A free confidential text service providing 24-hour mental wellbeing support for fishermen has been launched, reports Paul Scott.
The service, Shout, is designed to provide round- the-clock help for fishermen, who are often disadvantaged in accessing mental healthcare due to the nature of their work.
The initiative, a collaboration between the charity Mental Health Innovations, the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB), the Fishermen’s Mission, the Seafarers’ Hospital Society and the SeaFit programme, uses pioneering technology to provide access to mental health support.
Emma Wilson, marketing and partnerships manager at Mental Health Innovations, said: “Shout is the UK’s only free, 24/7 text support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. Thanks to more than 2,000 amazing volunteers who freely give their time to support those in distress, our service is able to run 24/7 and is open when other services aren’t available.
“Most of those who contact us feel they have no one else to turn to, and Shout is a lifeline for them in their moment of need. We’re extremely pleased to be partnering with SeaFit to ensure that fishermen, who find many traditional health services inaccessible, will know about our anonymous and non-judgemental support.”
Sharon Coveney, deputy chief executive at the MNWB, said that commercial fishing can be a dangerous industry at the best of times. “Fishermen have long and antisocial working hours and constantly face financial pressures, which can affect their mental health.
“With that in mind, we are delighted to support this project to provide a much- needed service to active and retired fishermen who may be experiencing mental health challenges.”
SeaFit programme manager Carol Elliott said: “We have wonderful counsellors specialising in supporting fishermen, Fairwinds in Cornwall and Fishwell in Norfolk and Suffolk, but we also needed to find a way of reaching other areas.
“Shout enables us to provide 24/7 free support using a confidential service – although some mobile networks may charge for texts.”
If you are feeling anxious, stressed or depressed, you can text ‘FISH’ to 85258 for confidential support at any time of day or night.
After receiving four automated messages, you will be connected with a trained Shout volunteer, who will listen without judgement to whatever is troubling you.
This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.30 here.
