CHAPLAINCY
The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) Chaplaincy Team is made up of a number of ordained ministers who provide spiritual, moral and ethical guidance to all members of the Force, irrespective of their religion or beliefs.
Throughout the years the members of the BDF Chaplaincy Team has been unwavering in their quest to bolster the morale of the Force by providing spiritual comfort and advice to soldiers and their families.
Led by the Force Senior Chaplain, Reverend Hugh Sandiford, the BDF Chaplaincy Team’s main duties include:
- Conducting worship services.
- Performing religious rites and ceremonies, such as weddings and funeral services.
- Visiting and providing spiritual guidance to personnel and their families when ill or admitted to hospital.
- Provide counseling to individuals seeking guidance on moral, spiritual and ethical matters.
Force Senior Chaplain
Reverend Hugh Sandiford
Reverend Hugh Orison Frank Gordon Sandiford was ordained to the Order of Deacon on 16 November 2000 being the Feast of St. Margaret, and to the Order of Priest on 11 November 2001 being the Feast of St. Martin. Rev Sandiford has been in parish ministry since September 1, 2002. He is currently the Rector of the St. Matthias Church in the parish of Christ Church after spending 12 years in the double cure of St. Matthew and the Church of the Resurrection. Rev Sandiford received his Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the University of the West Indies after completing my studies at Codrington College. Rev Sandiford is currently pursuing the Master of Arts programme in Christian Formation from the Virginia Theological Seminary. He has also completed certificate courses in HIV/AIDS counselling and four units of Clinical Pastoral…
Reverend Hugh Sandiford
Reverend Hugh Orison Frank Gordon Sandiford was ordained to the Order of Deacon on 16 November 2000 being the Feast of St. Margaret, and to the Order of Priest on 11 November 2001 being the Feast of St. Martin. Rev Sandiford has been in parish ministry since September 1, 2002. He is currently the Rector of the St. Matthias Church in the parish of Christ Church after spending 12 years in the double cure of St. Matthew and the Church of the Resurrection.
Rev Sandiford received his Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the University of the West Indies after completing my studies at Codrington College. Rev Sandiford is currently pursuing the Master of Arts programme in Christian Formation from the Virginia Theological Seminary. He has also completed certificate courses in HIV/AIDS counselling and four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
In the Diocese of Barbados, Rev Sandiford has served as the St. Michael Deanery Youth Chaplain from 2005 -2009. He also served on the diocesan Commission on Ministry from 2013 -2015, the Christian Formation Committee and the Church Mission Committee from 2013-2016.
Rev Sandiford is currently fulfilling two Chaplaincies, the Senior Chaplain of the Barbados Defence Force and as a Chaplain of the Royal Barbados Police Force since 2006. He has also been a part-time lecturer of introductory courses and summer courses at Codrington College from 2013-2017.
Rev Sandiford has served on the boards of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation and the Prison Aftercare Committee. He is also a member of the Kolij Lions Basketball team which mentors the current team at Harrison College.
Rev Sandiford is married to Toni Sandiford and they have two children, a daughter, Destiny aged 12 and a son Justin, aged 7. Rev Sandiford hobbies are basketball, cricket, travelling and reading.
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Reverend Esther Willoughby
Rev. Esther Willoughby is an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Holiness Church. She took up the post of Senior Pastor in March 2016, where she served as Assistant Pastor for fifteen years. She worked in many departments of the church including the Local Board of Administration and was president of the Wesleyan Women Society for eight years. She was a teacher for forty-two years of which thirty-seven were spent at the Garrison Secondary School now called the Graydon Sealy Secondary School. She taught Religious Education and Food and Nutrition to CXC level as well as Religious and Moral Education and Family Life Education. She was responsible for the Gen-Link programme (Elderly and Youth) and the Prefects’ Body. Rev. Willoughby devoted much of her time to Community work. Some of these activities include…
Reverend Esther Willoughby
Rev. Esther Willoughby is an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Holiness Church. She took up the post of Senior Pastor in March 2016, where she served as Assistant Pastor for fifteen years. She worked in many departments of the church including the Local Board of Administration and was president of the Wesleyan Women Society for eight years. She was a teacher for forty-two years of which thirty-seven were spent at the Garrison Secondary School now called the Graydon Sealy Secondary School. She taught Religious Education and Food and Nutrition to CXC level as well as Religious and Moral Education and Family Life Education. She was responsible for the Gen-Link programme (Elderly and Youth) and the Prefects’ Body. Rev. Willoughby devoted much of her time to Community work. Some of these activities include:
- Co-host and Host of the Church’ Radio Ministry
- Prison Ministry for over thirty years
- President of the Black Rock Hostel Residents’ Council
- Hospitality Coordinator of Hospital Christian Fellowship Conferences held in Barbados
- Hospitality Coordinator 250th Anniversary Codrington College 1995
- Tutor in Culinary Arts
- YWCA – 17 years
- Whitepark Wesleyan Holiness Church – 5 years
- Member of Codrington College Chorale
- Appointed Justice of the Peace 1997
- Marriage Officer 2013
- Appointed as a member of the St. Michael West Constituency 2013
- Assistant Chaplain to Barbados Defence Force – specially assigned to the Barbados Cadet Corps – from 2010 to current
Academic Qualifications
- a Masters of Arts in Theology – Codrington College – University of the West Indies (UWI)
- Bachelor of Arts in Theology, History, and Sociology – UWI
- Diploma in Theological Studies – Codrington College
- Certificates in Home Management and Cookery – City Guilds of London Institute (1972)
- Certificate in Marriage and Family – Caribbean Wesleyan College
- Counselling – Wesleyan Holiness Church (Barbados District)
Achievements
- Awarded The Teacher Of The Year by the Garrison Secondary School (Graydon Sealy Secondary School) in 1994
- Awarded letter of appreciation for a concert staged in 1993 – “Changing the Tempo”.
- Awarded by the Barbados National Council of Parents Teachers Association (PTA) for the contribution to the PTA on the occasion of National PTA in 1993
- Bible Society in the East Caribbean Students of Heroes Gallery Project- Semi-Finals Honour Roll – Manager / Coach Barbados November 2008
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Father Clement Paul
Reverend Joel Cumberbatch
The Reverend Joel Cumberbatch was born in the parish of St. Andrew, Barbados. He received a sound primary and secondary education at the Chalky Mount Mixed School and the Alleyne School also located in the same parish.
Reverend Joel Cumberbatch
The Reverend Joel Cumberbatch was born in the parish of St. Andrew, Barbados. He received a sound primary and secondary education at the Chalky Mount Mixed School and the Alleyne School also located in the same parish.
Achievements
- Awarded The Teacher Of The Year by the Garrison Secondary School (Graydon Sealy Secondary School) in 1994
- Awarded letter of appreciation for a concert staged in 1993 – “Changing the Tempo”.
- Awarded by the Barbados National Council of Parents Teachers Association (PTA) for the contribution to the PTA on the occasion of National PTA in 1993
- Bible Society in the East Caribbean Students of Heroes Gallery Project- Semi-Finals Honour Roll – Manager / Coach Barbados November 2008
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Reverend Mylon Springer
Commodore (Cdre) Errington Ricardo Shurland was appointed Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 1 September 2021. He enlisted in the BDF in February 1984 and in a military career spanning over 34 years, has served in various operational and administrative appointments.
Colonel Glyne Grannum joined the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 18 October 1985 and underwent career development training at the Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School, Chilliwack and the Combat Training Centre, Gagetown New Brunswick, Canada. He subsequently attended the Infantry Training Centre and the Signal Wing in Warminster, UK (PCBC and RSO Courses respectively), the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy; the Lester Pearson Canadian Peacekeeping Centre, the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, Kingston, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, Toronto, the National Defence University of the People’s Liberation Army People’s Republic of China and the Centre for Hemispheric Defence Studies, National Defence University, Washington. He also attended a Defence Resources Management programme at National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada. In addition to being a qualified infantry officer, Col Grannum is a qualified Regimental Signals Officer and a former Operations Officer and Finance Officer of the BDF.
Colonel Banfield joined the Barbados Battalion of the South Caribbean Force in 1941 having just left the Cadet Corps at Combermere School, and was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1942. He was a Platoon Commander and a Company Commander during the war and served in Barbados, Dominica (as part of the Gale Force), St Lucia and St Vincent.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Colin Marshall is a graduate of the St Michael, and was born on the 5 November 1969 and enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force on 16 August 1994. He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in August 1997, Corporal in 1999, Sergeant in 2007, Color Sergeant in 2014, Warrant Officer Class Two in 2017 and Warrant Officer Class One in 2020. He was Most Outstanding Student on Junior Leadership Course in 1998, the Most Outstanding Student on Junior Non Commissioned Officer Cadre in Jamaica in 2000, best at Leadership on the Search Adviser Course in Jamaica in 2007 and the Most Outstanding Student on the Warrant Officer Course in Jamaica in 2015.
