TWENTY years of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) has been marked by a service that commemorated members who had died while serving in it.
The CNC’s chaplain, the Revd Ian Grainger, welcomed officers and staff from across all divisions and directorates, and representatives from the 15 CNC operational units, to the service on the National Memorial Arboretum last month.
He lit a candle that “served two purposes”, he said. “It was a memorial candle, remembering those officers who’ve died in service, but additionally it was almost like a celebration candle, and we celebrated the 20 years of the CNC in its current format.”
Afterwards, a wreath was laid at the bottom of an oak tree situated in The Beat, an avenue of trees which might be each dedicated to a person force as a memorial to “all who’ve lost their lives whilst in police service”.
Mr Grainger said of his ministry that “You are entering their environment to supply a selected service to those people, and you might be there for them to make use of you or not, because the case could also be.”
He believed that the largest challenge that the staff faced was the unknown: “The threat of terrorism attacks is an everyday thing; so I’d guess that preys on their minds so much, working within the environments that they do, particularly those officers which might be throughout the nuclear sites.”
A former colleague had described chaplaincy as “loitering with intent”, which resonated with him. “You are there alongside people, but ensuring you don’t get in the way in which of their day-to-day activities, but that they know you might be there, and you might be physically there to support them in whatever way you may.
“The nature of the role itself will not be very different from anything that you just do in chaplaincy, and, in some ways, not too dissimilar from what I do in parish life, in that it’s about being there, being open, being a presence, and getting alongside people.”
Given the demands of supporting others, Mr Grainger sets aside time for himself. To calm down, he enjoys watching rugby league, listening to music, spending time together with his grandchildren, and walking his cocker spaniel, Skye.
He said that it was “vital” that he remain independent, in order that officers and other staff members felt comfortable approaching him. “Everybody within the organisation matters, they usually need to grasp that nothing is just too trivial. We’ve made sure that contact numbers and email addresses for me can be found in order that they’ll pay money for me at any time, whoever they’re.
“Some things are obviously spoken about in confidence; other things are purely and easily for advice. A gaggle of the administration staff earlier this yr began talking about Lent, which took me by surprise somewhat: I wouldn’t have expected that. But we ended up having a half-hour conversation about Lent and what it means. I do imagine that, without the chaplaincy being created, that chance may not have arisen. It was a really positive discussion with people.”
Mr Grainger was ordained in 1992, but said that he had felt a way of calling since he was 15, when he decided to review religious studies within the sixth form, “out of the blue”. “At that time limit, in secondary school, I had no real interest in religious studies, despite the fact that I used to be brought up in a Christian family. Sitting within the classroom doing RE really didn’t interest me, and I used to be renowned for actually falling asleep during lessons.
“So, when people asked, ‘Why have you set that down?’ rolling off my tongue were the words, ‘I’m going to be a vicar.’ I tested the calling by taking an apprenticeship within the shipyard. So I did a four-year electrician apprenticeship and, at the top of it, I went back to varsity and after that went to selection.
“Within chaplaincy, there are such a lot of, in case you like, irregularities that may be fun, but rewarding and serious at the identical time. People might never need you, never want you, but additionally, at the identical time, you would possibly just be that one wheel within the cog that’s missing for them, and you might just make an enormous difference by simply being there.”
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