Gritters blessed

Nina Champman, Lay Hindu Chaplain at the University of Lincolnshire, was among the religious representative that blessed gritters and road users across the county this week.

The gritter blessing is an annual tradition, but this is the first time that it has been a multi-faith event with members of five religious groups visiting Lincolnshire County Council’s Ancaster depot to share prayers and messages about keeping the roads open. 

The groups good wishes were spread across the gritting fleet machines, materials, staff and road users ahead of the wintry temperature drop that’s due to arrive soon. 

Nina joined Stuart Cradduck, Rector of St Wulfram’s Grantham, Gandō Seiko Garrod, Sōtō Zen Buddhist Monk and Jan Phillips and Ruth Williams from the Lincolnshire Jewish Community at the ceremony.

“Gritting the roads where we live is very important in order to keep people as safe as possible, but it’s also important to think about being kind, considerate and aware of other road users when traveling,” said the Chaplain.

Darrel Redford, gritter boss at LCC added: “This has been our first multi-faith blessing for the gritters, team and road users and it’s been a real joy to be a part of.  

“We’re very thankful to everyone who has come to the depot to help spread the word ahead of the colder conditions coming in. It really marks the start of the winter proper for us and reminds us all, and the wider community, about the need to be thankful and considerate when getting about in sometimes perilous conditions.”