Fishermans Mission News

Fishermen’s Mission: Scottish fundraising update 2011

As 2011 draws to a close, a number of fish and chip shops in Scotland have been busy raising money for the Fishermen's Mission.

‘Tour de Frankies’

Staff and customers of Britains most northerly fish shop , Frankies, took part in a sponsored cycle to raise money for the Fishermen’s Mission. Over 30 people participated and raised £2500 for the charity.

Luckily the island was baked in sunshine on the day of the event in September. Although the cyclists had to endure up to a 40 mile trip they were rewarded for their efforts with a fantatsic fish supper at the end.

John Gold, Manager, Frankies Fish & Chips, and organiser of the event said " The Fishermen’s Mission centre in Lerwick provides invaluable support to the fishermen and their families of Shetland. We wanted to give something back to these men that risk their lives everday in order to provide our fish. It was a brilliant day and we were delighted with the support we received from the local community, we will definately be doing it again next year."

Swimming sisters take to the water again – 20 years on!

The only Scottish sisters to swim the English channel took part in the Great Scottish Swim last month. This was to celebrate their mum turning 60, who also took part and to raise vital funds for the Fishermen’s Mission charity.

By completeing the swim in Strathclyde Park, Shannon Davie (above), of Dunkeld Fish bar, together with Colleen Blair and mum Irene Blair, they raised £515.26 for the charity. Most of the money generously donated by customers from the Dunkeld fish bar, wanging their money in a welly on the counter and by buying Scottish tablet.

Shannon Davie said "All our customers have been really supportive and generous, I would like to say a big thank you to them. Fishermen risk their lives everyday at sea and we wanted to give something back. The Fishermen’s Mission provide invaluable support to Fishernmen and their families and I feel it is important for us to help them”.

Fish Friday at ‘The Bay’

Current Scottish fish and chip shop of the year ‘The Bay’ in Stonehaven, got into the swing of things on Fish Friday back in June.

Owner Calum Richardson raised £1643.98 by donating 50% of takings on that day and also raffling off Jimmy Buchan's Trawlerman book, in the shop.

Doing your own thing...........

If you want to organise your own event (and people do, from long-distance horse rides to fish chip suppers), the Fisherman’s Mission have Fundraising Guides that offer support and guidance.

Contact fundraising@rnmdsf.org.uk or FREEPHONE 0800 6341020 for a copy or to discuss your ideas.

130 years of service to fishermen and their families: the Mission celebrates.

It's just another day at the Eyemouth* Mission when fisherman's wife Sarah knocks on the office door.

She's at her wits' end. Looking older than her 48 years and close to tears, Sarah shares the tragedy that's her life with Mission Man, George.

Three years ago, her husband Michael suffered a massive heart attack. He survived but is severely brain damaged and now lives in a secure specialist unit some 40 miles away. Michael no longer recognises Sarah or his children; is violent and needs constant supervision. Yet three times a week Sarah makes the four hour round trip to visit Michael. She scrapes together the bus fare; often forced to borrow from her elderly mother.

The visits leave her heart-broken, drained and depressed. Michael talks of nothing but his boat, the fishing and going to sea. She knows he never will and silently despairs. But she's a fighter. Sarah can't and won't give in. She's three children to consider. Life is a constant emotional and financial battle for survival. A woman at the Benefits' Agency had even dared to say Sarah would be better off if Michael had died!

Support

So with nowhere else to turn, Sarah has turned to the Mission. George is both moved and appalled by her story (why, oh why, he wonders did she wait three years to knock on his door?) The first thing he does is make sure she has enough money from the Mission's Hardship Fund to meet the family's immediate needs.

But it's clear that's not enough. So George applies to the Shipwrecked Mariner's Society for a twice-yearly grant to supplement Sarah's meagre income.

Then there's the question of how to get Colin, Sarah's eldest son back to college to complete his engineering course. Against Sarah's wishes, he's abandoned his education to help support the family. George is sure he can find the money Colin needs. He'll certainly try.

Although we can never bring back the Michael Sarah once knew, we've been able to change her life and her children's lives for the better. This is the 21st century Mission at work.

130 Years and counting......

For 130 years the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen has served our fishing communities well. For 130 years we have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the UK's fishermen and their families. Although the nature of those lives has changed beyond all recognition since 1881, hardship, bereavement and loss remain an ever present threat to the lives of the courageous men and women of our fishing fleet and their families who wait patiently at home.

But thanks to your generous support and the support of a grateful public from Victorian times until today we have been able to create a better future for generations of families like Sarah's and fishermen like Michael who for no fault of their own find themselves in need of the Mission's care and compassion.

In the 19th century our Bethel ships sailed out onto the Dogger Bank. They took food, medicine and hope to the men and boys working the herring smacks. The horrors they encountered are barely imaginable but the difference we made to the lives of fishermen considered no more than ‘dregs of society' by the boats' owners earned the Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen Queen Victoria's admiration and we were awarded the epithet Royal.

The demise of the herring saw the growth of the white fish industry and the emergence of the deep sea trawler fleet that hunted the cod and haddock in far off Arctic waters. In spite of the dangers they would face, men travelled from across the country to crew the boats. And to meet the needs of these men we opened our Mission Centres providing wholesome food and a bed to rootless and homeless trawlermen.

Those were the days when wives and mothers dreaded the Mission Man's knock at the door. Loss of life and injury were an everyday occurrence well into the 20th century. The triple trawler disaster of 1968 when 58 men lost their lives in a matter of weeks still lives on in the collective memory of the people of Hull. It was our job to pick up the pieces.

Moving on

The industry has moved on. The deep sea trawler fleet is now history but lives continue to be lost. In 2002 three generations of the Greene family died when their boat the Tullaghmurry Lass went down. And in spite of improved safety the single-handed inshore fisherman remains particularly at risk. MP Sheryll Murray had argued against her husband Neil fishing alone but economic circumstances dictated otherwise and Neil lost his life in a fatal accident earlier this year.

For 130 years we have worked to alleviate the hardship and tragedy that devastate the lives of families like Sarah's and Sheryll's. And for 130 years we have depended upon the generosity of people like you to continue our work. And you have not let us down. We cannot express our appreciation enough.

Please, if you can, in this our 130th Anniversary year continue your support. An Albert on your shop counter can raise enough in a year to pay fro bed and breakfast for a shipwrecked fisherman or a box of groceries for a bereaved family.

Together we can provide our fishermen and their families with the care and compassion they so richly desverve.

Thank you.

Elaine Campbell

* names changed to protect identities.

http://www.fishermensmission.org.uk/