Society launches 2024 Seafarers Support Week
The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society is proud to launch its annual Seafarers Support Week today, which will run from 1-7 July.
The Society is committed to this annual campaign to promote and highlight the plight of serving and retired seafarers, as well as raising awareness of the dangers and sacrifices faced by those who work at sea. This includes recognising the vital contribution the maritime and fishing industries play in allowing us to preserve our standard of living.
During Seafarers Support Week, the charity has set itself the challenging target of raising an additional £35,000 which will allow it to provide much needed assistance to individuals and families who in many cases simply have nowhere else to turn.
Recently we have commemorated the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings – the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of France, and the rest of Western Europe, and laid the foundations for the Allied victory on the Western Front.
During the six years of conflict during WW2 the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society made a unique and significant contribution to the lives of thousands of survivors of shipwreck; not just sailors but soldiers, airmen, nurses and civilians who were landed at British ports after being rescued – particularly during the Battle of the Atlantic.
In 1941 at Greenock alone the Society helped 3,120 survivors from 311 ships; in 1942 it was 4,357 from 288 ships and in 1943, 3,680 from 252 ships, and that was just one port. There were 21 others!
In fact, the numbers of people the Charity assisted in WW2 are quite remarkable and this included fishermen and their dependants. More than 60,600 Seamen, 6,600 Widows, 8,000 Orphans and 4,100 Aged parents were helped.
The immediate assistance provided to survivors arriving back in Britain was for clothing, food, accommodation and rail passes to get them back to their loved ones.
Fast forward 80 years since the D-Day Landings and the past 12 months have again demonstrated the importance and necessity of the Society’s work. We received nearly 800 new applications for assistance and distributed grants totalling £1.3 million in just under 2000 cases of need. The funds are used to finance medical equipment and support those suffering long-term illness and disability; to provide financial respite for young families whose main income has been lost or greatly reduced; to provide household repairs and meet the funeral costs for a seafarer whose family are unable to meet the expense.
It is due to the loyalty and kind heartedness of our supporters that we are able to continue our important work, and we appreciate anything you can give this Seafarers Support Week.
To support the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society’s work please consider making a donation here: www.shipwreckedmariners.org.uk/donate or alternatively post to: Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, Dept SSW, 1 North Pallant, Chichester PO19 1TL