The Mission to Seafarers (formerly, The Missions to Seamen) is an internationalAnglican mission servingmariners and sailors throughchapels in over 300 portsaround the world. Its formal creation was in 1856 through the Church of Englandalthough the Mission had its roots in the earlier work of an Anglican priest, John Ashleywho in 1835 he was on the shore at Clevedon with his son who asked him how the people on Flat Holm could go to church. For the next three months Ashley voluntarily ministered to the population of the island. From there he recognised the needs of the seafarers on the four hundred sailing vessels in the Bristol Channel and created the Bristol Channel Mission. He raised funds and in 1839 a specially designed mission cutter was built with a main cabin which could be converted into a chapel for 100 people.
The organisation adopted an angel as its symbol in 1858. The name change to Mission to Seafarers occurred in 2000.
The Patron is Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The Secretary General is the Revd Tom Heffer . The organisation's offices are inLondon.
