In April 2019, Rev'd Vindra Maraj-Ogden joined Queenswood as Chaplain. She has a wealth of experience in the Methodist church, and the Chapel services she has led so far have been inspirational, witty and extremely informative, particularly on the subject of women in scripture. We asked her to introduce herself to the wider school community.

Vindra – tell us something about yourself.

I have been a Methodist minister since 2005. Before that I trained and worked as a chartered accountant, having done a degree in Business Management. I have not always been a Christian but was educated at a Roman Catholic convent school. In my early twenties, I found myself struggling to navigate some of life’s challenges and was drawn to the church and to an exploration of faith, leading to a decision to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. As a young girl, I did not really always see the point of assemblies, but as if by osmosis they had shaped my life and provided a framework for decision-making.

I have not always lived in the UK. I was born and raised in Trinidad. All of my family still live there, but it is the UK, where God has called me to serve Him and this has been my home since January 1985. I visit my family regularly but my ties and my life are here. I have loved being a Methodist minister with pastoral charge of churches but about a year ago I felt that God was calling me to something different. After much prayer, a silent retreat and discussion with friends, the chaplaincy at Queenswood became a reality. So here I am!

Tell us more about caring for people.

A chaplain needs to have compassion for all and an impulse to help, not necessarily to fix. It is a huge privilege for people to allow you to journey with them through the joys and sorrows of life, to help them explore spirituality, to be part of their faith journey. It does not matter if someone is an atheist or an agnostic, I am here to love and care for that person. It is important to say that I am here for the whole school, staff and students.

I am in Centre, opposite the IT suite. I would love to see you – and I have chocolates!