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April 2025
Dear Supporter,
Welcome to the April edition of Seapost, The Seafarers' Charity's e-newsletter. We’re so grateful for your continued support and we’ve packed this edition with exciting updates and ways you can make a real difference. We hope you enjoy reading it!
Best wishes,
Luca Selvaggio
Editor
Empower Seafaring Families with a Brighter Future This Spring
Spring is a season of renewal, and with your support, it can also be a season of hope for seafaring families facing hardship.
In 2024, we provided financial assistance to 563 families and life-changing support to 380 young people. From emergency grants to emotional support and personal development programmes, your generosity helps us plant seeds of change that grow into brighter futures.
Let’s keep the momentum going. This spring, help us continue supporting seafarers and their families through hardship. With your support, we can provide urgent assistance and create opportunities that help young people and their families.
Unveiling our 2024 Impact Report
In 2024, the support of our donors helped us reach more than 650,000 seafarers in the UK and globally through our network of delivery partners. From crisis support and welfare at sea to leadership bursaries and EDI initiatives, your donations funded more than £2.6 million in life-changing grants.
Thanks to our generous supporters' help, in 2024 we were able to:
- Award 64 grants
- Support 48 organisations
- Award £2.6 million in total funding
Find out more about the impact our charity had last year in the new 2024 Impact Report. There, you can find more information on our grants as well as first-hand case studies of the amazing work your support allowed us to fund.
GOOD LUCK to our London Marathon 2025 runners!
The countdown is on! On Sunday 27 April, our 39 #TeamSeafarersKGFS runners will take to the streets of London for the TCS London Marathon, raising vital funds to support seafarers in need and their families. This iconic event attracts runners from all over the world, and it's inspiring to see these individuals commit to making a difference in the lives of seafarers and their loved ones.
For these runners, the London Marathon is more than just a physical challenge – it’s an opportunity to create real impact during times of need. We thank them for their support and wish them the very best of luck on Sunday.
Nusrat Ghani MP to rejoin The Seafarers’ Charity as a Vice President
We're delighted to announce that the Rt Hon Nusrat Ghani MP will rejoin The Seafarers’ Charity as a Vice President at our Annual Meeting in June.
A longstanding advocate for the maritime sector, Ms. Ghani brings invaluable experience and insight to our mission to support seafarers and their families around the world.
We look forward to officially welcoming her back and to hearing her speak at our Waves of Influence event this July.
High-Profile Speakers Announced for 'Waves of Influence'
We’re excited to announce that Nusrat Ghani MP and Sarah Kenny OBE, CEO of BMT, will be headline speakers at Waves of Influence on 9 July, celebrating women in maritime.
Organised by The Seafarers’ Charity and Sailors’ Children’s Society, and supported by The Fishmongers’ Company and Trinity House, this fundraising lunch will spotlight women’s achievements and challenges in the sector. Limited tables and sponsorships available.
Supporting Young Seafarers at the UKSA
This April, we’re proud to feature UKSA as our Charity of the Month – a maritime youth charity providing vital welfare support to young people training for careers at sea.
With our funding, UKSA has been able to employ a Safeguarding & Welfare Manager and a Welfare Officer – two essential roles supporting cadets facing financial hardship, learning difficulties, or mental health challenges.
Through expert-led guidance, mental health training, and welfare packs, these dedicated staff help remove barriers to success, ensuring cadets get the support they need to thrive – at sea and beyond. We’re proud to support UKSA’s commitment to wellbeing and invest in the next generation of seafarers.
National Fishing Remembrance Day 2025
Sunday 11 May marks National Fishing Remembrance Day – a time to honour those who have lost their lives in the UK fishing industry and to recognise the ongoing risks faced by those who work at sea.
This day is not only for remembrance, but also an opportunity to focus on initiatives aimed at improving safety in one of the UK’s most dangerous industries. We encourage everyone to join us in paying tribute.
A huge THANK YOU to our amazing volunteers from Thomas Miller
On 8 April, we had the pleasure of welcoming Leah, Sally, Weronika, and Hannah to our offices. They generously gave their time to support us with some admin tasks, and it was a great chance to spend time together, connect, and learn more about each other’s work supporting seafarers and their families in times of need.
If you’re interested in volunteering at The Seafarers’ Charity, drop us a line at contact@theseafarerscharity.org – we’d love to hear from you!
Go to Greater Heights for Seafarers
Join us on 5–6 July for our flagship event, the 24 Peaks Challenge, and push your limits in support of seafarers and their families.
This two-day challenge covers 33 miles and 13,000 ft of ascent across the breathtaking Lake District. Choose from Gold (24 Peaks), Silver (21 Peaks), or Bronze (7 Peaks + paddleboarding) and help make a difference in seafarers’ lives.
