Merchant Navy Day 2023
Today, flag-raising ceremonies occurred in Glossop and Buxton to highlight and commemorate Merchant Navy Day.
The flag-raising is part of the campaign by The Seafarers’ Charity to remember the sacrifices, salute the courage and support the future of the often unsung personnel of our Merchant Navy.
It’s focused on Merchant Navy Day, which takes place annually on the 3rd of September. Still, with that falling on a Sunday this year, our raising of the red ensign instead took place today.
This year, our Mayor, Cllr Pete Inman, spoke, asking us to remember the service that the seafarers of the Merchant Navy have done over the years in peacetime and conflict and continue to do so today.
You can view the mayor’s remarks below.
The campaign to Fly the Red Ensign on Merchant Navy Day was started in 2015 to address ‘sea blindness’ that appeared to afflict a considerable proportion of the population, with widespread public ignorance about the UK’s ongoing dependence on merchant seafarers who are responsible for shipping over 95% of the UK’s trade.
So if you see the red ensign, give a thought for our seafarers, thus ensuring that, at least on Marchant Navy Day, they are remembered, with that act of remembrance meaning so much to their families and the retired, but most especially to those still at sea.
To find out more, go to bit.ly/MerchantNavyDay2023
To make a donation to the Merchant Navy Fund, please visit https://theseafarerscharity.enthuse.com/cf/merchant-navy-day-2023
