Previous statements

23 February 2023

Marking the first anniversary of the War in Ukraine

It is with great sadness that we mark the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine. This has been a year of deep grief and anxiety for our Ukrainian students, staff and alumni as they face the loss of beloved family and friends, as well as of the loss of treasured homes and communities.

It is good to have seen the King’s community come together in the face of this ongoing tragedy, finding a number of different ways to offer help. This includes King’s Sanctuary Team who have helped to support displaced students and academics, working in partnership to develop the University Sponsorship Model with Citizens UK, Ukrainian Sponsorship Pathway UK (USPUK), Open University, Newcastle University and the University of Leicester. The University Sponsorship Model has enabled higher education institutions to implement the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme and helped students and academics to find safety in the UK and continue their studies and research. More than 50 individuals impacted by the war in Ukraine have been sponsored by members of the King’s community so far. This includes students who continue to study their degrees at Ukrainian universities online, academic fellows and recipients of King’s Sanctuary Scholarships.

Please know that there is support available for all those affected by the horror of this war, and of the many other international conflicts across the world. We are committed to supporting our students and staff during these difficult times and in the face of the more recent natural disasters and the impact this has on students' studies.

The Chaplains are ready to provide a confidential listening ear to staff and students of any faith or none - they are welcome to drop into any of our Chaplaincy spaces or contact a Chaplain via chaplaincy@kcl.ac.uk. More formal counselling can also be accessed through the King’s Counselling & Mental Health Support Service which offers free and confidential in-person and online support as well as King’s Counselling Online service. Students may also like to connect with their peers through KCLSU. Our independent and confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is available to staff and can be contacted by phone or email.

I also want to acknowledge the expertise of our academics and researchers which plays such a vital role in enhancing the understanding of the war and its many consequences.

A world where wars of aggression continue to devastate the lives of individuals and nations is not the world we want for ourselves or for coming generations. Let us at King’s commit ourselves to working for the justice and peace that is key to living into our commitment to make the world a better place.

6 February 2023

Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

We have watched with dismay the news about the catastrophic earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria and the distress, loss of life and homelessness that these have caused. Our thoughts are with all our students, staff and alumni from Turkey and Syria and those of you with family and friends affected by this disaster. We feel for your anxiety and distress and are holding you in our hearts. We are also thinking of all members of our community from countries and regions who have been impacted by the shockwaves from the earthquakes.

If you have been affected by this disaster, please know that there are a number of ways in which King’s can offer support:

How we are supporting students

Our Faculty Wellbeing and Welfare Advisors are contacting students with nationality and registered domicile of Turkey and Syria to offer support and will connect with faculty colleagues where students respond identifying specific needs.

Support for students and staff

The King’s community can be a real source of comfort and strength to one another in times of fear and loss and we are committed to fostering a culture in which we support everyone of all backgrounds, nationalities and faiths.

Counselling support is also available to our students. Students can speak to the King’s Counselling & Mental Health Support Service which offers free and confidential in-person and online support as well as King’s Counselling Online service. Students may also like to connect with their peers through KCLSU.

Our staff may want to talk to a trusted colleague or manager, and our independent and confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) can be contacted by phone or email.

Our Chaplains are available to students and staff for informal and confidential discussions and can be contacted at chaplaincy@kcl.ac.uk.

Agencies offering aid

Some of you have expressed concern and asked what you can do to support the communities affected by the devastating earthquakes. If you feel moved, and are able, to offer financial help to people in the affected regions, donations can be made through the Red Cross appeal. We will offer more opportunities for giving as they become available.

Travel advice

If you are planning to travel overseas or are returning to the UK, please check the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) website and follow the guidance in place for the country you are travelling to and from. Please make sure you follow the university guidance for business or study travel.

Again, let me say that our students and staff affected by this disaster are on our minds and in our hearts during this difficult time. Please do reach out to one another and to the wider community for care and support.

27 January 2023

Holocaust Memorial Day 2023

It is with great sadness that the Dean’s Office and Chaplaincy mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

We must never forget the enormity of the crime committed against the Jewish population of Europe and the continuing need to fight against antisemitism today.

The memorial theme this year is Ordinary People: it was ordinary people, people like us, who died, and it was ordinary people, people like us, who did the killing.

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust

23 January 2023

On Marriage Equality in the Church of England

The Church of England does not currently conduct civil partnerships or marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples. This policy is a source of deep regret to the Dean’s Office & Chaplaincy. We would like to be able to celebrate all unions between couples in a spirit of inclusion and love which affirms rather than discriminates, and continue to work for this within the church. 

In light of the recent deeply disappointing news from the Church of England that same-sex marriage is not yet to be affirmed we wanted to share this message:

We are bitterly sorry for the pain the church continues to cause to our LGBTQ siblings, and stand with you in your anger and distress.

Your Dean and Campus Chaplains affirm:

• God loves all people equally without regard for gender or sexual orientation

• Same-sex love is holy love, and a gift from God

• Marriage is a rite that should be available to all couples

Your Dean and Campus Chaplains commit to:

• Welcoming same-sex couples to have their marriages blessed in the Strand Chapel and Guy’s Chapel

• Campaigning for equal marriage within the Church of England

• Living out a faith that sees God’s love as extravagantly inclusive

We are holding a service in the College Chapel, Strand, at 17h30 on Tuesday 14th February 2023 to celebrate 10 years of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act. 

The Rev’d Dr Ellen Clark-King, Dean

The Rev’d Jim Craig, Chaplain, Guy’s Campus

The Rev’d Tim Ditchfield, College Chaplain

The Rev’d Sarah Farrow, Vice-Dean and Chaplain, Waterloo and St Thomas’s Campus

The Rev’d Dr Jenny Morgans, Chaplain, Denmark Hill Campus

Also: Read the letter to the Bishops which adds the voices of the Dean and Campus Chaplains to the many who are urging the Church of England to move forward with marriage equality (October 2022).