Continuing our links with Mission to Seafarers, Kate, Port Chaplain in Southampton was then given the opportunity to come to the Falkland Islands to help Leeann and see how things are done at the other end of the world.

Although it was our quiet time Kate got a flavour of what we do and what we have to offer our Seafarers, where here they are mainly Fishermen.

The first thing she did was the Park Run! After that we did a lovely visit to the Lilibet the Government Fisheries Patrol Vessel.

We had a good chat with a couple of the crew about what they do in Falklands Waters and what they then do in their time off. There is a mix of nationalities on the boat as with most vessels around our waters, but they all work well together.

Kate was impressed with our Mission Centre which is very extensive and has accommodation which is obviously not offered in Southampton, but the difference is we wait for the ship’s crews to come to us so we can have up to 60 plus in the Mission at one time trying to connect to the Internet to talk to families, relax, watch some football on the TV, play pool, or just chill on their phones with a hot drink and a snack. One thing Kate did take away with her was the popular home made goodies by Debbie, she thought she might try and introduce that into the small centre in Southampton.

We had various jobs for Kate around the Mission – sorting clothes into packs in case any crew arrived with no luggage it is easier to grab if it is in sizes. Any spare is sorted and put out in baskets for them to help themselves.

We then dropped our mini bus to Mare Harbour so that the crew of HMS Medway could use it to get into Town of an evening or just up to top camp.

We have a great relationship with the Medway crew and they have helped the Mission in return with some jobs but that is for another article.

We did have some crew in the Mission one day who wanted a lift up to the Supermarket and Kate jumped at the chance to help with and drove them all the way back to their vessel as they had quite a load of cases of coke. This is what she does a lot of in Southampton.

I think she made friends for life.

After she returned to Southampton Kate summed up her visit by saying this:

Now, back in Southampton and with the added workload of Sea Sunday, the Falklands seems a distant memory. But it is a happy and instructive one that I will never forget both from a personally and professionally. Thank you to the Lighthouse for such a wonderful opportunity – I am so pleased I didn’t chicken out!

Also having been told there would be little to no wildlife around as it was the wrong time of year, she saw an amazing amount, including mating Whales.

Having a connection and putting faces to names helps us all to work better for our Seafarers as they are from all corners of the world and travel to all ports around the world.