Apostleship of the Sea News - Early Christmas at Berwick 
Jo Norton and Maura Flannigan pictured with the Filipino crewmembers each holding his Christmas present on board the m/v Ingrid.
The Polish Captain, Chief Officer, and four Filipino crewmembers of the m/v Ingrid arrived in the port of Berwick upon Tweed at the start of a period of particularly severe weather, with gale force winds and heavy rain buffeting all along the coastline. As a result they were unable to have their cargo of barley malt offloaded, and had to sit out the storm on board.
However, the crew were delighted when Jo Norton and Maura Flannigan, Volunteer Ship Visitors with the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS), (recognised by the crew as ‘Stella Maris’) visited the ship not only to spend time with them in conversation but also to bring some early Christmas presents. Each member of the crew was presented with a brand new travel wash bag with all the requisite toiletries inside, a woolly hat and some large bars of chocolate were given to share, all donated by Catholic parishes in the region; the crewmembers were delighted.
Advent calendars and small wooden cribs provided by AOS were also distributed and the seafarers took advantage of the great array of religious items the two visitors brought with them including rosaries, a selection of different prayer cards, medals and seafarers prayer books. Later, two of the crewmembers were prepared to brave the elements in order to walk the relatively short distance to the wooden shed, situated in one of the dockside warehouses where Jo and Maura keep their supply of donated warm clothing, and here the seafarers could help themselves to what they wanted, both for themselves and for the other crewmembers.
Later, Maura returned to the ship and took some of the Filipino seafarers to the Saturday evening Mass at Our Lady and St Cuthbert’s parish in the town.
See also other AOS News: Diocesan Societies-Apostleship of the Sea