Care packages support vulnerable seafarers during pandemic

Many of the seafaring community who are responsible for delivering over 95 per cent of Australia’s food and materials have been away from their families for over 12 months due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Being unable to obtain shore leave, see their loved ones or purchase basic essentials due to strict legislation, has taken a toll on the mental health of crew members.
To boost morale, we have been working hard to provide welfare packages, including hygiene products and entertainment items, to these crews.
Each week local volunteers put together care packages with items sourced through donations or purchased directly by the centre and deliver them to the docked vessels in Gladstone Harbor.
Our job has been made a little easier with a recent donation of over $69,000 worth of products including hand sanitizer and wipes from Good360 and Dettol Australia.
Gladstone Seafarers Centre Manager Melinda Anderson said showing our care and appreciation for the work that seafarers do is so important.
The donation from Dettol has allowed our team of volunteers to provide crew members with hygiene essentials that they wouldn’t have otherwise had access to,
With the crew living onboard in tight quarters, the provision of essential hygiene products has made a significant impact, enhancing health and hygiene standards, and promoting the safety of the crew in their living environment.
Thank you to Good360 and Dettol Australia for your generosity