Generous donation to Sailors’ Society for overseas transport
Date: 23.06.09 Generous donation to Sailors’ Society for overseas transport Pacific Basin Shipping provides minibuses in Manila for visiting seafarers A generous donation from Pacific Basin Shipping has allowed international seafaring charity, Sailors’ Society, to provide minibuses in the busy port of Manila, Philippines for visiting seafarers. Pacific Basin is funding the capital purchase and running costs of the buses for five years. The buses will ferry seafarers from the docks to the Seafarers’ Centre and to central Manila. Seafarers often only call at ports for a limited amount of time and the minibuses will provide access for the seafarers to phone their loved ones and pick up supplies for their long trips. Seafarers can be at sea for up to 12 months at a time and many are from developing countries, whose extended families rely on their support as their only source of income. Jan Webber, Director of Fundraising and Marketing for the Sailors’ Society, based in Southampton, UK, explained: “We are really grateful to Pacific Basin for their support and as a sign of that appreciation the company logo features on the newly-purchased minibuses. We know that the support is part of their corporate and social responsibility programme, which they take very seriously, and we urge any companies looking to do something similar to please get in contact. “As well as the obvious benefits to seafarers’, there is also the reward of visible recognition of the generosity. Sailors’ Society is currently expanding its work throughout South America and we particularly need minibuses in Brazil, where we have a lot of work to do.” Anyone interested in potentially sponsoring minibuses, or would like to get involved in another way should contact Helen Alexander, Trust and Corporate Fundraiser on +44 (0)23 8051 5959 or email halexander@sailors-society.org Ends Words: 275 Image: Left to right – Captain Wilson Noronha (Pacific Basin Manila), Revd Nicodemus Tuban (Sailors’ Society Port Chaplain in Manila), Captain Juan Carranza (Crewing Manager for Pacific Basin Manila) and Revd Jasper Del Rosario (Sailors’ Society Port Chaplain Subic Bay / Olongapo). Notes to Editors: The Sailors' Society is an inter-denominational charity which replaces isolation with belonging amongst seafarers throughout the world. Through a network of Port Chaplains and Seafarers’ Centres, operating in 30 countries in almost 100 Ports, the Society aims to enhance and enrich the lives of the 1.2million seafarers who often lead dangerous and lonely lives at sea, many miles from home. The Port Chaplains visit thousands of ships every year, directly addressing the needs of seafarers - irrespective of a person’s belief or nationality. A reassuring presence for both current and retired seafarers and their families, the Society offers practical help, which can be as little as the resource to contact loved ones after months away, to spiritual assistance and counselling in times of need. Port Chaplains focus on improving the quality of seafarers’ lives, as well as maintaining vital links within the Ports that they operate. For more information, please visit www.sailors-society.org, or contact Debbie Osborne at Logical Creative Marketing on: 0845 345 69 69 or email: debbie@lcm.co.uk