The basketball court at Tilbury Seafarers Centre, used by seafarers to relax and socialise while in port is back in use thanks to a £12,000 grant from the Port of London Authority (PLA).
The Centre welcomes over 6,000 seafarers a year, with many more reached on the estimated 1,500 ships visited by chaplains based at the Centre. The seafarers visit the port on ships carrying essential cargoes including food, fuel and medicines to the country, and leave with British export goods.
The site provides space for seafarers to come ashore after weeks at sea, ashore, to relax and secure personal items including toiletries and sweets, for the next leg of their voyage. A 2018 upgrade saw the addition of outdoor activities, with a table tennis table, seating and basketball court that doubled as a football pitch at the 24-hour “safe haven”.
The Centre provided essential care to seafarers, who were mostly confined to their vessels in port, throughout the pandemic. During this time the basketball court fell into a bad state of repair and was unfit for use. Now it is refurbished and back in use, after the PLA stepped in to fund a replacement playing surface.
PLA corporate affairs director, Alistair Gale said: “Seafarers are as important to supply chains today, as they have been throughout history. We are proud that when they visit the UK’s largest port they receive a warm welcome through our partners, particularly the Queen Victoria Seaman’s Rest, who operate the Tilbury Seafarers Centre. The basketball court has been a really popular facility since it opened in 2018. Now, we’ve helped get it back into top condition so it can be enjoyed by seafarers for years to come.”
QVSR runs the Centre, their CEO, Alexander Campbell said: “Seafarers are often forgotten, an invisible workforce bringing our food supplies and goods to our shores. We are delighted that the PLA supports our welfare work here at QVSR Tilbury Seafarers Centre. The replacement of our basketball surface means that thousands of seafarers can enjoy this facility whilst in port. Some seafarers are at sea for nine months at a time, physical activity is good for their physical health and mental health. On behalf of the seafarers who will use our basketball court – a big Thank You to the PLA.”
Teams from the PLA and Port of Tilbury came together for a friendly basketball match to mark the reopening of the court. A closely fought game ended in a 6-6 tie.
“Tilbury seafarers centre is unique in offering visitors an outdoor space to relax or get active, when they visit the Port,” said Paul Dale, Port of Tilbury asset and site director. “It was great to mark the reopening of the court with Tilbury and PLA teams competing in what might become an annual fixture.”
The PLA have a strong relationship with the centre, providing an annual grant of some £37,000, and support for the annual Christmas ‘gift giving’ to seafarers in port. During COVID, the PLA worked with the centre to provide seafarers with pre-paid SIM cards to keep in touch with their families at home.
