News Release: Immediate as at 16th September 2015
Organisers, sponsors and key players celebrated the success of this year’s Pommery Dorset Seafood Festival this week by handing over a cheque for £8,000 to their Festival charity, The Fishermen’s Mission.
The eighth Pommery Dorset Seafood Festival took place over the weekend of 11th and 12th July, attracting 50,000 people with stallholders providing a mouth watering selection of tasty fish dishes, many of which used regional seafood, therefore supporting local fishing communities and fishermen.
The Fishermen’s Mission generated thousands of pounds through sale of Cook Books, Festival Raffle Tickets and ‘Albert the Fisherman Merchandise’, with help from the stand holders, demos collections and the support of Weymouth Community Volunteers this total has been achieved. Chris Hirst, Corporate Fund Raising Manger for the Fishermen’s Mission said: “We’re grateful to the Pommery Dorset Seafood Festival for continuing to support the Fishermen’s Mission, 2015’s event saw the introduction of new attractions including the Pop Up restaurant which further celebrated Seafood. We were also pleased to welcome Weymouth’s own Fishermen’s Mission Port Officer Supt. Neil Robbins who joined the Fishermen’s Mission team at the start of the summer to his first Festival as a member of the team”.
With Pommery Champagne continuing their main sponsor for the sixth year running, UK Commercial Director Sara Hicks says “for a ‘free to visit festival’, it is a pleasure and a great achievement to be able to support the Fishermens Mission and the work they do.”
Plans for next year’s event have already started and provisional dates announced as 9th and 10th July.
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NEIL ROBBINS, MISSION PORT OFFICER SUPT. NEIL ROBBINS. CHRIS HIRST, CORPORATE FUNDRAISING MANAGER, FISHERMENS MISSION. ROGER DALTON, CHAIRMAN, POMMERY DORSET SEAFOOD FESTIVAL. News release supplied by Brand Acceleration: for more information please contact Anna Wallis on 07803 180 550. Visit www.dorsetseafood.co.uk for videos and images from previous events or contact Anna Wallis above.
The Fishermen’s Mission
For the past 134 years, the Fishermen’s Mission has been supporting the work of Fishermen around the UK’s Shores. We are delighted to once again be the official charity of the Pommery Dorset Seafood Festival and hope you will visit our stand and learn about our work.
If in the meantime if you are curious about our work here is some information which may be of interest.
· Fishing is the most dangerous peace time occupation.
· Last year the Fishermen’s Mission helped Fishermen access grants in excess of £1.5 Million, this is an increase of over £719K more than the previous year.
· For many fishermen however, fishing is a way of life, handed down through the generations. The Fishermen’s Mission is the only national charity that delivers emergency response and welfare help to active and retired fishermen and their families.
· Offering immediate assistance, day or night, to the families of fishermen who have been killed or seriously injured.We currently support over 680 widows of fishermen and 272 Children.
· Caring for the survivors of fishing accidents. Helping injured or ill fishermen to secure medical help and providing emergency accommodation and food.Last year 221 fishermen were helped following an emergency at sea.
· Supporting fishermen’s families in the case of illness, distress or financial difficulties.Over £1.5 Million of financial aid was accessed for fishermen with our help.
· Alleviating loneliness by visiting retired fishermen and their families at home or in hospital.87,958 miles were travelled by Fishermen’s Mission Port Staff delivering this support, even in remote coastal areas last year.
· Offering welfare and support to overseas fishermen working in the UK fishing industry, especially those how have to live aboard boats. Providing Christian pastoral and practical help, including problems with sickness, bereavement, family difficulties.For every £1 generated we spend 88p providing our services.
www.fishermensmission.org.uk
Visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/fishermensmission
Follow us on Twitter @thefishmish Charity No: 232822 SCNO: SC039088
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