Faith & Reflection

Rev’d Ruth Wells is the senior chaplain for BU/AUB. She is an ordained priest on the Church of England but is around to support students and staff of all faiths and none. 

Ruth is a performance poet and is particularly drawn to using the arts as a way of finding soul nourishment. She is currently exploring beginning a PhD using poetics and theology. Ruth is really interested in how spirituality is worked out and connected to everyday life, and in how faith connects heart and head. 

She enjoys hearing people's stories - especially over a cup of coffee! She'd love to chat to you and hear your story too - you can contact her via email at [email protected]. 

Sue Burt, an associate chaplain working primarily alongside international students. 

She works for the Christian organisation Friends International which seeks to provide welcome, hospitality and activities for international students of all faiths and of none. Sue supports the running of 'Global Cafe' a weekly drop-in specifically offered for international students. Sue writes;

I love travelling and find it fascinating to learn about different cultures. I have visited more than 40 countries and lived in France for a year. I have also done lots of study over the years so I know just how it feels to have all those assignment deadlines and dissertation proposals!

In Faith & Reflection we want to support international students. if you're feeling lonely, struggling to understand our culture, or you just want to chat about what's happening in your life (the good and the not so good), do come and see us.

I'm at Bournemouth University on Wednesdays. You can always email me: [email protected]. 

We're so excited to welcome Sister Tama to our team!!! 

Sister Tama is amazingly active in the Bournemouth area, supporting those in need. She helps out at our weekly Global cafe event and is in our Faith & Reflection centre every Friday. You can contact Tama via email at [email protected]

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Faith societies are a part of the Student Union (SUBU) that represent groups of students with a shared common interest. These societies are open to all students from both BU and AUB and are run by the two student unions. Run by students, for students, usually with weekly meetings and social events, any student is welcome to join. Below is a list of just a few of our faith societies; please head to the  SUBU Clubs & Societies page for the current full list.

Catholic Society

Contact: 

• [email protected]
• Catholic Society BU AUB Facebook group

​Christian Union

Contact: [email protected]

AUB Jewish Society 

Contact: [email protected]

Islamic Society

Contact:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• BU Islamic Society ​Facebook group

For more information about faith socities at BU, contact SUBU on 01202 965765 or email [email protected]. 

All are welcome to join Gary in discussions on Buddhism, Buddhist philosophy and chanting from 7-30-9pm on the last Wednesday evening of the month in the Faith & Reflection centre - please email below for further updates.

Gary has been a member of the Soka Gakkai International – UK lay Buddhist organisation and a practising Nichiren Buddhist since 1982. Having met the practise whilst in the Royal Navy, he became the first UK military serving Nichiren Buddhist. Having served his time in the Navy, Gary now continues working in the military aviation sector. He also supports all Nichiren Buddhist members and activities locally, and nationally holding a variety of responsibilities within SGI. Gary has also organised lectures alongside the SGI-UK General Director at BU on a variety of philosophical and humanitarian issues.

Gary is also the SGI-UK LGBTQIA+ UK Buddhist Chairperson supporting all LGBTQIA+ Nichiren Buddhists within the UK and the wider LGBTQIA+ European Buddhist networks.

The Soka Gakkai is a global community-based Buddhist organization that promotes peace, culture and education centred on respect for the dignity of life. Its members in 192 countries and territories around the world study and put into practice the humanistic philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism. Soka Gakkai members strive to actualize their inherent potential while contributing to their local communities and responding to the shared issues facing humankind. The conviction that individual happiness and the realization of peace are inextricably linked is central to the Soka Gakkai, as is a commitment to dialogue and nonviolence.

For further information on the Soka Gakkai you can go to www.sgi-uk.org where you can find out about us, the philosophy and enquire about local contact information across the UK.

To contact Gary directly please email [email protected] for local meeting information at BU or [email protected] for all LGBTQIA+ related enquiries or via the Faith & Reflection team at BU.

David Warden is Chairman of Dorset Humanists, an Honorary Member of Humanists UK, and an assistant editor of Humanistically Speaking magazine. Humanism is a non-religious ethical philosophy which provides the space for people without a religious faith, or who may have left their religion, to think through the big questions of life from a non-faith perspective. 

David is a graduate of the University of Kent (theology) and Bournemouth University (Master’s degree in Human Resource Management). His career was in corporate training in financial services and local government. Since retirement, he has gained a Level 4 Diploma in humanistic therapeutic counselling and he leads the pastoral team at Dorset Humanists. Among his many activities locally he is the LGBT+ representative on the Bournemouth and Poole Holocaust Memorial Committee and he regularly visits schools to talk about Humanism. He has lived for most of his life in Bournemouth. He's married and he enjoys reading and playing the piano. 

David can be contacted for information, advice, and a listening ear on [email protected].

Rabbi Bentzion was born in Bournemouth and received his Yeshiva Education in Manchester, Israel and at the Rabbinical college of America in Morristown, New Jersey. He was Ordained in 2013 at the Central Chabad Yeshiva in New York. Rabbi Bentzion now serves as assistant Rabbi and lecturer of the adult education programme within the Bournemouth Chabad Community. Rabbi Bentzion also runs events and classes for the Jewish students at the Bournemouth universities. 

Rabbi Bentzion helps to support the student led Jewish Society (JSoc) and can be contacted via email: [email protected] or via the Faith & Reflection team.