We would like to express our thanks on behalf of the Trustees, National Directors & all chaplains for David Chawner’s long commitment and support of sports chaplaincy. David will be continuing as chaplain at Northants CCC and will be involved more generally with cricket chaplaincy but after many years of service Dave stepped down from the SCUK Trustee board at the last meeting in June.
David first became involved with us as chaplain to London Wasps RFC in 2001. David was then a Baptist minister in West London so it worked well for him to be the club chaplain at a local club yet such was his commitment and involvement he continued in the role when they moved to Adams Park, High Wycombe, in 2002.
On Dave’s retirement from local Baptist ministry in 2007 he took on the role of full time Pastoral Director for Rugby Union for Sports Chaplaincy UK (still at that point called SCORE). Chaplaincy developed significantly during these years and included Dave co-managing the chaplaincy programme at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011 and subsequently the Engage programme mobilising the Church and chaplaincy for the Rugby World Cup in England in 2015. If you want to see a younger version of Dave click here, where you can see him being interviewed about his role in rugby on Songs of Praise!
SCORE changed name to Sports Chaplaincy UK at the annual conference in October 2011 but this period was also a time of more significant transition for the charity. Dave once more stepped up to the plate to help us out by taking on the role of Lead Chaplain, taking responsibility to head up the work in a post which predated us having a CEO.
On moving out of London Dave had relocated to Northampton which meant he could transfer his chaplaincy allegiance to what was probably his first love, cricket, becoming the chaplain at Northants. However, not being one to put his feet up he also became first Chair and then more recently Vice-Chair on the SCUK Board of Trustees.
For more than 20 years Dave has faithfully served as a chaplain, Pastoral Director & Trustee. Most importantly though he has become a close and trusted friend to so many of us and his input will be dearly missed. Dave, we know that you are not disappearing and retirement does not seem to be a word in your vocabulary, but thank you for what you have done and who you are. May God continue to bless you in all you turn your hand to in the years to come.