The Seafarers’ Charity is honoured to announce that His Majesty King Charles III has become our new Patron, succeeding Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This announcement was made today by Paul Butterworth, Chair of Trustees, at the charity’s Annual Meeting held at the prestigious Fishmongers’ Hall in London.
Since its inception in 1917, The Seafarers’ Charity has been supported by the Royal Family in its mission to tackle seafarer hardship in all its forms, both at sea and on land. The Charity’s first Patron, HM King George V, often affectionately known as the ‘Sailor King’ provided an establishing donation of £5,200 and helped form the King George’s Fund for Sailors. This legacy of support continued with King George VI becoming the Charity’s Patron in 1936, followed by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who served as our Patron for over 70 years and also held the appointment of Master of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets.
The Seafarers’ Charity’s Chief Executive, Deborah Layde, expressed her gratitude:
“The Seafarers’ Charity is delighted and very proud to receive Royal Patronage from His Majesty King Charles III. This wonderful news continues our 107-year tradition of having the monarch serve as our Patron.
“As the only global maritime grant-funder that supports anyone who works at sea, wherever they are and whatever their maritime profession, our continued Royal Patronage sends an important message of support to maritime welfare charities and seafarers in need and their families, recognising the many unique aspects of seafaring lives. We are very grateful to His Majesty King Charles III for extending Royal Family patronage of our Charity as we embark on an exciting new chapter in our journey to ensure seafarers can thrive.”
Injecting at least £2 million annually into supporting the safety and welfare of seafarers, The Seafarers’ Charity is at the centre of an ecosystem of support for seafarers – committed to making the whole system stronger and more resilient through its fundraising and impactful grant-making. The Charity is uniquely placed to deliver on its mission because of its scale, rich history, independence, insight, influence, strong connections within the sector, and convening power. In 2023 alone, the Charity awarded over £2.4m in funding to support a diverse range of its partner organisations to deliver vital, targeted help to over 600,000 people in need.
Reflecting on recent achievements at the Charity’s Annual Meeting, guest speakers, including Clare Scherer MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Naval Children’s Charity, Tim Hill MBE, Chief Executive of Stella Maris, and Simon Grainge, Chief Executive of ISWAN, showcased their work and highlighted their long-standing relationships with The Seafarers’ Charity and the accomplishments made possible through its funding.
The Charity would like to express immense gratitude to all the speakers, supporters, delivery partners, and The Fishmongers’ Hall for hosting the event and look forward to continuing its mission under the patronage of His Majesty King Charles III.
