Northumbrian Industrial Mission
The purpose of Industrial Mission is to bring the consciousness of God’s presence in the 
work place to the maximum number of people.
The work of this ministry helps to inform Christian understanding and action about the effects of economic activity on individuals, and on communities.
In the Northumbrian Industrial Mission the way in which such work is ordered varies from chaplain to chaplain in response to the sector or location covered.
Each chaplain spends a certain amount of time ‘walking the floor’ in factories, offices or shopping centres, seeing and being seen, building relationships with both management and work-force and developing specialist knowledge.
Other related activities often depend upon opportunity, a chaplain’s own interests and the imperatives of a particular industrial sector or area.
Aims
To this end Industrial Chaplains aim:
- To engage directly with people in places of work;
- To represent, to those in authority, people’s experience and perception of work and to raise questions with those who make decisions
- To help Christians at work to make their own connections between faith and work;
- To share with the Church and the world experiences of God’s presence in the workplace;
- To work collaboratively with ministries in other sectors, in local churches and with other agencies.
Fiona Usher - Team Convenor
Fiona Usher is convenor of the Northumbrian Industrial Mission (NIM) and co-ordinates a team of stipendiary and volunteer associate chaplains from the local communities of faith.
Recruitment, induction and training of associate chaplains has continued during 2008 and we now have 40 chaplains operating in a variety of workplaces.
An overview of where our chaplains operate:
- ASDA Chaplains - There are now 9 chaplains visiting ASDA stores. They are supported by Fiona Usher (Durham Diocese)
- Newcastle International Airport - A team of 6 chaplains operate at the airport, supported by Charlotte Osborn (Methodist)
- Fire Service Chaplains - 6 chaplains visit fire stations, supported by Stephen Hazlett (Durham Diocese)
- MetroCentre - There are 6 chaplains at the MetroCentre, supported by Lyn Jamieson (Durham Diocese)
Other Chaplaincies include:
- Port of Tyne
- Port of Sunderland
- Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
- The Bridges Shopping Centre, Sunderland
- Nissan, Sunderland (see photo above)
- Royal Quays, Newcastle - Grundfos Manufacturing
- Unipres Manufacturing
- Dryden Professional Centre
- Department of Work and Pensions, Tyneview Park
- HMRC – Sunderland, Washington and Peterlee
- Call Centres – Royal Mail, Littlewoods and Tax Office
- ETEC Training Scheme
- Dalton Park, Westgate Road
- Traidcraft, Gateshead -
- Tyne Tees Television
- Sunderland Empire Theatre
- World Heritage Development Trust
- Southwick Trading Estate
- TRW Automtive, Peterlee and Houghton-le-Spring
- Liebherr Cranes
- Sunderland Association Football Club
- Tyne and Wear Metro
- Stagecoach North East
NIM is associated with Newcastle City Centre Chaplaincy and Gateshead Community Arts Chaplaincy
NIM regularly provide student placements for Ushaw College, Cranmer and the Wesley Studies Centre
For more information go to: www.northumbrianindustrialmission.org