Seafarers help connect the world, yet many spend months away from home and have only a short time ashore. In Immingham, QVSR Seafarers’ Centre offers them a place to rest, meet others and receive support. On 29 September, Subash Chellaiah, Executive Director of The Centre for Reconciliation (TCfR), visited the centre to meet QVSR Chief Executive Alexander Campbell and Revd Mark Hutson, the duty chaplain.
A long history of care
QVSR began in 1843 as the Wesleyan Seamen’s Mission, supporting seafarers and their families around the Port of London. Its work has grown over the generations, and QVSR now serves seafarers at several UK ports, including Immingham. Its guiding commitment is seafarers first.
Alexander has led QVSR since 2003. Over more than two decades, he has helped develop its services for seafarers and people in need of housing, while extending its support to veterans. Under his leadership, QVSR Seafarers Centres expanded to ports including Immingham.
The Immingham centre welcomes people arriving from across the world. Seafarers can enjoy refreshments, use free Wi-Fi to contact family, spend time in the recreation room or find a quiet moment in the chapel. The centre also offers a shop and transport to and from ships.
The importance of chaplaincy
For someone far from home, a chaplain can be a person who notices, listens and helps. QVSR chaplains offer pastoral care alongside practical support, such as helping seafarers reach local shops, exchange money or stay in touch with their families. They also respond to wider concerns, including isolation, health needs and difficulties on board ships, connecting people with specialist help when necessary.
During Subash’s visit, people came and went for different reasons, while others spent time talking in the café. He saw two seafarers come in for a drink, exchange money and sit for a while before asking Mark to take them shopping at Tesco. It was one glimpse of the centre’s everyday hospitality and practical care, alongside the more complex issues its team helps seafarers navigate.
A new connection across Lincolnshire
Alexander and Mark spoke with Subash about QVSR’s support for seafarers, including the wider welfare issues they may face. They also discussed QVSR’s housing work and support for veterans.
Subash shared TCfR’s work across Lincolnshire, including its connections in Grimsby. The conversation marked the beginning of a new relationship and an opportunity to explore where the organisations’ work and networks might connect.
QVSR also makes its Immingham space available to the wider community. Alongside the café, chapel and recreation room, it has spaces available to hire, including a meeting room that can accommodate around 60 people. TCfR looks forward to promoting the centre and using its facilities for suitable future activities. Other community groups interested in using the space or arranging a visit can contact QVSR to discuss what is available.
TCfR thanks Alexander and Mark for their generous welcome and for the care they offer to seafarers. This first meeting opens the way for further conversation and greater awareness of QVSR’s work across the region.
Learn more: QVSR website · Immingham Seafarers’ Centre.
For enquiries about visits, facilities or volunteering, contact the centre on 01469 574195 or at qvsrhumber@qvsr.org.uk
Glimpses of TCfR’s visit to QVSR’s Immingham Seafarers’ Centre on 29 September 2026: meeting Alexander Campbell and Revd Mark Hutson, and exploring the centre’s welcoming spaces, chapel and practical support for seafarers.
