This year the Club is making a donation to two maritime charities this year in lieu of sending Christmas cards.
The chosen charities are the Mission to Seafarers and the Sailors Society. Although both were founded in the United Kingdom in the nineteenth century as Christian organisations, in their modern form they are both international and multi-denominational in outlook.The Mission to Seafarers was founded in 1856 and work in over 260 ports caring for seafarers of all ranks, nationalities and beliefs. Through that global network of chaplains, staff and volunteers they offer practical, emotional and spiritual support to seafarers through ship visits, drop-in centres and a range of welfare and emergency support services.
Similarly, the Sailors’ Society is among the largest, and most comprehensive seafarers’ support charities operating internationally. Founded in 1818, it is present at many key ports through its chaplains and volunteers extending a hand of friendship, hospitality and pastoral care to all seafarers regardless of their rank or circumstance.Both charities have excellent websites which report and explain extensively the work they undertake in support of our seafarers which the Club's donations will help them continue.
UK P&I Club is supporting the work of Sailors Society, in particular their local Port Chaplaincy project, by providing a grant for a seafarers' bus in the Port of Jakarta.
On Wednesday 6th June 2018 I attended an anniversary reception held at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The invite came from Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth, and was for a special reception to mark 200 years of the Sailors’ Society.
