Starring seafaring songsters, The Wellington Wailers, everyone attending had a great time foot-stomping along to the band’s brilliant tunes. The Society is delighted to have the support of such a great pub and send a big shout out ‘thank you’ to everyone who donated to support our charity’s work on behalf of the maritime community.

You can find out more about the pub at https://www.redlionarundel.com/.

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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

The post Society launches 2024 Seafarers Support Week appeared first on Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.

The race represents the ultimate off-road challenge in the UK, as individuals and teams of up to three riders pit themselves against the mountains, the weather and their own physical reserves for a whole night and day.

The start of the 24 hour enduro will be a Le Mans start (i.e. a short run to your bike from a STANDING start), with groups leaving in classes – the first wave starting on Saturday 26th August at 7:00 pm.

The Society is extremely grateful for Jamie’s support and encourages everyone to get behind him and the charity by making a donation through his Just Giving page.

Best of luck Jamie!

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Thanks for your brilliant effort Ruth, especially as you had to run feeling unwell.  To add to Ruth’s fundraising achievement visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ruthgreatsouth2022

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A massive thanks to Director, Jamie McNeil, his brilliant team and their wonderful Lyme Bay Boats customers and friends, who donated and participated in the annual charity auction.  The funds raised will help the Society support struggling seafarers and their families over, what for many, will be a difficult winter.  We are so grateful – thanks again!

To find out more about Lyme Bay Boats, go to http://www.lymebayboats.com/.

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We remain committed to this campaign to promote and highlight the plight of so many serving and retired seafarers and their families and to help raise the profile of the dangers and sacrifices faced by those who work at sea.  It remains important that we continue to recognise the vital contribution the maritime and fishing industries play in upholding national livelihoods – and none more so than in response to what, for so many, has been the hardest year in living memory.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented level of demand for financial support from members of the seafaring community who are still very much experiencing economic hardship and long-term health implications; not necessarily directly due to the virus but impacted by the many changes and restrictions placed on everyone’s lives.

The last year has been one of the greatest challenges faced by the Society.  We took early steps to release additional emergency funding from reserves to ensure we could help as many mariners, fishermen and their family members as possible.

During this difficult period we received over 800 applications for one-off grants, representing a 50% increase in demand compared to the previous year. Despite curtailments to our regular charity fundraising events and activities, we continued to do everything within our power and resources to help the often forgotten and marginalised maritime community we serve.

During Seafarers Support Week we have therefore set ourselves the hugely challenging target of raising £30,000 to help us provide additional levels of much needed assistance.  We recognise that although the immediate direct health threat to the general population is now hopefully diminished, the economic and non-direct health related impact will remain with us for some considerable time. For many the worst is yet to come, as the long-term effects of the pandemic have left them with seemingly overwhelming debts and the road to recovery is anything but certain.

The funds raised will be used to provide medical equipment and support for 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 urgent household repairs; to help fund the funeral cost for a seafarer whose family are unable to meet the expense or to provide some small but tangible improvement to the lives of our over 1,300 regular beneficiaries whose circumstances justify our on-going support.

The following extract from a letter recently received from a fisherman typifies the impact your giving has on people’s lives:

“I don’t know how I can thank you for what you have done for me. I would like to meet you all in person for a cup of tea when this is all over and have the opportunity to explain how this is really making a change to my situation right now.  I intend to use the grant on skins and wellies so I can get back to work asap, and with these I will always be reminded of you and everything you have done every time I go out to sea.  Again, thank you so much.”

We know it is due to your loyalty and kind-heartedness that we are able to continue our important work.

Thank you for your support,

Capt. Justin Osmond RN

Chief Executive

To donate to the Society’s work please click here. 

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The mines have become iconic across the UK and are the visible manifestation of the Society’s existence, with around 200 being originally donated to the charity by the Admiralty for use as collection boxes in recognition of the Society’s significant help to thousands of shipwrecked survivors during WW2.

Today, the Society has around 60 mines remaining, spread out around the coastline of the UK – including the occasional one on outer islands.

For more information, take a look at Mark’s video below.

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With many fundraising events unfortunately postponed or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many charities across the UK need public support now more than ever.

The #TwoPointSixChallenge is launching on Sunday 26 April – the day the London Marathon was scheduled to take place – and encourages individuals of all ages to take on a personal challenge to raise money for a charity of their choice.

There is no need to be a marathon runner to take part – this is a challenge for all ages and abilities. Just get thinking of an activity based around the numbers 26 or 2.6 and complete it on or from Sunday April 26.

It could be something as simple as running 2.6 miles, 26 minutes of yoga, or juggling for 26 minutes – or on second thoughts, maybe just 2.6 minutes!

And don’t worry if you’re not able to get out your house or flat for now. We’re not looking for superheroes – we’re looking for Home Heroes.

There are no rules (apart from the Government guidelines on how to exercise safely during this time). Whatever you can do, you can be part of it – the main thing is getting active, having fun and donating whatever you can to help save the UK’s charities.

For challenge idea inspiration, to donate or to set up a fundraising page of your own go to: https://twopointsixchallenge.justgiving.com/inspiration and search for Shipwrecked Fishermen and. Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society.

We appreciate any support we receive at this time – do let us know on social media if you’re taking part by visiting @ShipwreckedSoc on Twitter or Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society on Facebook.

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Members of the Wedgwood family have also long looked after – and continue to look after – the Society’s ex-WW11 Collecting Mine sited at Robin Hood’s Bay.

The exhibition generated funds to the value of more than £3,400 for the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society and we are so grateful for this tremendous level of support which will be put to very good use supporting those from the fishing and maritime community who are suffering hardship and distress.

Our sincere thanks to the Wedgwood family for their continued support of this Charity’s work.

The post Robin Hood’s Bay Family raise over £3,400 for Society appeared first on Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.

More than 60 people attended the event despite appalling weather conditions forcing the usual boating, fishing and swimming to be cancelled, with the day instead filled with food, drink, games and enjoyable conversation.

The annual charity auction was held in the evening – in aid of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society – where generous donations of prizes and bids saw the total funds raised surpass £1,500 for the Chichester-based charity.

On Tuesday 23 September at a reception held at The Harbour Inn, Lyme Regis, Jamie McNeil, Director of Lyme Bay Boats, presented a cheque for £1,519.77 to Chief Executive of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, Captain Justin Osmond RN, for the charity to continue its work supporting fishermen, merchant mariners and their dependants who are suffering financial hardship.

Also attending was the Society’s volunteer Honorary Agent, John Wason and his wife Claire.  For 28 years John has done a terrific job looking after the Society’s large WWII collecting mine at Lyme Regis harbour.

Discussing the ‘Jolly Day Out’, Jamie said: “Firstly I’d like to thank everyone who helped in making the day a true success despite the challenging conditions!

“The rain thankfully didn’t dampen our spirits and I think I speak on behalf of all of those in attendance when I say what an enjoyable – and indeed jolly – day it was!

“I’m extremely proud to be able to present a cheque for such a significant amount of money to a very worthwhile cause, knowing it will benefit the lives of those we share a maritime community with.”

Captain Justin Osmond added: “We are extremely grateful for the support we receive from all of those who provide us with vital funds to support our beneficiaries.

“The Society appreciates the generosity of everyone at Lyme Bay Boats and those who took part in what sounds like an extremely fun day – despite one of the wettest August days on record – and hope we can work together on further projects in the future.”

To find out more about Lyme Bay Boats, go to http://www.lymebayboats.com/.

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