Lincolnshire Gritters Receive Multi-Faith Blessing

Religious leaders have conducted a multi-faith blessing for Lincolnshire’s gritter fleet. The ceremony took place at the Ancaster depot, which is operated by the county council. During the cold snap in November, the fleet traveled nearly 30,000 miles (48,000km). Stuart Cradduck, the rector of St Wulfram’s Church in Grantham, commented on the event, stating: “It’s lovely to be part of this blessing for the gritters in the county.” He further remarked: “The team work very hard in all sorts of very bad weather to keep road users like me safe and it’s very much appreciated.” Nina Chapman, a lay Hindu chaplain at the University of Lincoln, suggested that the gritters’ work conveyed a broader message. She stated: “Gritting the roads where we live is very important in order to keep people as safe as possible,” adding: “But it’s also important to think about being kind, considerate and aware of other road users when travelling.” In November, when temperatures fell to -7C, the fleet, comprising 43 lorries, dispersed over 2,500 tonnes of salt across the county’s road network. A number of these vehicles bear names honoring notable Lincolnshire residents, such as the Spread Arrows, Sir Ice-ac Newton, and Mar-grit Thatcher.