A true community collaboration
Every part of the Blessing of the Fleet is a collaboration of time, talent and the community.
There would be few, if any, across Nelson Marlborough who have not experienced, or know someone who has experienced, the loss of someone at sea, whether that be through their work or while enjoying the water for recreational activities.
It is the work of thousands of volunteers supported by the community that have saved lives in this region, and it is the Blessing of the Fleet that recognises this, just as it recognises, every year, those who go to sea on our behalf.
Acknowledging and celebrating those for whom the sea plays such a critical role is no easy task, but the Seafarers Memorial Trust continues to do it with a considerable amount of respect and a great deal of panache.
They key to doing so is inclusion, from those who have built their life around the sea, to those who save them from it; all are represented at the Blessing of the Fleet.