Dear friends, supporters and members,
I’m writing to you today as I begin my fourth year as CEO at the Merchant Navy Welfare Board – and it feels like just yesterday that I joined. As another year draws to a close and I reflect on what has happened this year, I feel fortunate to be leading this charity and working so closely with our ever-growing list of constituent members and supporters.
So much has happened in 2024. One of the biggest moments of this year was Labour’s landslide victory in the General Election, which has seen politics turned on its head. Yet this has provided us, on behalf of the maritime charities’ sector, with an opportunity to restate the importance of welfare provision for seafarers and fishers to officials in UK Government.
It was quite fitting that we started and ended the year in Westminster. We were delighted for the first time ever to have a dedicated session at the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Maritime and Ports on seafarers’ welfare which focused on how the maritime sector has coped with recent crises.
And the year culminated with a visit to Great Minister House to meet with the Maritime Minister, Mr Mike Kane MP, and his team with my Chair Capt. Andrew Cassels. Meeting with Mr Kane, who is also Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, was crucial in explaining the role we play as the National Seafarers’ Welfare Board and the need for long-term sustainability for welfare services across the UK.
But that was just the start. Lots else has happened this year for the Board, not least securing partnerships with those in the sector who sponsored our prestigious Annual Award, which was re-imagined this year and resulted in a record number of nominations, and our Port Welfare Conference. Our 15 Port Welfare Committees, and a National Seafarers’ Welfare Board in Gibraltar, have gone from strength-to-strength with a combined membership of 380 people. Each committee acts as an information, communication and networking channel between local members and the Board. Following the departure of Susan Atkinson, we are delighted that Alex Houghton, who worked for a Southampton MP for nine years, joined as a Port Welfare Committee Manager.
Next year will also mark a new era with two new starters in Hollie Harbinson as Executive Assistant and Gemma Watton joining our media team as Digital Marketing Officer. There continue to be exciting times ahead for the Board.
There have been a whole host of standout moments from the year and here are some of the highlights:
- Working with ABP to extend the voluntary welfare levy to its network of 21 ports across the UK
- Funding a number of projects to improve welfare including the refurbishment of seafarer centres
- Securing three sponsors and an annual awards sponsor for our Port Welfare Conference for the first time in our history
- Hosting a dedicated session on welfare at the APPG and securing a meeting with the Maritime Minister
- Establishing the National Port Welfare Forum, bringing PWC chairs together to share experiences
- Welcoming Captain Sir Ian McNaught, the former Deputy Master of Trinity House, as our new President
- Celebrating the success of our trustee Louise Sara who received a Merchant Navy Medal for services to welfare, safety, diversity and inclusion
- Developing a new training platform for the Ship Welfare Visitor Course, which will go live in the new year
- Growing our network by welcoming four new constituent members
This year is also tinged with sadness as we lost our Patron John Prescott. He died in November after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Lord Prescott served us formidably well over the nine years as Patron and I’d like to thank him for everything he did for us and the sector – he was a true giant of politics.
And finally, I’d like to place on record a huge thanks to our long-serving trustee Mark Dickinson, who has stepped down as Vice Chair after two decades with the Board. His expertise and presence will be hugely missed. I’d like to thank all of our dedicated trustees and our chair, Capt. Andrew Cassels, for their support.
So, as we say farewell to 2024, I would like to finish by thanking you for your support and wishing you a very happy, healthy and safe Christmas. As ever, tens of thousands of seafarers will be working tirelessly over the festive period to deliver Christmas and will be spending many months away from their loved ones – and they are in our thoughts.
I look forward to achieving great things with you next year.
In the meantime, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
With best wishes,
Stuart Rivers
Chief Executive
