As Christmas approaches, we’ve been reflecting on a line from a poem by Christina Rossetti, written in 1885. The final verse reads:
Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
Rossetti’s words remind us that love and compassion are things we can share every day. They are also at the very heart of everything we do here at the Fishermen’s Mission.
Christmas is often a time when people think about helping others, especially those who may be facing difficult circumstances. Across the UK, many fishing families are dealing with real hardship this winter. Rising costs, unpredictable work, and the risks that come with fishing can quickly leave families struggling when something goes wrong.
We recently supported a fisherman who was injured in an accident at sea. Unable to work, he suddenly found himself struggling to provide even the basics for his family. At one point, things became so desperate that he had to scrape the fish bones used as bait in his lobster pots to find something to put on the table.
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were able to step in and help his family through that incredibly difficult time.
You can hear more about his experience in his own words in the video below:
Stories like this are a reminder of why support for fishermen and their families matters so much. Every act of kindness, every donation, and every message of encouragement helps us continue our work supporting fishermen’s welfare around the coast.
Merry Christmas from Fisherman’s Mission
From all of us at the Fishermen’s Mission – our team and the fishermen and families we serve – thank you for standing with fishing communities and showing such generosity to others.
We wish you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
