Reopening of the Great Yarmouth Seafarers Centre 

From Left: - Henry Cator OBE, DL, Adrian Thompson Deputy Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Jenny Thompson, Revd Peter Paine, and Catherine Spencer CEO of the Seafarers UK charity.  Maurice Gray reports. Picture credit: Maurice Gray
 

The Great Yarmouth Seafarers Centre was officially reopened on Friday 24th September 2021, on South Quay, by Catherine Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of the Seafarers UK charity.  The event was hosted by Reverend Peter Paine

 
The Great Yarmouth Seafarers Centre was officially reopened Friday 24th September 2021, at 12 midday on South Quay, hosted by Reverend Peter Paine.  Buffet lunch was provided
 
The event was also attended by the centre’s Patron, Henry Cator, OBE, DL, High Steward of Great Yarmouth and Adrian Thompson, Deputy Mayor of Great Yarmouth and his wife Jenny, plus volunteers and members of the public
 


A plaque was unveiled by Catherine Spencer, in the bathroom, toilet and laundry facility part of the centre
 
The Great Yarmouth Seafarers centre is in association with the ‘Mission to Seafarers’ and is helping seafarers who come into the Port of Great Yarmouth. Hundreds of vessels visit Great Yarmouth and surrounding areas, such as Lowestoft
 
Reverend Peter Paine, Port Chaplain, said, “In the past we have helped seafarers who were left here by their company, due to financial problems, and helped the crew by supplying food and water plus arranging and paying for fuel to allow the vessel to function with heat etc.,  until negotiations went on and eventually we helped them to return home after two and a half years”
 
Even the government looked into the harbour’s activities including various other agencies involved
 


The Centre will open 24/7 when the seafarers can get Wi-Fi to enable them to talk to families back home and have refreshments, watch television and a place to rest, from their ship, for a few hours break.  They also have someone to talk to if they have any personal problems, even on board, in various languages
 
The Centre is currently open with help from local Authorities, between 6pm and 8pm weekdays and weekends between 1pm and 3pm and Her Majesty the Queen is Patron of the National Mission to Seafarers and The Princess Royal, President

Contact Revd Peter Paine on 07788 111823 or the Centre on 01493 850270 or email the Port Chaplain:-portchaplain@keme.co.uk

credit:  pictures Maurice Gray