A SPECIAL guest is due to help a therapeutic centre in Sowerby celebrate its 25th anniversary year.

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is visiting Holy Rood House this weekend and will give a public lecture on Saturday in nearby St Oswald’s Parish Church.

Dr Williams, who was Archbishop for a decade from 2002, has been a patron of Holy Rood since 2003 and supports its ethos.

The house is described as a Centre for Health and Pastoral Care which provides a quiet, safe space for people with a range of mental, spiritual and physical health problems,

As well as running courses and retreat programmes, Holy Rood House offers a range of supports including massage, art therapy and professional counselling.

Clients are asked to make donations for these services but no-one is turned away who cannot afford them.

The centre works closely with the medical profession and a wide range of partner organisations.

Dr Williams is due to take a tour of the centre and talk with staff and residents before his church lecture.

This will take place at St Oswald’s from 7.30pm and the topic is ‘An Ecology of Health’.

The public is welcome to attend and wine and strawberries will be provided. Admission is free but there will be a retiring collection.