What's been happening

January to April 2010

This is the time of year when The Senior Chaplain reflects on the policy and profile of The Chaplaincy Team in relation to The Boards previous directions.
The Team continue to provide spiritual, pastoral and humanitarian care as laid down within our “Mission Statement”.
In many ways that is performed by being listening ears providing and empathetic response to the people that are met on a day to day basis.
There is a continued cooperation between The Chaplaincy and Community Relations and Occupational Health as agreed by The Board that we should work in partnership with our colleagues in relation to the community work and counselling that is performed for staff in relation to their work at Manchester Airport.
Our colleague engagement and passenger assistance statistics for this period are
793 contacts with staff and passengers plus a further 677 specific appointments.
The Chaplaincy continued to be open throughout the snow and bad weather with some of the chaplains joining colleagues to walk through the snow to ensure continuity of cover.
The specialist nature of their ministry here at the airport fits in well with that of colleagues in Greater Manchester Industrial Mission. Exchanging ideas etc with those who work exclusively in emergency service or retail chaplaincy.

The Team continue to work in Pennine House detention centre holding drop in sessions and providing the on call service. Some 170 individuals have received 1 to 1 meetings the average number of detainees in the unit is 25 plus G4S staff, which avail themselves of the Chaplains services.
The chaplaincy has worked with UKBA in its provision for children and vulnerable adults attempting to enter the UK. That has now stopped in response to UKBA using the GMP appropriate adult scheme.

The pastoral meet and greet service provided for the Ministry of Defence has seen some 13 incidents to deal with.
This has included dealing with members of HM Forces and their families returning home due to emergencies and bereavements

In this reporting period the Chaplains have assisted in 8 issues surrounding Forced Marriages this has involved both male and females.

Beyond the Airport
The Team continue to work in parishes and faith communities whether that is in a capacity promoting The Chaplaincy or just assisting in providing leadership for services. Kennedy has now made contact with some of the Churches in Hulme and Moss Side, which cater particularly for Afro Caribbean families.

Pilgrimages
The Chaplaincy Team are prepared to assist with the 2010 pilgrimage season to Lourdes.
BMI baby this year are providing schedule flights and team members have been present at the launch of the service and the first flight.

Partner organisations
The Senior Chaplain attended the Chaplains Meeting in April at East Midlands Airport and the May meeting in 2011 is to be held at Manchester.
Team News
The team will soon have an additional member of staff as soon as CRB, Security clearance and the Bishops permission comes through for David Otley to join the team as a volunteer one day per week initially. Explorations are also taking place in relation to chaplains of other faith groups supplementing our present provision.
We are now providing a weekly drop in session in the Chaplaincy Centre and are intending to have breakfast briefings for management groups beginning in June.
A breakfast agape was successfully run on Maundy Thursday and the variety of daily prayers continues week by week.
We are hoping to have the New Bournemouth Chaplain joining us for a work experience session over the summer month.

Accommodation
The New Chaplaincy Centre and Prayer Room in T1 was officially opened on 19th April in the midst of the airport closure due to the Volcanic Ash problems.
The official opening was performed by Rev Michael Banfield Vice President of the International Association of Civil Aviation Chaplains in the presence of Geoff Muirhead CEO Manchester Airport Group, Paul Goggins MP and Rt. Revd Christopher Edmondson Bishop of Bolton.

A new office and pastoral care centre for staff and passengers and a base for the Airport Care Team is hoped to be open by 1st June this will make the teams work in T2 considerably easier. It became very apparent that this accommodation was needed after dealing with colleagues in the repatriation of a number of bereaved families in the past few weeks.
2 involving the deaths of young children whilst on holiday and their bodies being brought back on the same flight as family members.
This will mean we have facilities in all three terminals in which to function with our Customer Service colleagues.
Following Requests from customers and staff and in tradition of the airport we put our customers first and have made recommendations to the Senior Management Team which has seen the reopening of the prayer room in T2 airside and the provision of an area in Gate 20 for prayer and reflection.

Police Dog and Handler with Senior Chaplain