**Retiring Vicar Reflects on Life and Adversity at the Heart of Cardiff’s Ely Community**
After serving nearly two decades as vicar in one of Wales’ largest and most scrutinised council estates, Reverend Jan Gould is preparing to step away from her post at the Church of the Resurrection in Ely, Cardiff. Her retirement marks the end of a notable chapter not just for herself, but for a community that has faced both hardship and unity throughout her tenure.
Ely, often the subject of negative press due to its struggles with poverty and high-profile incidents, has been the setting for some of Reverend Gould’s most testing and rewarding experiences. Despite the headlines, she is insistent that any depiction of Ely as simply “deprived” grossly underestimates its unique strengths. “People in Ely are incredibly supportive of one another. It’s a place built on mutual assistance and resilience,” she said, while reflecting on her 19 years of service.
Her relationship with Ely began in 2006, when she took over from a predecessor who had served for 36 years. Gould, originally a professional musician whose path into the clergy was prompted by illness, described the challenge of becoming part of such a close-knit area. “At first, you have to earn people’s trust here. But once you’re accepted, you’re looked after the same way the community cares for its own,” she explained.
Throughout her time in Ely, Reverend Gould has witnessed events that have both scarred and galvanised the neighbourhood. The COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, brought shocking tragedy, with 18 young men in mental health crisis taking their own lives during the pandemic’s early restrictions. This period tested Gould and the community to their limits; she adapted quickly to new ways of offering support, from socially-distanced conversations to livestreamed funerals.
Tragedy has not been unfamiliar to Ely. In 2012, the community was rocked when a van attack claimed the life of Karina Menzies and injured seventeen others. Gould, among the first to respond, opened her church to grieving residents, helping them through the trauma with vigils and memorials. The church became the nucleus of support as thousands visited for comfort, transforming grief into shared resilience.
This sense of collective endurance was tested again in 2023, when the deaths of two teenagers, Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans, led to widespread unrest and the infamous Ely riots. The events drew attention from across the country, but, as the vicar noted, the majority of those responsible for unrest were not local. Through it all, she offered compassion and stability, providing a safe space for residents to express their grief and anger, and leading the joint funeral for the two boys—one of the more difficult duties she has performed.
In addition to guiding Ely through its darkest hours, Reverend Gould has celebrated milestones with its people. She has been present at community celebrations marking national events—the NHS’s 75th anniversary, among others—and has introduced projects such as Making Music Changing Lives, giving children free access to music lessons and instruments, thus ensuring arts and opportunity are accessible regardless of background.
An advocate for inclusivity, Gould has witnessed and fostered Ely’s increasing diversity. Her church has welcomed congregations from other cultures, such as the Indian Orthodox community, and hosted cross-cultural festivities. Last year’s joint Welsh and Indian event illustrated her belief in community through unity, marked by music, food, and dancing.
Pastoral care is, she says, where her role has given her the greatest satisfaction—being there for families during christenings, weddings, and bereavement. Occasionally, the challenges have been unusual, such as conducting a funeral for a relative escorted by police from prison, yet Gould prides herself on treating everyone with dignity.
Despite confronting violence, break-ins at the vicarage, and personal health struggles, Reverend Gould has maintained her commitment to being visible and approachable—a stabilising presence recognised with awards such as a Points of Light commendation for her work with local youth.
Now, at 61, health issues have forced her to retire, and as she prepares to leave her home of 19 years—complete with a secret set of initials scrawled at the top of the church dome—she remains deeply moved by the village-like ties and collective identity that define Ely. “It’s a remarkable, tribal community,” she says. “People don’t move far; everyone knows everyone.”
A farewell service for Reverend Gould is scheduled at the Church of the Resurrection on 27 July, and she will formally step down at the end of the month. As she departs, Canon Andrew Sully will oversee the parish, but Gould’s legacy—her blend of openness, compassion, and fierce advocacy for Ely—will doubtless linger long after she takes her final bow.