Appeal for Muslim prayer room at hospital
A patient was arrested at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn Picture: Ian Burt - Credit: IAN BURT
An appeal has been launched to build a Muslim prayer room at a Norfolk hospital.
Stella Green, lead chaplain at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, said the facility would make a big difference to its Muslim doctors and nurses.
A JustGiving page has been set up to raise funds for the prayer room, which would complement the existing multi-faith chapel, called the Sacred Space, which was built in 2009.
MORE - Hardship fund launched for QEH staff battling coronavirusSome people use it to pray, some to wait while a loved one has an operation, others just to sit quietly for a few minutes.
But the coronavirus emergency has shown the need for an additional prayer room.
Muslim doctors and nurses, who have been at the forefront of caring for patients with Covid-19, have grown in number in recent years, and are finding that the sacred space no longer serves their needs.
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The hospital’s solution is to create a new purpose-built Muslim prayer room, which will have adequate space and washing facilities for staff and patients. In addition, this will mean that the Sacred Space remains a quiet, contemplative space within the hospital for visitors of all faiths and none.
MORE - Cornavirus cases falling in West NorfolkChaplain Stella Green said: “Having a new Muslim Prayer Room within the hospital would make such a positive difference to our fantastic NHS staff and patients.
“It would actually benefit everyone who uses the Sacred Space, whether they are Muslim, people of faith, or those without a faith who just need a quiet place.”
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Mohammed Mehr, the consultant leading the Muslim fundraising effort, said: “The Muslim staff at the hospital are committed to providing the very best care for the people of west Norfolk.
“Of course, we have many difficult things to deal with, and we are at least as vulnerable to infection as other staff members at the moment. Having a quiet place to come to pray really helps us to get through our day.”
The JustGiving page can be found here.
