Blessing the Gritters

Bishop Blesses Road Gritters

Gritting lorries across Lincolnshire are being blessed as part of the county's road safety campaign.

The Bishop of Lincoln, the Right Reverand Dr John Saxbee, has led services taking place at all nine gritter depots in Lincolnshire. Dr Saxbee has written a special prayer for the ceremonies, and ministers from churches of other denominations will then repeat the prayer at the other depots.

Organisers said the spreading of grit and salt by the gritters will symbolically extend this road safety blessing upon the roads of Lincolnshire. It is hoped the services will remind people to take care when driving at this time of year.

My father (a Lincolnshire County Councillor) received this wonderful response from our West Lindsey District Councillor,

"I feel the need to note this Cof E gesture towards road safety with the Clergy blessing the gritters.

Whilst this might make the Christian motorists feel secure, rest assured the Jewish community in this County will not venture on to icy roads until such time as each gritter has had an inch circumcised from the vehicles exhaust pipe.

Who notices a blessing after the vehicle leaves the depot BUT...............a circumcised gritter is sight to behold.

I feel sure you will share my thoughts with [the appropriate LCC officer]. Let me know when the service is: I shall turn up with prayer shawl & little black cap and a ritual angle-grinder.

Alan "