Like many organisations the Watch Ashore has had to cancel/postpone planned meetings and events. One such event is our National AGM although we are disappointed at not seeing our friends we will be keeping in touch with each other some via Seafarers’ link others through emailing, facebook and other social media apps. Seafaring families are resilient at the best of times and now more than ever we will support each other.
The first Bon Voyage evening of 2020 was held last month in the Riverside Campus of the City of Glasgow College. We are delighted that the college continues to fund these events and the evenings would not be possible without the support from the various people who come along to share their knowledge and seafaring experience to help ease the cadets apprehension about joining their first ship. We supply information about the various maritime charities and organisations that there to help and support them if needed, encourage them to keep in touch with friends and to reach out if they are struggling. We also give them handy hints and about various apps and websites that they might find useful
Tonight’s news programme for those who couldn’t attend!
Posted by The Watch Ashore on Tuesday, 3 September 2019
On Merchant Navy Day the Princess Royal unveiled the new monument, the Watchkeeper, on Plymouth Hoe to commemorate those in the merchant navy and fishing fleets who made the ultimate sacrifice. It was a wonderful occasion and the weather was kind. Well done to all for their hard work in raising the funds and for the organisation that made the ceremony such a success. Good to see The Watch Ashore Plymouth branch Vice Chairman, Lynda making the local tv news. Looking as elegant as always.
Sue Williams, was invited as National Chairman of The Watch Ashore, to the Mansion House in London for the Annual General Meeting of Seafarers UK. It was opened by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, who then chaired the meeting. It was most interesting and she met some lovely people afterwards, all of whom were interested in the Watch Ashore and what we do.
Following on from our AGM in Hull I thought I should post something about the Business meeting where around 35 of our members attended.
Sue our Chairman told us about how successful Valerie Coleman’s MFG’s bid to the Aged Veterans fund had been. This money, just under £1million will be used for new accommodation at Mariners Park Liverpool and new research into the needs of veteran Seafarers. Watch Ashore had supported this application.
At last year’s AGM, many of our members had written to their MPs asking questions regarding British Companies using manning agencies to avoid paying National Insurance contributions. One MP in particular, gave us a comprehensive reply informing us of the reasons. We also contacted SAIL and were given good advice about pension entitlement and all this information was passed on to the member who had raised the matter for our discussion at the 2016 AGM.
Sue had also written to her MP regarding our concerns about the 6 British seamen still detained in India and had received a reply from the Government minister responsible for Asia. the government are very much monitoring the situation and are aware of the Watch Ashore concerns.
Ina Bruce from Glasgow, our social media lead, updated the meeting on the success we are achieving with both the Watch Ashore Members Group and our Facebook post which was he project that the MNWB had funded. Thanks to all those members who join in the Members Group and a reminder that if you want to join you should send a request to Ina which will enable her to put you into the closed group.
Following a proposal about what our aims should be for the future of the Watch Ashore, a lively discussion took place with many positive comments from the floor …..Food for thought … and the Executive will be following up on these suggestions.
Suzanne Spencer was presented with a gift token as an appreciation for all her work as Hon Gen Secretary. Nominations for the post was taken from the floor and Chris Rankin was voted in as the new Hon Gen Secretary.
All in an excellent meeting, well done to the Executive and we are looking forward to our 2018 AGM in Cheltenham.