Debbie became interested in personal development and spirituality after the death of her dad when she was 15. She is a Personal Development Coach and a licensed spiritual practitioner having studied the science of spiritual psychology. She has a Doctorate in Consciousness Studies. Alongside being a Life Coach, she is also a Meditation Practitioner, a Mindfulness Practitioner, a Stress Management Practitioner, a CBT Practitioner, a Hypnotherapy Practitioner and an Assertiveness Coach.
Debbie is married to Steve whom she met when they were both acting in a Theatre Royal Plymouth production. They have one daughter and a dog called Teddy. Debbie loves singing, sewing, reading, walks in the countryside, comedy, not taking life too seriously, learning new things and meeting new people.
 

Volunteers

Reverend Michael Shaw

Reverend Michael Shaw

Volunteer Free Church Chaplain
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Thursdays from 10:00–13:00
  • Minister at Devonport Community Baptist Church
  • Runs Soul Fuel on Thursdays from 09:45–10:00
Michael is married to Katie with an adopted daughter and has two dogs. Born and raised in Surrey, he studied in Theology in Bristol, and moved to Plymouth in 2012. He loves cricket, rugby, curry and walks by the sea.
 
Arezoo Farahzad

Arezoo Farahzad

Volunteer Bahá'i Chaplain
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Mondays from 10:00–13:00
  • Runs Detox for the Soul on Mondays from 13:00–14:00
  • Supports Global Buddies
Arezoo is a freelance television producer. She is Chair of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’is of Plymouth, Chair of the board of trustees for Plymouth Centre for Faiths and Cultural Diversity and a member of Plymouth Council of Faiths. She is currently collaborating on "Celebrating Humans" – a University of Plymouth initiative working with professional organisations and individuals across the city to promote diversity and help eliminate loneliness and isolation.
 
Patrick Clatworthy

Patrick Clatworthy

Pastoral Volunteer
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Fridays from 10:00–16:00
  • Runs Join the Conversation – Atheist Why? on Fridays from 12:30–13:00
  • Runs Cake and Conversation on Fridays from 13:00–14:00
Patrick happily retired as a civil servant in 2018. He is a former Roman Catholic and has a French mother.
 
Lookman Babajide

Lookman Babajide

Volunteer Christian Chaplain
  • Runs the weekly Embrace Sunday with Christ Miracle Church Mission! from 09:00–11:00
Lookman graduated from the University of Plymouth with a masters in Business and Management (International Business). He is the group leader of Christ Miracle Church Mission that meets every Sunday at the Pastoral and Spiritual Support building. He loves to share his faith in Christ Jesus, Bible study and counsel on faith basis.
 
James Farrant

James Farrant

Pastoral Volunteer
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Tuesdays from 13:00–16:00
  • Runs Cake and Conversation on Tuesdays from 13:00–14:00
James is originally from south-east London and moved to Plymouth in 2007. He began his spiritual journey in 2009. He loves to explore faith and how people practise and connect with the unseen. He enjoys reading, writing, drawing, climbing and creativity.
 
Suallh Sullieman

Suallah Sullieman

Volunteer Muslim Chaplain
  • Runs the Path of the Prophet weekly group on Fridays from 11:00–12:00
Suallah (known as Sally) is the Imam from the Islamic Centre of Plymouth and Cornwall on North Road East. He is a past Imam in Saudi Arabia Jeddah. Student from University of Madina. Imam from United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi. He likes reading, teaching, talking and playing football.
 
Jonathan Wooding

Dr Jonathan Wooding

Volunteer Quaker Chaplain
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Mondays from 13:00–16:00
  • Runs Poetry Matters on Mondays from 12:00–13:00
A Quaker by convincement since undergraduate days, Jonathan is a semi-retired English Teacher, and Assistant Clerk to the Plymouth Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). An advocate of Shared Reading, Jonathan also has an MA in Creative Writing, and writes on spirituality and literature for The Friend weekly journal. He is married to Hazel and has two sons currently at university. His PhD was in theological poetics and the late, great poet Geoffrey Hill.
 
Gurmit Kang

Gurmit Kang

Volunteer Sikh Chaplain
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Wednesdays from 13:30–15:30
Gurmit is the Chair of the Sikh Community Devon & Cornwall. He helps support communities and promotes Sikh cultural values and racial harmony through mullticultural events. His interest is in working with different ethnic communities and encouraging better understanding of social, religious and other needs. He is married to Gail and they have a son Elliot.
 
Sophie Seviour, Humanist Pastoral Volunteer

Sophie Seviour

Humanist Pastoral Volunteer
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Fridays from 10:00–13:00
Sophie is a Humanist Pastoral Volunteer who cares deeply about providing a welcoming and inclusive space for students. She is drawn to Humanism's values of promoting equality with kindness and compassion and is particularly passionate about trauma-informed approaches to mental health and wellbeing.
She loves open water swimming, and when not in the centre can most likely be found reading a good fantasy book, or on a never-ending search for Plymouth's finest coffee and baked goods.
 
Ginny Vo

Ginny Vo

Volunteer Buddhist Chaplain
  • Runs Unlock Inner Peace: Join Our Weekly Mindfulness Practice! sessions on Thursdays from 16:30–17:00
Ginny is a devoted Mahayana Buddhist from Vietnam. With a deep commitment to promoting mindfulness and compassion, Ginny offers support and guidance to students from all backgrounds. In her role, she supports spiritual and community events, facilitates meditation sessions, and provides a compassionate listening ear to those seeking emotional and spiritual guidance.
Ginny holds a masters degree in psychology, with a particular focus on behaviour change in group-based interventions, and has experience of working with diverse communities. She has been a meditation practitioner for over five years and enjoys yoga, swimming and jogging by the sea.
 
Dr Jonny Rae, Volunteer Buddhist Chaplain

Dr Jonny Rae

Volunteer Buddhist Chaplain
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Wednesdays from 10:00–13:30
  • Often runs the Wednesday lunchtime meditation session from 12:30–13:00
Jonny has been a facilitator in The Plum Village Buddhist tradition for over ten years locally. Integrating the practice in life is his interest with varying degrees of success. He has now retired from healthcare, having had a particular focus on end-of-life care, among other things. His interest is in our interconnection and finding our paths through life, whatever form they may take. He also enjoys listening. He is at his happiest on, or in, the sea, and walking the coast path. Eight grandchildren also keep him grounded, exhausted and entertained.
 
Dr Martin Lavelle, Volunteer Humanist Chaplain

Dr Martin Lavelle

Volunteer Humanist Chaplain
  • Normally in Pastoral and Spiritual Support on Tuesdays from 10:00–13:00
Martin is a committee member of Plymouth Humanists and a former academic at the University. He has lived and worked in various countries before moving to Plymouth in 1997 and speaks some other European languages. He lives with his wife and two feline overlords. He is interested in nature, in particular insects, history and art. One of his favourite places in Plymouth is the Arts Cinema.
 
Beccy Davies

Beccy Davies

Anglican Lay Chaplain
  • Monday – 'Just Sing!' choir (term time only) at Sherwell Church
  • Monday – God Explored sessions from 15:00–16:00 in the Lander Room, Sherwell Church
  • Tuesday – Staff and Postgraduate Bible Study Fellowship from 13:00–14:00 in the Lander Room, Sherwell Church
  • Wednesday – Undergraduate Bible Study Fellowship from 13:00–14:00 in the Lander Room, Sherwell Church
Beccy is on campus every day to support students and staff in various ways, and is generally based in the Lander Room, Sherwell Church. She is available to meet for 1:1 Bible studies, prayer support, faith discovering courses and discipleship courses.
 

Faith advisors

Pastoral and spiritual faith advisors are faculty members who provide support to Pastoral and Spiritual Support, staff and students. They offer faith-based advice, give talks, assist in planning and celebrating religious festivals and important occasions.