Veterans Outreach Support is thrilled to announce that it has become an official member of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB).
The Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) is a UK-based charity that serves as the umbrella organisation for maritime welfare services. Its mission is to improve the lives of merchant seafarers, fishers, and their dependants by raising welfare standards and supporting charities that care for them.
VOS joins the MNWB to increase its advocacy and improve the lives of Merchant Navy Veterans and their families, who it has supported since 2008.
Ian Millen, Veterans Outreach Support CEO says:
“Veterans Outreach Support is proud to join this remarkable organisation, steadfast in its commitment to seafarers. This partnership marks a significant milestone for our charity, enabling us to collaborate with the Merchant Navy Welfare Board and draw on their extensive maritime expertise and support. We are delighted to be welcomed alongside other charities and organisations dedicated to improving the lives of seafarers and Merchant Navy veterans worldwide.
As a veteran of the Falklands Conflict in 1982, I know how the bravery of our Merchant Navy seafarers was critical to the successful outcome – a fact our founders recognised when VOS was established in 2008. We also recognise the critical role that MN seafarers have played in two World Wars and so many other operations. We look forward to working closely with the MNWB in support of all who served under the ‘Red Duster’.”
Stuart Rivers, MNWB CEO, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Veterans Outreach Support as a member of the Board. Their dedication to supporting Merchant Navy veterans and their families reflects the very values we uphold—collaboration, care, and commitment to those who have served at sea.
“By working together, we can strengthen the network of welfare services that our delivered to seafarers. VOS is our 48th member and we are delighted to be working with this organisation.”
MNWB provides grants, specialist support, and a dedicated referral service, manages Port Welfare Committees across the UK, and promotes collaboration among welfare organisations. Appointed as the UK’s National Seafarers’ Welfare Board, it works in line with international conventions to ensure that seafarers’ welfare needs are met effectively and inclusively.
