FROM LIEUTENANT TO SUPERINTENDENT!

Last year became a mixture of highs and lows and as I look back I thank God for His providential care.

Early in the year I returned to officership and shortly after my Mum suffered 5 mini-strokes and remained in hospital for 3 months. I went from former to active and back to former within a few months and through doing so I struggled to find a way forward and found myself without a job. I managed to find work for a short period of time in a local church cafe and during this time I spent all my spare time completing applications and searching the web for suitable employment.

At Christmas I found myself without work and claiming job seekers. I found myself at an all time low wondering how I would survive! It wasn’t until March that things began to improve when I was offered temporary work with a Housing Association, I then went on to work in a local secondary school with young people whocould have otherwise been excluded from school. It was during this time that an advert in the paper caught my attention. The Royal National Mission To Deep Sea Fishermen were looking for a Port Welfare Officer for their Hull office. My thoughts returned immediately to my childhood and the terrible loss that my family had suffered in January 1968. My Uncle was lost at sea on a fishing trawler, St. Romanus one of three trawlers that were went down within weeks of each other. The ‘Fishermen’s Mission’ had supported my family through this difficult time along with the other families within the fishing community of Hull.

I simply knew in my heart that I had to apply, I had to give something back to this organisation that had given so much to my family. I was invited to interview, then to a second one at Head Office near Portsmouth and the rest is history. For those who are not familiar with this organisation the following is a brief description of what the Fishermen’s Mission does:
The Fishermen’s Mission fights poverty and despair in our fishing communities by providing emergency and welfare support to fishermen and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Over 13,000 men and women work in the UK's toughest and most dangerous peacetime occupation: deep sea fishing. At sea, they face death and injury on a daily basis. On land, many face insecurity and debt. And life for the 50,000 retired fishermen and their dependants is no better, with debt, inadequate pensions and scant savings meaning no respite from hardship once the fishing’s over.

I commenced my five year appointment two weeks ago and already feel very much at home. I am very fortunate to be shown ‘the ropes’ by a colleague who has worked for the Mission for 43 years, Senior Superintendent Geoff Chandler who will be retiring next month. He will be a hard act to follow, but I intend to continue building on the excellent work already established. Although there is no active fishing fleet in Hull, I am responsible for over sighting, Whitby, Scarborough, Bridlington and Filey which have fishing communities. My work in Hull is mainly welfare cases, looking after the needs of ex-fishermen, retired fishermen and widows as well as maintaining the profile of the Mission.

Just this week I have had to support the wife of a fishermen who has been involved in a serious accident while fishing off the coast of Africa. Wife and daughter are to be flown out shortly to be by his side.

I thank and praise God that I am continuing to serve Him through the Fishermen’s Mission and I feel blessed and privileged that I am part of such an organisation.

Tracey Oliver
(Former UK Territory)