MNWB Annual Awards

About the awards

Since 1988, the MNWB has awarded an ‘Annual Award for Services to Seafarers’ Welfare’ to individuals who have provided an exceptional level of welfare service to seafarers and fishers, either in a voluntary or professional capacity. In 2024, the awards were reimagined to recognise more unsung heroes in the maritime charity welfare sector with the introduction of five categories.

Volunteer of the Year
Team Member of the Year
Lifetime Achievement Award
Most Collaborative Organisation
Innovation Award

All nominations must have a history of making a positive and proactive contribution to the welfare of seafarers.

Nominations for 2025 are now OPEN.

The deadline to get your nominations in is 31st July 2025!

Nomination Guidance Nominations Open

2024 Recipients

2024 – Edward Watts (Innovation Award)

2024 – Maria Dixon (Lifetime Achievement Award)

2024 – Sam Cowan (Lifetime Achievement Award)

2024 – Daniel Barrett on behalf of SAIL (Most Collaborative Organisation Award)

2024 – Joe O’Donnell (Team Member of the Year Award)

2024 – Frans Sahetapy (Team Member of the Year Award)

2024 – Susan Newcombe (Volunteer of the Year Award)

2024 – Vincent Bick (Volunteer of the Year Award)

Roll of Honour

2024
Innovation Award: Edward Watts (Chair/Centre Manager of the Mission to Seafarers branch in Newport)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Maria Dixon (CEO ISM Shipping Solutions) and Sam Cowan (Port Chaplain at Seafarers’ Christian Friends Society)
Most Collaborative Organisation Award: SAIL
Team Member of the Year: Joe O’Donnell (Senior Area Port Chaplain Stella Maris) and Frans Sahetapy (Port Chaplain at Sailors’ Society)
Volunteer of the Year: Susan Newcombe (MNWB Volunteer Consultant) and Vincent Bick (Chairman Care Ashore)

2023
Mr Robert Campbell, Caretaker / Volunteer, Northern Ireland Fishermen’s Mission
Mr Sandy Nairne, Deputy Chair, Seafarers’ Hospital Society
Ms Paula Daly, Mission Area Officer, The Fishermen’s Mission
Sister Mary Scholastica, Nun-in-charge / Stella Maris, Welfare of seafarers at the Seamen’s Centre Port of Sunderland

2022
Mrs Debbie Lake, Lighthouse Seafarers Mission, Falkland Islands
Mr Mick Howarth, Nautilus Welfare Fund, Mariners’ Park

2021
Mr Jake Pass, The Mission to Seafarers, Humber

2020
Ms Jane Davies, Mariners’ Park Care Home and Nautilus Care
Mr John Attenborough, The Mission to Seafarers, Southampton

2019
Revd Peter Paine, The Mission to Seafarers, Great Yarmouth.

2018
Mrs Ina Bruce, The Watch Ashore, Glasgow
Mr Alwyn Bamford, The Mission to seafarers, Port Talbot

2017
Miss Alexe Finlay, The Mission to Seafarers, South Tees

2016
Revd Frans Sahetapy, Sailors’ Society
Mrs Susan Newcombe, Merchant Navy Welfare Board

2015
Mr Drew Anderson, Sailors’ Society/Church of Scotland
Superintendent Keith Dickson, The Fishermen’s Mission, Newlyn
Miss Dianne Erskine, The Mission to Seafarers, South Shields

2014
Revd Howard Drysdale, Aberdeen Seafarers’ Centre
Mr Tony McAvoy, Apostleship of the Sea, Teesside

2013
Mrs Elaine Elliott, The Mission to Seafarers, Fowey
Mr Frank Welsh, RMT

2012
Mrs Penny Phillips, The Mission to Seafarers, Falmouth

2011
Superintendent Geoff Chandler, The Fishermen’s Mission
Mr Robert Goldwin MBE, Mediterranean Mission to Seafarers

2010
Mr Trevor Goacher, MSWMS Springbok
Mrs Helen Roth, Nautilus Welfare Fund

2009
Reverend Canon Bill Christianson, The Mission to Seafarers
Mrs Gladys Eaton, The Mission to Seafarers