Rob and Trish Munday, who live on a narrowboat on the Kennet and Avon canal, have been using their day boat as walk-in Covid vaccination centre, it's just one of many things the craft has been used for throughout the pandemic to help and support those who live in boats along the canal.
Rob and Trish, who are members of St Michaels Without, in Bath, are part of the Canal Boat Ministries, which offers support to the boating community and those who use the waterways and towpaths around Britain. Their home is Ocho, a canal narrowboat. Their second day boat, the Litania, a 38-foot craft, is normally used to provide day trips for school children with learning difficulties, for ‘Alpha Afloat’ and once a month she becomes a drop-in café. During the pandemic the Litania has taken on an even more vital role.
At the start of lockdown she was used as a food hub. “We were taking her out once a week, loaded up with food boxes and inside we had all the food laid out in the boat, on the shelves. We would take the boat along the canal, from Bradford-on-Avon to Bath, and volunteers, who were at the front of the boat, handed out food.” Trish said.
"In December public-health officials used the Litana to deliver the flu vaccination. It was a great success with lots of boaters taking up the offer to have the jab. Previously there has been a low take up among the boaters.”
When the decision was taken to offer the Covid vaccinations in a similar way, Rob and Trish again volunteered the Litania. They travelled from Bath to the Vale of Pewsey, near Marlborough in Wiltshire, stopping at different locations along the route to allow clinic staff to come aboard. Those who wanted the vaccination could just pop in. Rob and Trish helped get the word out by distributing flyers and sharing information on social media.
Trish said it is their faith that underpins all they do. “We’ve lived around boaters for a while and we have a great respect for people’s ingenuity and for their independence. What we want to do is to be open about our faith and to share God’s love.”
Soon, as part of Thy Kingdom Come, Rob and Trish will, once again be opening the doors of their boat, with an invitation to come aboard and pray with them. Each day during the period of TKC they intend to put out a sign simply asking anyone passing by to join them for a few minutes of prayer.