The Mission to Seafarers

08/10/2026

Our 2026 Christmas cards are now available 🎄

Every card you send this year helps support seafarers who will spend Christmas far from home, and lets them know they haven't been forgotten.

Order yours: https://bit.ly/474bbjh

07/10/2026

Seafarers are far more than a workforce. As our Secretary General writes, each is a son or daughter, partner or parent, neighbour or friend, with their own hopes, worries and responsibilities.

Recognising that, he says, is one of the reasons the work of the Mission matters so much.

Read Peter's reflections: https://bit.ly/3VmPfx8

06/10/2026

We're hiring! 📣

Join our Development team as Marketing Manager.

It's a brand new role where you'll lead campaigns, bring seafarers' stories to life through video, and help shape our publications, events and digital content. If you're a confident marketer who loves telling a good story, we'd love to hear from you.

📍 London (hybrid, Mondays in the office)
🗓️ Applications close at noon on 22 October 2026

Full details and how to apply: https://bit.ly/4yaPdGl

05/10/2026

Despite international rules banning most recruitment charges, new research from IHRB and TURTLE reveals that 31% of surveyed seafarers have been asked to pay illegal fees, with some paying more than $10,000 for a single position.

Francesca Fairbairn explains how the organisations have launched a new toolkit to help employers identify and eliminate the practice.

Read the full piece in The Sea:
🔗 https://www.missiontoseafarers.org/the-sea/driving-out-illegal-fees

01/10/2026

Save the date: Tuesday 1 December.

Our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols returns to All Hallows by the Tower, with music from the Lloyd's Choir, followed by a festive reception at Trinity House. It's a chance to come together and remember the 1.89 million seafarers around the world, many of whom will be far from their loved ones this Christmas.

Join us for the carol service free of charge, or stay on for drinks and canapés at the reception. Funds raised from the evening will help us continue providing essential support to seafarers.

Tickets:
• Service only: Free
• Service and reception: £40 per person (plus £1.50 booking fee)

Book your place: https://www.missiontoseafarers.org/events/festival-of-nine-lessons-and-carols-2026

With thanks to this year's Festival sponsors: Shell (Gold) and Ardmore Shipping Corporation (Bronze)

30/09/2026

Our Secretary General, the Ven. Dr Peter Rouch, recently visited our port teams in Canada. In his September blog, he reflects on ship visits and why they matter.

Time in port is usually busy for seafarers, amid demanding work, noise and machinery. Yet what Peter remembers most from his visits on board is the warmth: smiles, shared food and conversation across boundaries of language, nationality and rank.

Read the full blog: https://bit.ly/3VmPfx8

29/09/2026

DVT is well known among long-haul flyers, but rarely discussed among seafarers. Crews face similar risks: prolonged immobility, cramped quarters and long transits to and from vessels.

Kelly Gerakoudi is leading a new independent research project asking serving seafarers to share their experiences of leg pain and swelling, to help close a real gap in maritime health research.

Find out more in the latest issue of The Sea.
🔗 https://www.missiontoseafarers.org/the-sea/swollen-legs-silent-risk

28/09/2026

On Friday, we welcomed 31 guests from across the maritime industry to our Power of Partnerships Lunch at Stationers Hall in London, marking Guy Platten's first appearance as our Chairman.

Ben Bailey, our Director of Programme, opened proceedings with an insight into our frontline work, followed by a video message from our Secretary General, Peter Rouch.

In his first speech as Chairman, Guy shared the scale of our impact in 2025, including nearly 40,000 ship visits and more than 274,000 seafarers seen in person.

"Behind every one of those numbers is a seafarer far from home, and a family wondering when they will see them again."

Aakash Dua of DNV, a Gold Sponsor of our Flying Angel Campaign since 2020, spoke about why his organisation stands with seafarers: "Supporting seafarers should never be viewed purely as charity. It is recognition."

Our Director of Development, Jan Webber, closed the speeches by thanking our supporters and inviting guests to explore how we can work together.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, and to all our partners for their continued support of seafarers and their families.

28/09/2026

We're proud to support the Annual National Service for Seafarers on Wednesday 14 October at St Paul's Cathedral.

Since 1905, the service has brought the maritime community together to recognise the contribution of seafarers, honour those who have served and remember those who have lost their lives at sea. Seafarers from every part of the industry are recognised, including the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy, fishing fleets, workboats, ferries, cruise ships and commercial vessels.

It's a moment to stand alongside the people we serve every day.

The service is free and open to all. Reserve your tickets here: https://bit.ly/ANSS2026

Join us at this special service celebrating the seafarering community and uniting maritime organisations.

25/09/2026

We're proud to be the beneficiary of the inaugural Bay to Bay Maritime Hike, taking place during Hong Kong Maritime Week's 10th anniversary year.

Teams of three from across the shipping industry will tackle a 20km route from Big Wave Bay to Repulse Bay, taking in the iconic Dragon's Back and Tai Tam Country Park along the way.

Organised by The Sailors Home and MtS Hong Kong, together with NorthStandard, The Captain's Table, Filhet-Allard Maritime Hong Kong and Wallem, the hike brings together shipowners, managers, lawyers, insurers, suppliers and cadets for a day of challenge, teamwork and fundraising.

Every step supports seafarers whose resilience and dedication keep global trade moving.