PRAYERS will be said at Felixstowe for the seafarers of the world as the town marks national Sea Sunday this weekend.Clergy based at the Felixstowe Seafarers' Centre will celebrate the day and lead prayers to give thanks for the maritime community.

PRAYERS will be said at Felixstowe for the seafarers of the world as the town marks national Sea Sunday this weekend.

Clergy based at the Felixstowe Seafarers' Centre will celebrate the day and lead prayers to give thanks for the maritime community.

The centre, an ecumenical Christian seafarers' mission and welfare centre, is based in the port and is supported by Anglican, Free Church, Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches in the town and around the UK.

Sea Sunday is an acknowledgement of the need to support, celebrate, pray and thank the maritime community and promote the maritime heritage of the UK, an island nation where over 90 per cent of goods are still moved by sea.

The centre provides an essential ecumenical chaplaincy team visiting the ships in port plus a welfare centre building in Dock Road to providing shelter, enable seafarers to contact families in their homeland, and have a safe place to relax.

Up to 40,000 seafarers access the centre's facilities, which are open seven days a week, each year.

Outreach ship visiting is provided to all the Haven Ports of Felixstowe, Ipswich, Mistley and Harwich every week of the year, and there is now a new drop-in centre at Ipswich docks.

Over 10,000 ships call at the Haven Ports annually, most on quick turnaround schedules

The centre minibus travels over 35,000 miles annually and carries 35,000 seafarers to and from the ships, and also trips to Felixstowe town centre.

The centre is a registered charity and is supported by volunteers, staff, the port community and local churches. It is always looking for new volunteers and financial assistance.

WEBLINKS: www.seafarerscentre-felixstowe.org.uk