Born: Unknown, United Kingdom
Died: NA
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili
The following was submitted by Jacquetta Gomes in 2023:
Jacquetta Gomes is a Bodhicarini (1994), Sangha [Community of Buddhist Monks] Authorized Dhamma Teacher (1983), and Upasika (1975) in Theravada Buddhism. She was included in Burkes’s Landed Gentry, Volume III, England’s Northwest including Contemporary People of Distinction (1996) as a Contemporary Person of Distinction in recognition of her religious work.
Jacquetta has served as the Fire Chaplain at The Fire Fighters Charity since 2015. She was the first woman in the world to be acknowledged as a Buddhist Fire Chaplain in 2014 from her earlier role (2014 – 2023) at East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS).
The 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in 2018 led to national recognition of the importance of women’s contributions to society. Jacquetta was included in academic Carrie de Silva’s FIRST WOMEN: The first women in law, government, the professions and other notable posts, achievements and matters of interest; included as a First Woman in City Women’s First British Women (2014); and included as Inspiring Woman in Inspiring Women Our round up of inspiring women 2018 by Women to Work. Women in British Buddhism, by academic Caroline Starkey included Jacquetta as the first female Buddhist Fire Chaplain in 2019. (Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism Series) (ISBN: 978-1-138-08746-0). In 2020 Brighton Museum’s 100 Pioneering Women of Sussex included Sister Mary Joy Langdon (the first female peacetime firefighter in England in 1976) and Jacquetta. Her entry from 2020 is below.
This biography, written by Louise Peskett, is shared with permission from Brighton & Hove Museums.
Introducing Jacquetta Gomes, who since February 2014, has been Buddhist and multifaith chaplain for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS). Not only is Jacquetta the first woman to be a Buddhist Fire Chaplain in Britain, but she carries the honour of also being first in the world!
Chaplains play an important part in the fire service, complimenting counselling and other secular support and offering pastoral, spiritual and religious support to anyone in the service who requests it. Jacquetta’s role involves offering a confidential listening service to members of the team. It’s not a job that many people know about, but, in the important task of maintaining optimum mental health and wellbeing among workers in the Fire Service, Jacquetta is a crucial member of the team.
Jacquetta, who is based in Cumbria, graduated from Durham University and was awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies and a Masters Degree from Loughborough University in 1978. She told the Women in Work website that she enjoys her job because it gives her the opportunity to be of service to the community ‘Every time I act as a Chaplain as well as helping others I learn and expand my understanding,’ she explains. As the daughter of a firefighter herself, she’s keenly aware of the bonds between people working in the Fire Service, ‘We see the Fire Service as a family,’ she says. ‘This includes the children of firefighters. I’m very happy that I’ve been part of that family.’
Jacquetta has been a Buddhist for most of her life. In July 1975 she was given the Five Precepts in Sri Lanka. These constitute the basic code of ethics undertaken by lay followers of Buddhism and are formally made commitments to abstain from killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct and intoxication. She was authorised to teach in 1983 and gives many talks to introduce people to Buddhism as well as co-authoring the well-received book Introducing Buddhism in 1988.
In August 1994 Jacquetta went on to take the Bodhicari Precepts, a deeper commitment to Buddhism which enabled her to become a Bodhicari and therefore able to teach, lead religious events, conduct weddings and funerals, and hold chaplaincies. Jacquetta was one of the first people in the UK to take these Precepts, and marked the 25th anniversary of this milestone last year by leading a meditation on loving kindness at a retreat at the Ketumati monastery in Manchester, led by Sri Lankan born monk Venerable Pidiville Piyatissa.
Jacquetta feels that as a woman she can offer a female perspective on issues. Chaplaincy is teamwork and needs those able to offer many different perspectives and qualities. As a Buddhist, Jacquetta says that she’s able to bring much of value to her role as fire chaplain. ‘One thing is mindfulness,’ she explains to the Buddhist Review, Tricycle, ‘it has been discussed quite a lot in the Fire Service’.
She also points out that the five daily remembrances of Buddhism: ‘I’m of the nature to age; I’m of the nature to get ill; I’m of the nature to die; everything will be separated from me that’s pleasing; I’m the owner of my karma’ – are reflections that can be helpful to people who never know when they’re going to be faced with loss, bereavement and trauma in their daily working life.
Jacquetta is also a Fire Chaplain for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Fire Fighters Charity. This charity, which has centres in Cumbria, Devon and Littlehampton, provides life enhancing rehabilitation, recuperation and support services to members of the fire community.
As a female pioneer of this unusual and valuable type of work, Jacquetta has aroused a lot of attention. In 2014 she was added to the influential list of ‘First British Women’ compiled by lecturer and writer, Carrie de Silva, and in 2018 to the First British Women list of the ‘Women in the City’ organisation, which promotes, develops and champions female talent.
As a female first, who has carved out a successful role for herself, perhaps we should leave the last word to Jacquetta herself. On asked about her top tips for a successful work/life balance, Jacquetta gives advice that we could all learn from:
‘A private life is as important as a work life.’
‘Nobody dies wishing they had spent more time in the office.’
‘Learn to relax possibly through mindfulness, meditation, or yoga.’
‘Remember social media has an off switch.’
‘Sleep and good food are important.’
Advice that we could all agree on.