News

Campaign to Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day

HRH The Earl of Wessex Supports Campaign to Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day, 3rd September 2015

Seafarers UK is calling on Local Authorities throughout Britain to celebrate Merchant Navy Day on 3rd September by flying the Red Ensign – the UK Merchant Navy’s official flag – on public buildings and landmark flagstaffs.

The charity’s president, HRH The Earl of Wessex, has endorsed the campaign, saying: ‘On this Merchant Navy Day, I very much hope you will support this campaign by Seafarers UK to remember the sacrifices, salute the courage and support the future of the often unsung personnel of our Merchant Navy.’

‘Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day’ is supported by the Merchant Navy Association, whose members will be invited to attend local ceremonies at 10am on Thursday 3rd September, when the Red Ensign is to be hoisted as the message of support from The Earl of Wessex is read out by civic dignitaries.

A guide to purchasing a Red Ensign and taking part on Merchant Navy Day is available to read and download at http://www.merchantnavyfund.org/merchant-navy-day/

Airports

At this time of year most people associate airports with going on holiday. For our family airports have always brought mixed emotions.
The downside is when you are driving your husband there to catch a flight to join his ship. You try to stay calm and cheerful and not think of how long it will be before you are together again. Once the check in is over you hope there will be no hold-ups as it is hard enough without any delays prolonging the agony of saying goodbye. Now I know where the saying “the long goodbye” comes from.   Once the boarding pass is in their hands their minds turn to what am I going out to, how long a handover will I get etc. Everyone is trying hard not to show that they are upset and in the end you act like you can’t wait to get rid of him!    I used to wait until the plane took off before heading home or to be truthfully, for a little bit of retail therapy! Nothing cheers you up more than a new outfit or two – then when he comes home and asks is that new? You can truthfully say no I have had that for ages! Got caught out one time as he was sent home after a few weeks – in fact he was home before the Visa bill came in!   I seem to have spent most of my married life trying to clear the Visa and lose two stones in weight before he arrived back. It has always been a running joke between us.
Then the other extreme – The Arrival.      Can you relate to the stomach churning excitement, the anticipation, the anxiety in case they missed their flight?
In the few days before they arrive home you have worked like a Trojan making the house shines like a new pin (real reason you do that is so the time passes quickly) doesn’t matter that as soon as they step in the door the place is like a disaster zone! We were always at the airport too early but it all added to the excitement. Daft thoughts run though your mind – will he recognise me, will he still find me attractive or worse will I recognise him!!   Of course all this flies out the window when you get a glimpse of him. As usual he is almost last off the plane and by this time you have convinced yourself that he missed the flight! That hello kiss and cuddle is just magical and you can’t stop grinning like a Cheshire cat – just like falling in love all over again.

Race for Life

One of our Watch Ashore members’ is doing her bit for Cancer Research.

I am running Race for Life in Scarborough on 15th July, I have set up a just giving page www.justgiving.com/yvonnewoodhouse3 and thought if anyone who knows me might like to sponsor me. I have run this race for 8 years with a friend, like hundreds of other women I feel very passionate about this race but don't usually ask for sponsors. I must admit doesn't sit too comfortably with me, people knowing I'm trying to run, but putting all that aside it's for one of the best causes I know. The camaraderie on the day the support of the crowds make me think in my head I could do a marathon, feet legs and body say don't be so bl…y daft!!

York AGM

Our Annual Meeting was attended by 40 odd members representing our branch and country membership. Members travelled from as far apart as the Scottish Highlands and Cornwall. Friday was our arrival day and our get together that evening was very relaxed and informal with lots of chat and laughter. We enjoyed a trip down memory lane with a DVD show of our 80th Anniversary celebrations followed by a very competitive Quiz. It is always good to catch up with everyone, renew old friendships and make new ones.

Saturday morning was our Business meeting and we had the pleasure of a short talk from Deanne Thomas of the Sailors Children Society. Our organisations share many common interests and it is hoped to work more closely in the future. Sue Williams of Plymouth branch was voted in as National Vice Chairman, a very popular choice. It was a very productive meeting with lots of healthy discussion on subjects such as Seafarers Wellbeing, using Social Media and promoting the Watch Ashore.

That evening we had a wine reception followed by dinner where Captain David Parsons and his wife were our guests. It was a very lively and entertaining evening and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Sunday we had an outing to Beningborough Hall and in the usual Watch Ashore luck the weather stayed dry. All too soon it was time to head back to the hotel and say our farewells until next year.

Annual Meeting

This weekend fifty of our members will be in York for our Annual National meeting.   It is always a great weekend full of fun and laughter meeting up with old friends and catching up with each others' news.   It is amazing how quickly you pick up from when you last met and soon the room is filled with chatter and laughter. It is a very informal evening and a nice way to start our weekend as many of us have travelled that day from various parts of the UK.
Saturday morning we have our general meeting when we hear about all the things that the various branches have done in the past year. We also get a report from the National Chairman telling us about the various events that she has represented us at.   All the ladies love a bit of shopping and sightseeing so we make sure that we have plenty of “free time” to enjoy the local attractions and do your own thing.   The dinner on the Saturday evening is a bit more formal in as much as we have a wine reception beforehand and usually a guest speaker. The formality doesn’t stop the fun and laughter and the comments we always get from guests is that they have never met such a happy group.
We do enjoy getting together and these annual weekends are such an important part of maintaining this friendship and support for each other. We are all very individual with different likes and dislikes but what we have in common is the seafaring bond and it is just lovely to be with people who are in a similar situation. It is like having “me time” where you can just relax in nice surroundings with good company – not forgetting a bottle of wine or two!
If you think this circle of friendship and support is for you then please get in touch we would be delighted to meet you.   You can send in the enquiry/contact form and we will respond within 24hrs and if you are near York this weekend why not come and meet us.

Communication

~~A very important part of life for a seafaring family is communication, whether it is talking to each other, through email or phone calls. When my husband was at sea, we didn’t have access to email and phone calls were via satellite and only used on special occasions.   We did use mobiles but that became so expensive (some months our bill was hundreds of pounds, and when you hear their voice you don’t think of how much it is costing) Now that wasn’t in the dark ages but communications have came a long way with nearly everyone having a Smartphone, I pad etc so people are more or less used to instant contact.
Reverting back to pre – instant communication, I loved my letters and there was something magical about getting a bunch of letters at the one time. My husband numbered the back of the envelopes so I would know in what order to read them, and I kept all his letters until he arrived home on leave. When our children came along they too got their postcards and letters. Depending on where the ship was going sometimes you could have four to six weeks between letters. That’s when you re read the previous ones time and time again. We did have a lovely collection of stamps and our geography did improve!   My husbands’ trips were usually for six months and if the ship was on a set run I had the proposed dates and agents addresses of where to send his mail. This is when the numbered letters were practical – sometimes the mail would miss him and poor soul had to hope that the agent would forward it to the next port. Not all countries had an efficient postal service!   My husband changed shipping companies and although his trips weren’t much shorter – this time his mail went via the office in Southampton and they forwarded it with the company’s mail.   When we were able to email (via the ship) I felt as if we had lost some of the intimacy that you get in letters. Oh you could still say how much you loved and missed them and give them all the family news but the very personal stuff you didn’t express.
Now with younger seafaring families they (not all) can have access to Skype, email and phone calls and does it make life any easier? Sometimes you can get frustrated with poor connections, or feel as if they have sounded uninterested in your conversation, get annoyed if they seem to be enjoying themselves too much!   A very positive side I have seen is that when my son in law was working in India for a month, my grandchildren spoke to him via Skype every evening, and although they missed him greatly, they coped very well and he still felt involved in their everyday life.
So you see no matter which method is available to you, keep communicating and remember to say how much you love and miss them.