Description
Crossing the River encapsulates the four main areas of Peter's work: spirituality and leadership, spirituality and social care, spirituality and mental health, and spirituality and interfaith.
Arthur Hawes is Archdeacon emeritus of Lincoln and Canon of the cathedral, following his retirement in 2008. He was founder chairman of the North Worcestershire Association Mind, following post-graduate work at Birmingham University. From 1976 - 1992 he was a chaplain at acute psychiatric units in Norwich and from 1986 - 1995 he was a mental health act commissioner. From 1995 - 2010, Arthur was chair of the Church of England's Mental Health Advisory Group. As a member of the Mission and Public affairs Council, he presented two debates in the General Synod of the Church of England on mental health issues. In 1996 he was made Jubilee Patron of Mind and in 1999 he was a member of Mind's National Reference Group. From 1998 - 2006 he was non-executive director of the mental health trust in Lincolnshire and he was a member of the NHS Confederation Mental Health Policy Committee from 2003 - 2007. From 2003 - 2005 he was chairman of the East Midlands NIMHE Regional Development Centre and member of the criminal justice mental health research group at Lincoln University from 2007 - 2010. From 2006 - 2008 he was appointed Mental Health Act advisor to the Lincolnshire Partnership Trust and in 2008 he was appointed as training consultant to the Trust. He became a member of the National Spirituality and Mental Health Forum in 2003 and was a co-chairman of the Forum from 2009 - 2011; he is now its secretary. Ben Bano has been a social worker for 40 years and most recently worked as director of social care and older people's services in the East Kent Mental Health Trust. Following his retirement in 2005, he established Telos Training Ltd with a particular focus on training in spirituality and mental health, as well as the Welcome Me as I Am project, which focuses on raising mental health awareness in faith communities. Ben sees Peter Gilbert very much as his mentor in taking forward his work over the last few years. He is currently co-vice chair of the National Mental Health and Spirituality Forum and secretary of the Mental Health Social Work Strategic Network, of which Peter Gilbert was a founder member. He has contributed chapters to several of Peter Gilbert's books, including the most recent publication Spirituality and End of Life Care (2013).