ISSUE 350 JULY 2026
Waterways Chaplaincy I found my vocation as a Waterways Chaplain while living on the waterways myself. When you live on a boat, you begin to see life differently. You notice the quietness, the beauty, the slowness but you also see the struggles that many people carry beneath the surface. It was there, among the marinas and towpaths, that I first became aware of the desperate need. People imagine the waterways as peaceful and idyllic, and they often are, but they are also home to individuals facing loneliness, poverty, ill health, and the kind of hidden hardship that rarely reaches public attention. Being part of that world opened my eyes and stirred something in me that felt unmistakably like a calling. The Waterways Chaplaincy is a charity that offers care and support to anyone and
everyone on and around the navigable inland waterways of the UK. What makes this ministry distinctive is that we do not wait behind a desk or inside a church building for people to come to us. Our calling is to go out to walk the towpaths, visit marinas, knock on boat doors, chat with dog-walkers, and simply be present in the everyday life of the waterways. We aim to be seen, to be approachable, and to be available to listen, to chat, and, if asked, to offer support and care to anyone in need. As a volunteer chaplain, much of my ministry looks beautifully ordinary. I might spend an afternoon walking a stretch of canal, stopping to talk with boaters who are moored up for the day. Sometimes it’s a five minute conversation about the weather or the state of the locks. Other
times, someone invites me aboard for a cup of tea, and the conversation gently opens into something deeper worries about finances, struggles with health, the weight of bereavement, or the loneliness that can settle in during long winter months. These encounters cannot be scheduled or predicted. They unfold naturally, in God’s time, and I have learned to trust the Spirit’s prompting in each one. Over time, relationships grow. Trust builds. And it is often through these steady, gentle connections that more complex issues come to light. Many boaters face challenges such as poverty, poor health, financial difficulties, or the effects of trauma and isolation. As chaplains, we walk alongside them, helping where we can signposting to services, raising
safeguarding concerns when needed, helping people access healthcare or benefits, or simply being a consistent, compassionate presence in a world where many feel unseen. Sometimes the help is practical: carrying water containers, finding a lost dog, helping someone navigate a difficult form. Sometimes it is emotional or spiritual: offering prayer when invited, listening without judgement, or holding hope for someone who feels they have run out of their own. One of the most beautiful aspects of this ministry is that it is offered to everyone people of all faiths and none. Conversations about God arise naturally, never forced. They grow out of relationship, respect, and genuine care. Continued on page 3