Frances Puddifer of Liverpool was a stewardess on Irish Car Ferries. Now retired, Frances was finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the stairs in her home. With a grant from three maritime charities, including one of £425 from the Society, she’s been able to install a stairlift.

Frances Puddifer says “It was the best Christmas present ever!”

Bob Mackie of Grimsby worked for 45 years a fisherman in spite of a number of accidents and the early loss of one leg. When he retired the Society gave him a grant of £1,500 towards the cost of a scooter.

Bob Mackie says “My new scooter is fantastic. I couldn’t have afforded it without the grant. Thanks to the Society I now have my independence back.”

Paul Hagan of Leicester served for 10 years with the merchant navy. After leaving, he lost his leg in an accident. A fitness fan, he became a wheelchair athlete but had to give this up too because of nerve damage.

His service at sea meant that he was able to get a £400 grant from the Seafarers Hospital Society, which he put with grants from other sources to buy a hand cycle.

Brian Broome was at sea all his working life from the age of 14, first as a merchant seaman, then as a fisherman. In 1960 he changed to mooring vessels, where he spent over 40 years mooring tankers and other large ships. He was at sea for a total of 51 years.

When he retired in 2012 he was in good health and active, but in 2016 he developed type 2 diabetes.

Stephen Astley is a line fisherman from Newlyn, locally nicknamed "Cod", who was admitted to hospital with progressive sepsis and organ failure. Luckily for Cod, his life was saved but he needed extensive surgery – both legs were amputated at the knee and he lost several fingers.

Thanks to the Society and our partners, Cod could return to fishing safely.