Meet the Bognor Regis RAFA club's new chaplain

The Bognor Regis RAFA club appointed a new chaplain earlier this year and, on Sunday (December 12), he led his first ever carol service.

Major Matt Butler, an officer in the Salvation Army, became chaplain of the Bognor Regis RAFA club back in July, after his predecessor retired. Cliff Mewett, Chairman of the Bognor Regis RAFA club, regularly attends The Salvation Army church service to worship and invited Major Butler to work with the veteran's organisation earlier this year.

"It's about officiating events, but it's also about being available. Obviously everything's a bit up in the air at the moment but our hope is that we can be more involved in the life of those who are connected to RAFA, and if people need to talk to me about anything pastoral or spiritual, I can be there to have that conversation," Mr Butler said.

Although he has now been the chaplain for some time, the cancellation of events and complications arising from Covid-19, means Sunday's carol service is the first public event he has organised as Chaplain.

It's been a soft-start for Major Butler, with no formal swearing-in ceremony, but he nonetheless feels honoured by his appointment and looks forward to deepening the ties between the RAFA Club and the Salvation Army.

"It's great to be part of, to get to know this side of the community," he said. "There are one or two RAFA members who are already linked to the Salvation Army, so there's a bit of crossover already, and like I said Cliff is a big part of both organisations. He's part of our congregation and he helps out at a lot of our Salvation Army events, so it's good to have that two-way working relationship, really. To support each other."