The Mission to Seafarers, Victoria

News Flash: The Mission To Seafarers ANL Art Prize for 2009 is fast approaching, and we are now accepting entry applications. Click the 'ANL Art Prize' link on the left hand side to see conditions of entry and download application forms.

The Mission to Seafarers is an international mission of the Anglican Church which cares for the practical and spiritual welfare of seafarers of all nationalities and faiths.

There are 230 Mission sites around the world. In Victoria, at our 4 centres,  work is carried out by chaplains, other staff and volunteers who give freely of their time 365 days of the year.  Seafarers are visited on their ships and offered a welcome and whatever help they need. This can range from enabling them to telephone or email home, to offering comfort to the bereaved and assisting in cases of injustice.

While most seafarers are well treated, some are still abandoned in ports far from their homes, or remain unpaid or forced to work in unsafe or unacceptable conditions. In such situations, the Mission plays a vital role in providing practical care and moral support.

Here in Victoria, our staff and volunteers also manage "drop-in" centres called Flying Angel Clubs in Melbourne [map], Portland, Geelong [map] and Hastings [map] that offer a safe and secure place where seafarers can relax away from the busy-ness of their working environment, contact their families by telephone or email, and receive counselling and support.

Since our work began we have cared for well over 2 million seafarers from around the globe. During 2007, over 20,000 seafarers visited our Mission centres in Victoria. This involved more than 15,000 hours of volunteer time.