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June 2024
Dear Supporter,
Welcome to the June edition of Seapost, The Seafarers' Charity's e-newsletter. We're excited to share our latest updates with you.
We were honoured to announce His Majesty King Charles III as our new Patron during our 107th Annual Meeting at Fishmongers' Hall on 30 May. Under HM The King’s esteemed patronage, alongside HRH The Duke of Edinburgh as our President, we look forward to continuing our mission to tackle seafarer hardship in all its forms, both at sea and on land.
On 6 June, The Seafarers’ Charity joined D-Day national commemorations by attending the D-Day 80th Anniversary Principal Beacon Lighting held at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. In memory of seafarers who contributed to the largest seaborne invasion in history, we proudly sponsored the ceremonial torch used by 99-year-old D-Day veteran Vera Brett to light the principal beacon - the first of 800 beacons that were then lit across the UK.
Our commitment to supporting seafaring veterans remains steadfast, and we invite you to contribute to our SeaVets appeal, with all donations up to £10,000 being match-funded.
We're thrilled to announce that we were designated as the charity partner for this year’s Maritime UK Awards, held at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, where we celebrated excellence from across the breadth of the maritime sector.
On 8 June, our Business Development Director, Temi Binitie FICS, attended the URNU Manchester Passing Out Parade and Summer Reception. This event celebrated the achievements of graduating Officer Cadets and Acting Midshipmen and provided a valuable opportunity to connect with the next generation of seafarers.
You can also learn how The Seafarers’ Charity’s sustained grant funding over the last ten years has enabled, Stella Maris, one of our delivery partners, to help ensure better and safer working lives at sea for seafarers and fishers.
With 24 Peaks Challenge 2024 fast approaching, we would like to wish the best of luck to all participants of this year’s Challenge! To show your support, you can sponsor our teams here.
Finally, as we celebrate Pride Month, we reaffirm our commitment to diversity and inclusion, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
We sincerely appreciate your unwavering support and hope you enjoy reading this edition of Seapost.
Best wishes,
Luca Selvaggio
Editor
Honouring D-Day Veterans on the 80th Anniversary
On 6 June, The Seafarers’ Charity was honoured to attend the D-Day 80th Anniversary Principal Beacon Lighting at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, an event hosted by Vice Admiral Andrew Burns and featuring music by His Majesty’s Royal Marines Band.
The Seafarers’ Charity proudly sponsored the ceremonial torch used by 99-year-old D-Day veteran Vera Brett to light the principal beacon - the first of 800 beacons that were then lit across the UK. Vera was a Wren working in Portsmouth on D-Day and remembers seeing the huge flotilla of vessels leaving for Normandy 80 years ago when she was 18. Vera and Pageant Master Bruno Peek lit the principal beacon together, and afterwards, many hundreds of beacons were lit across the UK in remembrance. The beacon and the ceremonial torch contained sand from the five Normandy beaches the Allies landed upon on D-Day.
Our commitment to supporting seafaring veterans remains steadfast. Donate today to our SeaVets appeal to help seafaring veterans experiencing hardship. Thanks to a generous donor, all donations up to £10,000 will be match-funded, meaning every pound you donate will be doubled.
His Majesty King Charles III Announced as Patron of The Seafarers’ Charity
On 30 May, we were honoured to host our 107th Annual Meeting at the historic Fishmongers' Hall. This special event was marked by an exciting announcement from our Chair, Paul Butterworth AFNI, who revealed that His Majesty King Charles III has become our new Patron. We extend a heartfelt thank you to all the attendees, venue staff, supporters, and delivery partners for making this extraordinary day so special.
We look forward to continuing our mission under the esteemed patronage of His Majesty King Charles III, along with The Duke of Edinburgh as our President, to tackle seafarer hardship in all its forms, both at sea and on land.
Good Luck to All 24 Peaks Challenge Participants!
Best wishes to all participants taking on the 24 Peaks Challenge this year. As you embark on this journey on 6-7 July, may you find strength and determination in every step.
Whether you're tackling the Gold 24 Peaks, the Silver 21 Peaks or the Bronze 7 Peaks option, your efforts will be making a difference in the lives of our seafarers.
Happy Pride Month! 🏳️🌈
Pride Month is not only a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community but also to reflect on the history and progress made towards equity.
At The Seafarers' Charity, we are dedicated to embracing diversity and inclusion every day. We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Honoured to Be the Designated Charity at the Maritime UK Awards 2024
We are delighted to announce that The Seafarers’ Charity joined this year's Maritime UK Awards as the chosen charity. Held at the Titanic Museum in Belfast on 5 June, this event celebrated outstanding contributions in the maritime sector. Congratulations to all the winners, and a sincere thank you to everyone who supported us.
Maritime Charities Help Ensure Better Working Lives at Sea for Seafarers and Fishers
Hundreds of thousands of seafarers and fishers in the UK and other parts of the world have benefited from practical, pastoral and spiritual support provided by Stella Maris’s global ship visiting network over the past 10 years, thanks to over £1 million in grant funding provided by The Seafarers’ Charity over that period.
The Seafarers’ Charity’s sustained grant funding has enabled Stella Maris to help ensure better and safer working lives at sea for seafarers and fishers.
Celebrating Future Seafarers at URNU Manchester
On 8 June, our Business Development Director, Temi Binitie FICS, was invited to attend the University Royal Naval Unit Manchester Passing Out Parade and Summer Reception which celebrates the achievements of Officer Cadets and Acting Midshipmen who are graduating from university. This was a valuable opportunity to meet with the next generation of seafarers.
As part of our ecosystem of support for seafarers, we know family and community are vital to a rich life. It is important to nurture this community, and renewing our relationships with the URNUs is a pathway to making this a reality. These are our future seafarers and we put their welfare first.
