Sailors’ Society

Who we are:

Founded in 1818, Sailors’ Society is one of the largest welfare charities in the world with its head office in Southampton.  Sailors’ Society is a personal lifeline for seafarers on board ship and when they step ashore in port.  This is a special year for us as we join the Queen in celebrating her Platinum Anniversary – the Queen has been a Patron of our charity since she ascended the throne.

We have a presence in ports across the UK.  We provide practical support e.g. providing access to wi-fi to enable seafarers to contact loved ones, free transport to shops (where crew cannot leave their vessels we do shopping for them and deliver to their vessel) and medical appointments.  We visit the sick and dying and support their families.  We offer emotional support and all aspects of wellbeing and provide continuity of care as crew move from port to port.  We have a Crisis Response Network providing a rapid response trauma care and counselling service.  We also provide welfare grants to those in financial need.

Why run for us:

Seafarers make huge sacrifices to bring us the things we rely on every day.  Seafarers leave their homes and loved ones for up to a year at a time.  They miss births and Christmases, first steps and funerals, to work long shifts, spending 24 hours a day with the same small group of colleagues.

We all rely on seafarers; seafarers rely on us.  Hidden behind port walls or away at sea, most of us don’t give these men and women a second thought.  But this invisible workforce is vast – 1.6 million seafarers – and so is its impact on our lives.  More than 90 per cent of everything we use is brought to us by sea: our phones, our cars, our cups of coffee, even the bricks that make up our homes.  During Covid, life-saving medical equipment for hospitals and surgeries came through the port of Southampton – seafarers have been designated by the UK Government as keyworkers of the sea.

Seafarers have one of the most dangerous occupations in the world.   And the dangers they face can be huge – violent storms, accidents, even pirate attacks. The isolation, shift work, and anxiety about family back home can take a harsh toll on their mental health.  An estimated 1 in 4 seafarers suffers from depression and suicide rates within the community is more than 6 times higher than the UK national average.  With your help we can continue to support seafarers and their families here in Southampton and across the globe.

How can I run for Sailors Society?

If you’d like to run to help support this brilliant local charity then simply sign up via our website or email any questions to [email protected]