Last week Rebecca Harris MP for Castle Point met seafarers at Tilbury docks and heard about the work of local maritime charity Sailors’ Society.

She was shown around by the charity’s Tilbury port chaplain Frans Sahetapy, and also visited the seafarer centre. Rebecca also met the Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest who are the Seamen’s Mission of the Methodist Church.

Rebecca commented: “People rarely stop to think about the thousands of seafarers who come in and out of Tilbury port, transporting around 90% of the goods we buy and use day to day.

“Seafarers have a tough but important job, and I’m grateful to Frans for taking me on a ship visit and showing me the invaluable welfare work Sailors’ Society provides to seafarers visiting Tilbury.”

Frans said: “It was a pleasure to take Rebecca around the port and tell her about Sailors’ Society’s work, both here in the UK and around the world.”

Sailors’ Society was founded on 18 March 1818 to minister to the needs of destitute seafarers returning home from the Napoleonic Wars.

The charity, which is based in Southampton, now works in 29 countries around the world.

It aims to transform the lives of seafarers and their families at home, in port and at sea through the delivery of chaplaincy, education and the relief of poverty and distress.