Maritime charity, The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, and its care home Belvedere House is thanking its supporters for all their assistance over the last 12 months against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a not-for-profit organisation, the charity relies on regular donations to help support the running of its Banstead-based care home and other associated costs such as recruitment, training and activities for residents. The Society and its specialist nursing care home, regularly receive grants from fellow maritime charities and other organisations which are essential to its financial strength.
The Society, which delivers expert care to former seafarers and their dependants – including those living with dementia – was first established in 1865 and owes much of its success to the continued support of other charities and benefactors.
Over half of all residents at the care home are self-funded, but this leaves a substantial proportion requiring additional funding to cover the actual cost of care. As the Society would never turn away a needy seafarer or dependant that required our help but had insufficient funds, and thus effectively subsidise in these instances we rely not only on our reserves but necessarily on generous grants from the many organisations like Trinity House, the Royal Navy and Royal marines Charity and Seafarers UK. These together as charities are in existence to support those from Merchant Navy, Fishing Fleets and Royal Navy backgrounds, donate annually to The Royal Alfred and upon whom we heavily rely.
Other organisations which, importantly, financially support the Society include: The Honourable Company of Master Mariners, The Merchant Navy Welfare Board and Queen Mary’s Roehampton Trust to name a few.
Chief Executive of Society, Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt, said: “Like many charities, the Royal Alfred relies on a network of supporters to enable us to continue delivering the very best care for our residents. After what has been a difficult year for many, especially charities and care homes, we want to recognise all those that have supported us in so many ways.
“Without this funding, as a ‘not for profit’ charitable Society aiming to break-even at year’s end, we simply could not deliver the high standard of care we provide for former seafarers at our flagship estate in Surrey, so we are immensely grateful to all those who have helped to support us this year and indeed those who intend to support us in the year to come.”
To find out more about the work of The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society visit the charity’s website – www.royalalfredseafarers.co.uk. For information on how you could support The Royal Alfred, visit the charity’s ‘Support Us’ page (www.royalalfredseafarers.co.uk/support-us). To keep up to date with the latest news from the Society, follow and like the official Society Twitter (@RAseafarers) and Facebook pages.
