Whakatāne Hospital chaplain Peter Lander has been farewelled after years of supporting patients, staff and families through some of life’s most difficult moments.

Hospital staff, chaplaincy colleagues from Whakatāne and Tauranga, as well as retired hospital workers gathered at a farewell lunch to thank Lander for his service and reflect on the impact he has had during his time at the hospital.

Hospital chaplain Kiri Hayward opened the gathering with a karakia before those attending shared food and listened to Lander reflect on his life and career.

Colleagues spoke about Lander’s dedication to pastoral care, his compassion and the quiet support he had offered to people across the hospital community.

One colleague described a chaplain as “one who loiters with intent”, reflecting the importance of being present for people when they need someone to talk to.

Reverend Matiu Best, regional manager and chaplain from Tauranga, travelled to Whakatāne to farewell Lander and thanked him for his long years of service.

“You are a man of great mana, a man of compassion, a man of love,” Best said.

He said Lander’s pastoral care had benefited patients, staff and whānau at the hospital and throughout the community, and thanked Lynn for supporting her husband in his work.

In his own speech, Lander said the most important person to acknowledge was his wife, Evelyn, whose support had helped him throughout his career.

The support he received at home had been particularly important given the demands of hospital chaplaincy, he said.

“We often get calls at night,” he said, explaining that she would wake when he was called in to help.

The couple have three children and seven grandchildren, and Lander spoke about the importance of family and the life they had built together. Before entering hospital chaplaincy, Lander worked in a range of roles, including social work and community safety.

He trained in social work through Victoria University and worked as a social worker in schools, including spending three years in Murupara.

He later worked for the Whakatāne District Council as a safer communities co-ordinator for about 10 years, dealing with issues including graffiti and working with young people.

The work gave him the opportunity to support young people with different needs, including helping secure funding for youth initiatives.

After leaving that role, he began considering what he wanted to do next and applied for a chaplaincy position at Whakatāne Hospital. Although he was initially unsuccessful, he had already been training as a volunteer chaplain assistant and later took on greater responsibility as the team changed.

Lander spoke about the importance of the people he worked alongside, including the support and experience of colleagues who helped him learn the role.

“Being part of the team, we can share jobs, but we can also talk things through,” he said.

He said having people to turn to was important when dealing with the challenges that came with supporting patients and staff. Lander also acknowledged the support of his colleagues and the chaplaincy team.

Colleagues described him as a mentor and a source of encouragement, praising his dedication to pastoral care and the compassion he brought to the role.

Although he is stepping back from his regular duties, Lander said he would remain available for locum work when he was free and able to help.

His farewell was therefore not a complete goodbye to the hospital or the people he had worked alongside.

Colleagues thanked him for the years he had given to the hospital and wished him well as he made more time for rest, family and the next stage of his life.