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Who We Are

About the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society

Since 1839, the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society has provided financial assistance to fishermen and mariners and their dependants who have suffered hardship, misfortune or poverty, as a result of an accident, illness, disability, unemployment or retirement.

As a maritime charity, our goal is to make a tangible difference to people’s lives when it’s needed most. In the last year, we:

• Made regular and one-off grants in over 1,700 cases amounting to £1.3 million
• Handled 700 new applications for assistance
• Took on 127 new regular beneficiaries

The people we help are mainly retired or permanently disabled seafarers and their widows/partners. Beneficiaries are typically aged 50 and above (although of course we consider enquiries from people of all ages) and have backgrounds in the fishing industry and Merchant Navy. Their sea service may have included time in the Royal Navy as well.

The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society helps by providing:

• Financial assistance in the form of grants
• Practical support (and a friendly face) through our nationwide network of volunteers, known as Honorary Agents
• A seafarer support resource on our website signposting visitors to useful information, from financial advice and home repairs, to counselling and care homes
• Referrals to other charities and organisations nationwide who may be able to offer further assistance