Waterways chaplaincy

Rosie Bryant is a Waterways Chaplain, as well as being Learning & Development Officer for the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury Methodist District. In this blog she shares how she supports those who use and live on the canals around Wolverhampton, offering companionship and a listening ear to individuals and businesses, on and alongside the water.

Life on the waterways may sound like an idyll but for many the reality is not as serene as they expected. Often the issues people had before, on land, come with them and for many the practicalities and bureaucracy of life aboard can soon begin to take their toll.

The life of a Waterways Chaplain therefore revolves around a ministry to those who live or work on our canals and those who use them for leisure. For those who use the many miles of canal towpath for walking, running, cycling and angling, the canal is often a place of peace and calm away from the rat-race of the everyday.

For those who maintain the canals, or who own boat-related businesses, there can be more to factor in. Repairs must be scheduled in at quiet times and for business owners their work can have some seasonality to it.

Just as with a car, you must have the correct licenses, tax, insurance and certification to show that your boat is safe and fit for use. There are also strict rules about where you can moor your boat. For some, they will have a permanent mooring where they can keep their boat. For others, known as continuous cruisers, they are required to move periodically and are not permitted to stop in one location for longer than two weeks. This can make it very difficult to get access to doctors, dentists, benefits and more. In many processes in life we are asked for ID and a bill or bank statement, which proves our home address. Without a fixed address it is therefore hard to access many services.

I am only a new chaplain myself and yet, I have already come in to contact with people in dispute with their neighbours, someone being taken to court by the council and a bereaved boater. The role of the Waterways Chaplain is to support them in their need both pastorally and as somebody who can assist them in their dealings with bureaucratic systems that can be difficult to understand or engage with. One lady was most suspicious when she was referred to me, but was relieved to see that I was "like a nice happy person from the Citizens Advice Bureau” and not the religious zealot I think she had been anticipating.

At times people will want to speak of Faith or will happily receive a prayer fridge magnet or our pocket bibles, but for the vast majority it is just knowing that there is someone you can turn to in a time of need for a bit of company, some assistance, or a food parcel. Others share concerns over anti-social behaviour, such as those who go to the canal to drink alcohol or take drugs.

For me this ministry ties in with our wider circuit mission plan and other chaplains in my circuit. It gives us new opportunities for sharing faith, by living in a way that attracts others to Jesus. Part of the longer-term plan also links in with a new housing development being built by the canal.

Visit Home Waterways Chaplains - (waterwayschaplaincy.org.uk) to find out more about waterways chaplaincy.