Dylis George

Chaplain to Southeastern Railways

Chaplain Profile – Dylis George

Dylis is our Railway Mission chaplain for Southeastern Railways. She provides support to railway staff on the London Underground and also to the British Transport Police. Her ‘patch’ includes the stations of London Bridge, Bromley, Ebury Bridge, Lewisham, Victoria, Ashford, Ebbsfleet, Maidstone, Stockwell (LUL), Poplar (DLR) and Highbury & Islington.

Prior to joining Railway Mission, Dylis was a volunteer health care chaplain.

Please tell us a bit about you and your background

I spent three years training in Theology and Ministry and that’s when my passion really developed to want to give back to the wider community.

Back in 2013 I started volunteering as a Health Care Chaplain at my then local hospital - University Hospital Lewisham. It was there that I realised the joy and satisfaction of serving the community and I enrolled in a two-year training programme in health care chaplaincy at Guys & St Thomas Hospital.

The training really broadened my knowledge of chaplaincy and it heightened my interest and then I found Railway Mission in 2015. I was fascinated by the Railway Mission ethos of providing “support on life’s journey“ and I really saw myself being there to take that journey with the railway family and thought my experience would help me make a difference.

Can you tell us about some memorable moments from your time with Railway Mission

My role as a Railway Chaplain began back in 2015 with the experience of supporting not only members of rail staff on a day-to-day basis but also being part of the planning and delivery for the 10th anniversary commemoration of the 7/7 London bombing.

As the Chaplain assigned to the London Underground Northern line, my role involved facilitating the memorial service at Kings Cross Station. The reality of being there for family members grieving the loss of their loved ones was an awakening to the purpose of my new role in the wider community. I was used to this focus on supporting people through death, dying and grief through my role in health care chaplaincy and it has been an honour to continue to support people in this way through my role at Railway Mission. I have been called upon since to provide support during the very worst of times, including deaths on the tracks.

Being able to provide a calm and reassuring presence to railway staff members and their families in their time of grief personally means a lot to me.

What does your role involve?

I have been serving the railway family in my role at Railway Mission for 10 years now and over that time, no two days have been the same. Each day is different and demanding but my role is to offer friendship and a listening ear to those facing life and work issues, including railway staff who are subject to increasingly abusive passengers.

I really feel that have found my place and space in life – providing support during the times when it is most needed. For me, chaplaincy is my passion but my greatest pleasure and motivation comes from serving and supporting our railway family. I find fulfilment each and every day in being called upon to give support or being proactive in offering support.

How do you look after your own mental health when dealing with trauma?

My faith is often tested by the difficult situations I need to deal with but I find solace in my family and two children and cooking dishes which bring back happy childhood memories of Sierra Leone.

What would you say to someone hesitant about reaching out to a chaplain?

For me, manifesting true love is embracing people from all faiths and none. I don’t make any judgements, I just bring all my experience to helping support each person through the challenges they are facing. My faith gives me the strength to do this job and to enable me to help everyone no matter what they believe or not.