Bethel Health & Healing Network has received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, recognising the dedication of its volunteers, including Columban Fr. Ray Collier, who has been part of the Rapha Listening Service for almost a decade.
The award was presented during a special black-tie event at Edgbaston Park Hotel in Birmingham on 18th July 2026, as Bethel Health & Healing Network celebrated its 20th Anniversary. The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local voluntary groups across the UK and recognises organisations whose volunteers make a significant contribution to their communities.
For Ray, the evening was an opportunity to celebrate the work of an organisation he has been connected with for many years. His own journey with Bethel Health & Healing Network began in 2014, when Fr. Bernard Kelly CHS introduced him to the St. John’s Sisters. Through this connection, Ray met Christine Patterson, who was leading Bethel Health & Healing Network at the time. Ray’s name came up in Christine’s prayers, and she invited him to consider becoming a listener.
Ray completed his training in 2016 and began volunteering with the Rapha Listening Service in 2017, welcoming his first service user that year.
Today, the Rapha Listening Service provides confidential, one-to-one listening for both men and women experiencing difficulties in their lives. People may be referred by GPs or other professionals, and access the service for a range of reasons, including relationship and marital difficulties, loneliness and mental health challenges.
Ray explains “My role is not to counsel, to provide solutions or tell people what they should do, but to offer a safe space where they can talk openly and be heard.”
Before the Covid 19 pandemic, Ray generally met with two people each week, with each session lasting around an hour. However during this time, the service moved to telephone sessions. Ray found this challenging because he values the face-to-face aspect of listening. “Being able to see someone’s body language and expressions is an important part of understanding what someone is communicating” he explains.
For Ray, the experience has been rewarding not only because of the support he can offer, but because of what he learns from the people he meets. “Volunteering with Rapha helps me to stay in touch with reality and with everyday issues” says Ray. After almost ten years, he continues to find the ministry fulfilling and has no plans to stop any time soon!
Ray’s ministry is an expression of the Columban commitment to accompaniment – walking alongside people, listening to their experiences and recognising their dignity. Whether through international mission or local volunteering, this approach begins with being willing to encounter people where they are and to hear their stories.
The King’s Award recognises the collective contribution of volunteers who give their time, skills and compassion to Bethel Health & Healing Network. Across the West Midlands there are around 133,000 volunteers, yet only organisations meeting the award’s strict criteria are selected for this prestigious recognition.
Ray attended the special ceremony in black tie and received a commemorative pin badge as part of the award. While the recognition was a significant moment for him and his fellow volunteers, Ray’s commitment remains focused on the people who use the service.
Ray’s story is a reminder that mission can begin with something as simple as being present. By giving his time, listening without judgement and walking alongside those who require support, he puts the Columban call to accompaniment into practice – reminding people that they do not have to face their struggles alone.
