May 21, 2024
Marking The First National Fishing Remembrance Day
Sunday 12 May, 2024 saw the very first National Fishing Remembrance Day with 24 events at fishing communities around the UK. These were unique and special services with thoughtful and touching contributions led by staff from the Fishermen’s Mission and Stella Maris and attended by so many people working in the fishing sector, as well as families which have been touched by loss, along with members of the search and rescue community, including RNLI, HM Coastguard, and NCI.
National Fishing Remembrance Day 2024 Services
Click the button below to access a slideshow with photos from some of the lovely services which took place on the day
On Thursday, 16 May, The Seafarers’ Charity and Seafish, as co-sponsors, held a special evening event to mark the first National Fishing Remembrance Day onboard the Cutty Sark in Maritime Greenwich. Representatives of the UK fishing industry, charities, and government officials shared an evening that was made extra special by the beautiful and emotional music of Reg Meuross and a performance of "12 Silk Handkerchiefs," which tells the story of Dr. Brian Lavery's Headscarf Revolutionaries who campaigned to improve fishing safety. Many tears were shed as the audience listened and heard the story, many for the first time.
"12 Silk Handkerchiefs” onboard the Cutty Sark
Click the button below to access the Facebook album with all the photos from the event
The event was part of The Seafarers' Charity's commemoration of #NationalFishingRemembranceDay. It was an opportunity for our Chair Paul Butterworth AFNI to publicly thank the many fabulous staff and volunteers from The Fishermen's Mission and Stella Maris who gave their time on Sunday 12 May to deliver poignant remembrance services around the UK. It was also a chance to thank so many people who work in UK fishing who have given so much time and effort over the years to improve fishing safety. Many of these organisations are our delivery partners who work so hard to support people working in the UK's fishing industry. As well as Fishermen's Mission and Stella Maris we also had staff and trustees onboard from Fishing into the Future, Seafarers Hospital Society, Sailors' Children's Society, The Fishmongers' Company, NFFO, CHIRP Maritime, SAIL and Fishing Animateurs.
“I felt genuinely seen and appreciated for the first time” one fisherman said and there were many tears during the moving performance which took place in the beautiful space below the suspended copper clad hull of the Cutty Sark.
Everyone in the audience was enthralled by a story from our fishing history which many had never heard before.
So many people have worked hard to make this first National Fishing Remembrance Day happen and we also have a big thank you to Seafish for co-sponsoring the performance and to Royal Museums Greenwich for their partnership in allowing us to enjoy the Cutty Sark as a very special venue for this event.
In 2025 the National Fishing Remembrance Day will take place on Sunday 11 May.
