Being a seafarer or a fisher can be a dangerous and difficult job. When crisis strikes, the consequences can often be devastating, especially if there is no one to turn to for help.
When the worst happens, Stella Maris stands alongside seafarers and fishers. Through its ministry, and the work of its chaplains and volunteer ship visitors, seafarers and fishers can get support when they are most vulnerable.
Crisis support
The support Stella Maris provides can be a lifeline when help is needed urgently. This could mean assisting a seafarer who needs to return to work after a serious accident or supporting a retired fisherman with the cost of fixing a broken boiler or a struggling young cadet pay their rent when no other help is available.
The charity’s Centenary Emergency Fund, established in 2020, exists specifically to provide help for seafarers, fishers and their families in urgent need. Grants can fund anything from food, accommodation and medical care to legal help and livelihood training. Often it is a last hope when no other support is available. Every grant is distributed through a local Stella Maris chaplain, ensuring help reaches those who need it quickly and personally.
Olek (not his real name), a seafarer from Ukraine, had fled the war in Ukraine with his family and settled in London as refugees. After a difficult start in the UK he found employment with a ferry company, however, when that came to an end, the family were left struggling to make ends meet and in desperate need of support. They often had to rely on a local food bank to feed themselves.
Olek was determined to return to work at sea and be able to provide a stable and secure future for him and his family. But to do this he needed to complete two essential maritime courses.
Stella Maris regional chaplain for London Wojciech Holub stepped in to help Olek and his family. Wojciech made an application the Centenary Emergency Fund to cover the cost of Olek’s courses, and to help the family with the cost of buying food.
The request was granted and Olek completed both courses, enabling him to find employment in the UK. In time, he went on to obtain his Master Mariner licence and now works as captain on a bunkering vessel on the Humber River. Olek was so grateful for the help that Wojciech and Stella Maris provided him and his family that he decided to give something back. He now volunteers as one of Wojciech’s volunteer ship visitors, offering support to other seafarers who arrive in port.
You can bring hope
This life-saving support provided by Stella Maris is made possible through donations towards the Centenary Fund. Last year, demand was so great that the fund was exhausted by August. This year Stella Maris aims to raise £100,000 to ensure they can support any seafarer or fisher who needs it.
This Lent, Stella Maris invites you to be a light and bring hope to a seafarer, fisher or their family members who is desperate and at breaking point. Your generosity can be life-transforming. It will help Stella Maris chaplains and ship visitors continue to provide critical help. Please also keep in prayer the many seafarers, fishers and their families during this holy season.
Visit www.stellamaris.org.uk/lent/ to make a donation or find out how you can help.