Stella Maris is delighted to announce the blessing and opening of the new Stella Maris Southampton Seafarers’ Club on 26 November.
The new centre, managed by our Southampton and Southern Ports regional port chaplains Charles Stuart and Gregory Hogan and their team of fantastic volunteers, will provide a much needed warm and welcome haven for seafarers, as well as a hub for all charity ship visiting volunteers. A real home away home!
Seafarers can use the free Wi-Fi, get free hot beverages, watch TV, play pool and contact loved ones back home. Crews can also spend their time ashore visiting nearby shops, food outlets, supermarkets and bureau de change, all within a few minutes’ walk from the Seafarers’ Club. St. Joseph’s Church, located next door to the Club, offers seafarers in need of spiritual nourishment a space for quiet prayer and reflection.
The Seafarers’ Club is the culmination of an 18-month collaborative venture with the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB), The Seafarers’ Charity, The Mission to Seafarers and the Seamen’s Friendly Society of St Paul.
It was an honour to have the Club blessed by Bishop Phillip Egan, Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth and a formal ribbon cutting ceremony by all representatives from the maritime welfare charities directly involved.
