The Seafarers Advice and Information Line (SAIL) has received an additional £30,000 from Trinity House, a prominent maritime charity. This funding will allow SAIL to hire a part-time adviser, enhancing support for seafarers and their families. Trinity House joins three other maritime charities—Seafarers Hospital Society, The Seafarers’ Charity, and Greenwich Hospital—in backing SAIL.
Emma Knight, CEO of Citizens Advice Greenwich, which operates SAIL, expressed gratitude for the funding, emphasizing its potential to assist more seafarers with issues like debt, welfare benefits, and housing. SAIL is the sole Citizens Advice service focused on the needs of seafarers and their families in the UK. Last year, it advised 1,140 individuals on over 5,300 issues, securing more than £1.4 million in financial gains for clients, with benefits and debt being the most prevalent concerns.
Rear Admiral Iain Lower CB, Deputy Master of Trinity House, highlighted the essential role of merchant seafarers, who often work under challenging conditions. He noted that SAIL’s services provide crucial support for seafarers facing similar issues to those on land, reinforcing the importance of this funding to improve their lives.
