How can Chaplains help you on the waterways?

“Offering care and support”

Chaplains are volunteers from local churches who regularly visit the waterways, offering help, companionship and a listening ear to individuals and businesses. We are interested in whomever they meet, be they boaters, cyclists, walkers, runners, anglers or canal workers.

There are many ways a Waterways Chaplain can offer support to those who live on and use the UK’s waterways … here’s an example of just some of them.

  • Chaplains own food parcels
  • Support/ intermediary through dealings with Authorities e.g. CRT, Local Councils, benefit claims
  • Help with laundry, getting fuel etc
  • Coffee and a chat
  • Calling out an engineer through our retainer account with River Canal Rescue (RCR)
  • Boat Blessings
What can a Waterways Chaplain do to help?

A Testimonial and a big “Thank You ” from Boater H

Below is a testimonial from a Boater who was recently helped at Buckby Locks by Waterways Chaplains Bob and Jan Wayment after they followed up her web site request for help.

It’s good to see how the WWC is making a big difference in individuals’ lives. And since their help social services has also agreed that the boater’s children can live with her again on the boat. Here’s what Boater H said…

I am so grateful to you both in many ways, I’ve been doing a lot of work on myself to get into a better headspace. Just got to keep digging deep to get my life back after my breakdown.

Again I can’t thank you both, Kim and Fergus, Jodie from Abbey House surgery, for finding you and ultimately a higher power that brought the chain of events to the forefront at exactly the perfect time! I feel very privileged to have been given the help and support I’ve received otherwise it could have been a very different outcome.

So I can’t stress enough that all of this kindness has been brought together to deliver what I needed when I needed it the most and has categorically SAVED A LIFE! God bless you all.

Thank you so much again, …Your faith led me back to having some myself”.


A Boater’s Tale

Life was great on the boat. We were out of the rat race. We had a new born child. Then, my husband lost his job just before winter set in just before we developed problems with our heating. We were too far from Citizen’s Advice and had no money to pay for transport or fuel to heat the boat.

Our problems were compounding, we needed help as we felt lost and alone.

We were so grateful for the day the Waterways Chaplain popped a card under our door. The Chaplain assisted with our immediate problems and stayed in touch with us until we were back on our feet”.