The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has issued the following press release, which is dated January 17:Seafarers’ Trust celebrates 25 years of helping seafarers
The Seafarers’ Trust, the ITF’s non-political charity arm which exists solely to improve seafarers' welfare, will be 25 years old tomorrow. Since being founded on 18 January 1981 it has donated £120 million to good causes.
The 2,250 projects sponsored by the Trust in that time include 144 grants for new seafarers’ centres and mission facilities, 482 grants for the refurbishment and rebuilding of existing facilities for seafarers, and helping to supply more than 1,000 minibuses that take seafarers from remote docksides to missions, accommodation, health centres and visitor attractions. The Trust also sponsors the World Maritime University in Malmo, the Seafarers’ International Research Centre in Cardiff, the International Seafarers’ Assistance Network, and the Seafarers’ Health Information Programme. It has funded groundbreaking work into ship to shore communications, seafarers’ health, and supported schemes such as the Sailing Chaplain project.
Tom Holmer, administrative officer of the Seafarers’ Trust, explained, “We’re delighted to reach our silver jubilee, proud of what has been achieved – often alongside outstanding partners such as the Mission to Seafarers, the Apostleship of the Sea and others – and mindful of the continuing struggle to improve seafarers’ lot.”
Chris York, National Director of the Apostleship of the Sea, commented, “The Apostleship of the Sea worldwide offers many congratulations and sincere thanks to the ITF Seafarers’ Trust for their work for seafarers’ welfare over the last 25 years. The generosity and farsightedness of the Trust has helped maintain many small endeavours in maritime welfare whilst promoting more and more cooperative and ecumenical ventures, thus making the outreach of the Apostleship of the Sea and our colleagues in the International Christian Maritime Association more and more effective over time. We look forward to the continued and vital support of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust in future years.”
Natalie Wiseman, International Shipping Federation secretary, said, “The Trust has been an active partner over the last 10 years in the International Committee on Seafarers’ Welfare, alongside government bodies, religious organisations, the ISF and the ILO. In this capacity it has helped to provide sport, health and welfare provision for seafarers.”
Tom Holmer concluded, “There can be no better time than now to set our priorities for the coming years. This will include a new emphasis on taking welfare services closer to seafarers on board ship. As turnaround times have reduced we have seen the need for the accommodation we used to fund shrunk. We need to be getting out there, meeting seafarers and finding out what they need.”
The Seafarers’ Trust is funded by the profits from the investments of the ITF Welfare Fund, as well as the profits from its own Trust fund. It is dedicated to the support of seafarers’ spiritual, moral and physical wellbeing, irrespective of nationality or religion.
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