Seafarers Enjoy a Warm Welcome

By Sharon Marsh
October 2004

The Lighthouse Seamen's Centre is famous for its mouthwatering, calorie-laden confections which tempt even the most determined dieter.  The food is the highlight of most people's visit to the Seamen's Centre known locally as 'the Mission' but what of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes?

The Centre was established by Mike and Kirsten Hughes in a portacabin in 1995 situated beside close to the bridge connecting FIPASS with dry land.  This humble structure was later converted into an accommodation unit when the Mission was rehoused in its present purpose-built building 7 years ago.

Ken and Mim Newton have run the establishment for the last 4 years with help from a host of volunteers.  They work full time with son Matthew also on the pay roll for a couple of hours each morning to assist with maintenance and computers.  Tanya, who recently arrived from Russia, works hard at the kitchen sink, and uses her new job to help master the english language.

The Mission's opening hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 12 to 5pm.  The Centre stays open until 9pm when there are ships in.  Next month a Chilean couple, Patricio and Carmen, will be working full time at the Mission and Mim says once she has them "trained up" opening hours may be extended.

The workings of the kitchen are a vital part of the fund-raising needed to keep the Mission up and running and providing its service to seafarers.  The Centre also relies heavily on charitable donations to keep it operational, and is particularly grateful for the support offered by Southwest Atlantic Midwinter Swim (SWAMS) and donations made on monthly basis by Seafish Falklands and FIBOW (a Seafish / Spanish joint venture company).  Fortuna fishing company and Cable & Wireless also make significant annual donations.  The Stanley based Charity Shop offers both financial support and clothing for sailors.  Mim says customers are always "very generous" and tend to pop their loose change in a donations tank on the counter.

The Mission plays a vital role in assisting seamen in difficulty.  In the event of a disaster at sea the emergency services immediately contact the Mission staff, who are essentially on call 24 hours a day.  They prepare food, clothes and look after the general welfare of the seamen which includes the provision of phone cards so families can be "contacted and reassured".  When one fishing boat sank, the British Forces assisted and kitted out 50 sailors, right down to spare socks and razor blades.  Ken and Mim, along with their helpers, more recently put together 50 kits to be stored at South Georgia; Mim commented that "... the washing and ironing seemed never ending."

The Mission also has several large 'bins' that hold clothing and footwear and these are popular with many of the less well paid fishermen who take back clothing for members of their family.  Mim said children and baby items are particularly popular.  The crews from some ships have quirky habits and 2 consolidated Fisheries ships, the Valiant and the Gambler, are known as the 'ice-cream ships' - the crew of one has been known to consume 14 litres of ice cream in one evening.

On the day I visited the Mission, I mucked in to help.  With lunch time fast approaching, Tanya had to go and collect her children, so I took over at the sink and helped in any other way I could.  The special on offer was 'fish pie a la Mim' who had improvised and changed the customary mashed potato topping to one of sliced layers of new potatoes with a crunchy cheese finish.  I hoped that it didn't prove too popular as, having enjoyed the smell of it cooking for the best part of the morning, I fancied I could see my name on one portion.  

About 22 customers arrived over the next hour, many of whom Mim spots at the entrance and has their chips in the fryer and theri favourite burger in the pan before they get to the counter to place their order.  Ken takes the orders and scribbles illegible hieroglyphic-like characters on pieces of paper which obviously mean something to Mim as everyone was happy with their meal.  I note that all customers ordered small or medium portions, and having seen the size of a medium helping of fish pie I know it would take a brave soul to attempt a large one.

The kitchen is run with military precision - Mim is captain in the kitchen, and everything is shipshape and orderly.  Being a Friday, it was not considered a particularly busy day - the weekends are hectic and up to 60 meals have been served in one day with many customers opting to dine off their laps in the reading area rather than miss out on the dish of the day.

After sampling the fish pie (as delicious as I hoped) my next task was to ice cakes ready for the weekend.  15 different types of cakes and biscuits are baked every week.  Mim said she and Ken also undertake birthday parties and entertain the children with their puppet show, providing of course that it doesn't get in the way of their regular operations.  The Mission is always open to seamen regardless of what other functions are taking place on the premises.

The trustees of the Stanley Seamen's Mission (the body which employs Ken and Mim, and oversees the running of the Lighthouse Seamen's Centre) are Keith Biles, Monseigneur Michael McPartland, Reverend Paul Sweeting, and Jackie Earnshaw who helps out on a regular basis in the kitchen.

Sharon Marsh is Deputy Editor of Penguin News but for almost 20 years was a farmer on West Falkland

First published in the Penguin News, 29 October 2004, and reproduced with the kind permission of the Editor

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