“If I could hug you right now, I would!”
Those are the words of Jamie*, a fisherman from Northeast England. He is putting his troubled past behind him to rebuild his life with the support of Peter Dade, our Area Manager for Northeast England.
Life can hit fishermen like Jamie hard
Life became suddenly overwhelming for Jamie when a difficult domestic situation left him
homeless. He was relying on his friends for a spare floor or sofa to sleep on.
“Jamie struggled to get out fishing,” recalls Peter. “He had hit rock bottom.”
Taking the first step
Jamie had been fishing in the area for years, so Peter knew him well. Jamie also remembered how we had supported him in the past and thankfully reached out to Peter for help.
Using our network of local connections to explore housing possibilities, Peter got to work.
“Winter was fast approaching, and Jamie faced the very real prospect of living on the streets,” says Peter.
Luckily, we found accommodation for Jamie. He finally had a roof over his head.
More than a home
Four solid walls and a roof were just the beginning for Jamie. Through grants from several of our maritime charity partners, Jamie was able to buy furniture to make his house a home.
“Getting housed and then setting up home meant everything,” says Jamie. “I’m now back at sea fishing again and have real hope for the future.”
Getting fishermen back at sea, stronger than ever
“The Fishermen’s Mission have given me a firm footing to rebuild not only my career but my life. I can’t thank Peter enough”
Jamie is just one of hundreds of fishermen Peter and the rest of us at the Fishermen’s Mission have worked with. Your support can make a real difference in the lives of people like him.
*Name has been changed for privacy reasons.
