Counselling available to fishing communities across the UK
Follow the links below to find out information on the list of services available.
Location: UK wide
Website: Visit the Fisherman's Mission website
The Fishermen’s Mission will refer a fisher or member of immediate fishing family for professional counselling and cover the costs. Counselling may not always solve the problem but working it out often does and The Fishermen’s Mission will look at the cause and work out the problems with the individual. Contacting The Fishermen’s Mission is therefore a first step to getting help.
Contact The Fisherman's Mission in your local area by using the contact details below.
Northern Ireland
| Email address | Telephone number |
| IngridPerry@fishermensmission.org.uk |
|
| LesleyHammond@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0284 176 9000 |
Scotland
| Location | Email address | Telephone number |
| Aberdeen | KennyBrandle@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0122 458 4651 |
| Clyde | KarenBurston@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0129 231 6500 |
| Eyemouth | ClareMcIntosh@fishermensmission.org.uk | |
| Fife & Tayside | ColinMackay@fishermensmission.org.uk | |
| Fraserburgh | MiriamKemp@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0134 651 8388 |
| Lerwick | AubreyJamieson@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0159 569 2703 |
| North Scotland | MichaelONeill@fishermensmission.org.uk | |
| Mallaig | KarenCalder@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0168 746 2086 |
| Orkney | DavidSinclair@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0773 613 3424 |
| Peterhead | SandyGarvock@fishermensmission.org.uk | |
| Scrabster | JackieDodds@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0184 789 2402 |
| Skye | CarolJones@fishermensmission.org.uk | |
| Stornoway | WilliamMacelod@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0185 170 4424 |
| Troon | PaulaDaly@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0129 231 6500 |
North England
| Location | Email address | Telephone number |
| Fleetwood & Cumbria | GeorgeAyoma@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0125 377 2372 |
| Grimsby | SuesanBrown@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0147 235 4384 |
| Hull | SalVanBeem@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0148 232 3440 |
| North Shields | PeterDade@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0191257131 |
| North Yorkshire | RichardPashby@fishermensmission.org.uk |
Wales, The Midlands and East Anglia
| Location | Email address | Telephone number |
| Lowestoft-Norfolk-Essex | TimJenkins@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0150 256 5269 |
| North Wales | JaneDevereux@fishermensmission.org.uk | 07825 688 730 |
South of England
| Location | Email address | Telephone number |
| Brixham & Plymouth | SarahDorsett@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0180 385 9123 |
| Newlyn & Cornwall | MikeDale@fishermensmission.org.uk | 0173 636 3499 |
| South Coast England | RuthCharles@fishermensmission.org.uk | |
| Weymouth | NeilRobbins@fishermensmission.org.uk |
Location: UK wide
Contact: Email admin@seahospital.org.uk or call 020 8858 3696
Website: Visit the Seafarers Hospital Society website
Togetherall provides online support 24/7 in a safe, supportive and anonymous environment. You can access trained counsellors, a support network, self-help materials and one-to-one therapy. This is just like conventional face-to-face therapy, but it’s delivered online via webcam, audio or instant messaging.
Thanks to funding from the Seafarers Hospital Society, free support is now available to all working and retired Merchant Navy seafarers and fishers of any nationality who are based in the UK, and their families.
Location: UK wide
Contact: Stephen Maginn, email stephenmaginn@relateni.org
Website: Visit the Relate NI website
Enquire: Make an enquiry
Relate NI is working with The Seafarers Charity to provide free counselling to current and retired seafarers, fishermen and anybody that works at sea, as well their family and dependants.
No matter whether you are the skipper of a fishing vessel, or a hairdresser on a passenger ferry, as long as you work at sea we can provide 6 fully funded sessions for you, your partner, your children or the entire family together.
The confidential counselling therapy can take place in person across Northern Ireland, as well online or over the phone, depending on your preference and availability.
In order to make a self-referral for you or a member of your family, all you have to do is contact the Seafarers' Advice & Information Line (SAIL) using their online enquiry form, or using the following contact details:
Freephone Telephone Number (between 10am-4pm): 0800 160 1842 / advice@sailine.org.uk
Simply mention that you would like to avail of the free Relate NI Counselling sessions so that The Seafarers Charity can release the funding for your free counselling sessions. You won't have to discuss your personal situation or reasons for seeking counselling support to anybody other than your personal counsellor.
If you are experiencing any difficulty making a self-referral, or want to make a referral on behalf of an organisation, please email our communications & engagement officer stephenmaginn@relateni.org
Location: Cornwall
Contact: Ceri Summers, email talk@fairwindscornwall.co.uk or call 07934 720429
Website: Visit the Fairwinds Cornwall Ltd website
GetSeaFit has commissioned Fairwinds to provide free mental health and wellbeing support to the community in Cornwall.
2021 sees an exciting extension to the project delivery with a specific focus on reducing death by suicide in high-risk groups. Fairwinds is 1 of 12 projects to have been successful in securing additional funding via the Suicide Innovation grant to continue to be able to work alongside fishers across Cornwall by offering quick access to assessment, counselling, CBT, sign posting if needed and an initial emphasis on engaging with the fishing community.
Our aim being to increase port visits with other partnership agencies to promote positive wellbeing and collaborative working to the fishing community. It’s run by experienced mental health practitioner Ceri Summers, and is based at Harbourside in Wesley Place, Newlyn but can also offer phone or video consultation.
Ceri and Sarah are both therapists who work in a practical and constructive way, supporting fishers to take control, set goals and build resilience, in a way that’s right for them. As therapists they draw upon a range of evidenced based techniques to help individuals find solutions and can provide the correct level of interventions tailored specifically to the individuals needs.
If the fisher/ families needs more specialised support they will know who to refer on to ensuring a joined up approach.
Location: Norfolk and Suffolk
Contact: Email info@fishwell.org.uk or call 01284 765854
Website: Visit the Fishwell website
We offer mental health and wellbeing advice, support and signposting in Norfolk and Suffolk through a project called Fishwell which is delivered by MTICC, a social enterprise working in mental health and wellbeing in East Anglia. Fishwell engages with fishers on the quayside at a variety of locations including Lowestoft, Southwold, Dunwich, Sizewell, Thorpeness, Alderburgh, Felixstowe, Orford, Cromer, Wells-next-the-sea and King’s Lynn.