PRAYERS ALL ROUND: Clinical nurse manager Pete Moore, left, and South Canterbury District Health Board chaplain Reverend Alan Cummins are among the people who have formed a prayer tree for members of the public to use at Timaru Hospital.

Prayers are being answered by the South Canterbury District Health Board.

Christian healthcare workers at Timaru Hospital have set up a prayer tree, allowing people to pin up pieces of paper detailing things or people they want prayed for.

"It's designed for everybody - staff who have concerns, visitors [and] patients," health board chaplain Alan Cummins said.

"So, people can just write [on the paper provided] pray for mum, dad, Mary, Sally - it's really anonymous. It will be cleared weekly and a group of Christian staff will pray."

Clinical nurse manager Pete Moore said the concept was already proving popular, with the tree being used almost immediately.

"We see it as a positive for the community as a whole and it extends Alan's role in the hospital."

Rev Cummins said there were no limits as to what people could request prayers for.

Among the first notes pinned to the tree included prayers for individuals, while another was for the children in Timaru Hospital.