A service is being held on Sunday 10 May for members of the fishing community, their families and friends to honour fishermen from North Shields and beyond who have been lost at sea.
One of many around the country to mark National Fishing Remembrance Day, this will take place at 2pm at the Fiddler’s Green Fishermen’s Memorial, Clifford’s Fort, North Shields Fish Quay.
The remembrance day is organised through a partnership between the Fishermen’s Mission, The Seafarers’ Charity, Stella Maris, Seafish, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
At North Shields, groups taking part alongside the Fishermen’s Mission, will include Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), a charity that has supported seafarers and fishers worldwide since 1920, the Association of Retired Fishermen and the North Shields Fishermen’s Heritage Project. The Rev Kim Wears, whose late father was a fisherman, will be in attendance and sea shanties will be sung by local group the ‘Mariners and Marras’.
People may bring floral displays with them and last year families also brought single roses.
Peter Dade, Area Manager, North East England Fishermen’s Mission, said: “It is so important to have this day of remembrance for the fishing community and fishing families of North Shields and the North East who have lost a loved one while working at sea.”
Marc Evans, Chief Executive of the Fishermen’s Mission said: “We are pleased this year there will be a spread of services around the UK coastline. By working closely together, we hope to reach out to those families to assure them that their loss has not been forgotten and to offer them an opportunity for reflection.
“For our fishing communities it is important that the dangers of fishing are recognised alongside the risks that are inherent in bringing in the catch. As an island nation, fishing is an important part of our history and culture, which we both celebrate and commemorate.”
Fishing remains one of the most dangerous peacetime professions. Since the 1900s around 1,800 fishermen from North Shields have been lost at sea.
Further information is available on www.fishermensmission.org.uk/fishingremembranceday/
