A charity which supports current and former fishermen is in town today to raise awareness of the help available while raising money to support their work… Express took a closer look at what they do.
The Channel Islands branch of the Fishermen’s Mission will be on Brook Street todfay between 10am and 3pm, selling Christmas cards, calendars and more, as well as offering a friendly ear.
Express previously caught up with the team to learn more about what they do…
“When Mick lost his life, it rippled across the whole community”
Ms Hamlett is the Mission Area Officer for the South East of England and the Channel Islands.
Her background means she has an affiliation with the sea and experience in the third sector.
“I was born in Hastings, which is a fishing village, but I didn’t have anything to do with fishing then because I was too young so I’m new to fishing.
“I was in the third sector for very many, many years, but nothing to do with fishing. What I have learned in this community is this feeling of belonging is embedded in them.
“When Mick [Jersey skipper Michael Michieli] lost his life [when the L’Ecume II trawler sank after colliding with the Commodore Goodwill in December 2022], it rippled across the whole community, and it still is. And unfortunately, there’s one tragedy a month across the fishing industry. It’s the most dangerous peacetime occupation. Unfortunately, there are lots of fatalities and injuries out there.”
One of the ways Ms Hamlett and the wider team at The Fishermen’s Mission can support sea workers is through financial support when those tragedies occur, and sign post to other organisations for specific support that may be needed.
“But what we do is so much wider than that,” she said.
“All about keeping that communication going”
“It’s a lot of talking and sharing photographs. I have my dog in my office, and very often she comes and sits here, and so very often some fishermen have dogs so they all send me pictures of dogs or anything like that because they get to know that’s what you like to hear. And they send me pictures of them on the boat and things like that. And that again, that’s all about keeping that communication going.”
While the talking and listening is vitally important to so many people, Ms Hamlett explained that support is offered in other ways too.
Fishermen can also access medical treatment through the charity, and Ms Hamlett knows there are fishermen who need this support in the Channel Islands and she’s hoping to help them.
“When I started I was tasked with building on [past relationships with Jersey fishermen] and coming across to all of the Channel Islands, because the industry is in a very strange place at the moment, and also with the cost of living.
“We know that there’s lots of fishermen, retired fishermen, former fishermen and fishermen’s families who are struggling.
“I came over initially during the middle of [2023] and met with the same people that my colleague had met with before to highlight what we do and then we came back in September to Jersey, and we brought with us a Dentaid van, which is a mobile dental unit, which has everything within it that you can possibly imagine. They do X rays, they do fillings, they do extractions, and they also do a cancer screening.”
“…We were there for a couple of days, and we saw about 30 fishermen and family, which was fantastic. That gave us a good baseline to build on their needs and how we can support them.
“So, we’re now looking at the success of Jersey and I wanted to look into the other islands, and see what other fishing associations there are.
“I know that there’s fishermen in all of the islands, including Alderney, and I’m trying to connect as much as I can to them to make sure they know what we can do.”
Real stories from the sea…
“He only saw his children twice a month”
I received a call from a fisherman who was extremely low and tearful.
He only saw his children twice a month, and the next visit was just a few days away.
His daughter would be 13 and he had not fished due to boat repairs.
He couldn’t afford a gift for her birthday, and he was feeling sick with guilt. I gave him an Amazon voucher, and he cried with relief and gratitude.
“He was happy as long as he could fish”
A fisherman in his seventies had fished since he was 13.
He now lived in a motor caravan in his friend’s garden.
He had lost his wife, home, and land life, but was happy if he could just carry on fishing. He was, however, getting cold at night, so we talked a lot over coffee.
In the end, he just wanted some gas for his heating. Other than that, he was happy as long as he could fish.
“A cause of comfort”
Two young fishermen lived with their mum. They had no other family nearby, and she suddenly died. They were lost, confused and concerned.
I met them, I listened and talked them through the funeral process and preparations.
I also secured them some money towards her funeral and I was a cause of comfort for a time before they were able to cope.
“He had been offered a detox programme”
A fisherman called me to chat. He had been offered a detox programme but couldn’t attend as he needed to fish to pay his bills, I worked out a grant proposal and secured the money he needed to pay his bills and the fuel to attend the programme.
He has been dry ever since and has gained more time with his son.
“He looks forward to his call every week”
A fisherman who dedicated his life to fishing knew everyone and every way of fishing. Sadly, he suddenly lost his sight and with that, his fishing and his fishing life.
He now likes to chat with me every month or so to find out what’s happening out there.
I put him in touch with an active fisherman, and he looks forward to his call every week and their conversations.
Head to the charity’s Facebook page for more information.
This article first appeared in Bailiwick Express Guernsey, and you can read the full version here.