About the Festival

There was a three-fold objective by Len Scott when he decided to launch it. He aimed to project the fishing industry, Newlyn’s importance to it and to boost the image and work of the Mission. Alongside these was the desire to raise funds – but no one could be sure of that!

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Len did his homework and planning well in advance and few could fathom the scope of the venture. He explained to the Harbour Commissioners what he wanted and was given their blessing. So the first festival came to life in 1991 and has since got in a major production.

How did it all come about? The Mission had played its customary full part following a shipping tragedy at Hell’s Mouth in March 1988. Through Captain Eric Kemp the insurance company was involved to see if they could back the festival. “They gave £500 and promised a £2,000 debt guarantee so if it did not prove successful we would lose no money” recalled Len.

Once established it has been an annual attraction for crowds of many thousand. Many companies, national and local have given their support, the fishing industry pulled its full weight and soon Trade Fare, a Craft Fair and a full programme of entertainment gave it a breadth for all the family to enjoy. Plus a huge fish display!

“At first very few believed it would work. But I remember standing on the Commissioners’ office balcony and seeing some 8,000 – 9,000 people there, and realising it was a major event “.

Len Scott was a great character for publicity and marketing: he had that winning and persuasive way and spread the word through newspapers, televisions and radio. No one could resist. He went on Radio Cornwall and was asked “What are you going to do when it rains?” As ever he had a disarming reply:” I work for a good boss”. And sure enough the sun shone through after a damp and cloudy start to the early morning of that Bank Holiday Monday. It had been good weather ever since (keep you finger crossed for today).

It would be invidious and embarrassing to name just a few of the many volunteers who have put in tremendous work to ‘launch’ the Fish Festival and keep its profile high. A large number of people put in an enormous amount of effort. Lord St Levan and David Harris (a national Mission committee member) were among the early ‘openers’ and there was a special welcome for Brian Tobin, the Canadian Fisheries Minister. It was a time of mutual distrust of the activities of the Spanish fishing fleet and the great ‘Fly the Maple Leaf Flag’ campaign began in Newlyn in 1995. You will see them still on display around the port. The Canadian High Commissioner paid an earlier visit to Newlyn, saw all the flags flying and remarked “In 36 years of public service I have never seen anything like it “. His reception let to Mr Tobin’s acceptance of the initiation – and later a return trip.

“Fishermen from many different ports, communities and even countries have become united behind the common aims of preserving fish stock and maintaining their livelihood” Len wrote in the 1996 programme. He added, and it rings true today, that the festival ‘s aims is to allow “fishermen of Newlyn the opportunity to show its industry off to the wider public who, perhaps, know little about commercial fishing or its problems. “It also acts as a showcase for fishing related companies and allied trades to display what is currently available for the professional fisherman”.

Actress Jan Harvey arrived in a vintage car to open a show, coastguard Mike Collier had a few firm comments to make, Padstow’s Rick Stein came twice and keen festival friend Justin Leigh was a popular representative of Radio Cornwall. Last year the veteran skipper David Hopper did the honours.

Yet most of it on that first festival day “was a blur” for Len who had so much responsibility on his plate. Would he end up with ‘egg on his face’ with people saying “I told you so!”. Far from it: the crowds were delighted and have continued to be so. A big task has been “trying to come up with something new each year and maintaining that enthusiasm with everyone”.

Tens of thousands of pounds have been raised, some £3,000 - £4,000 the first year and increasing since then, but the public should also appreciated how much it all costs to stage. And he knows that trying to raise these funds by other ventures would not be an easy task.

The continuing challenge is the amount of time, energy and dedication the festival takes in preparation, from one year to the next, with hardly a break.

Len’s observation to the public remains true today: “There is much to do and much to see”.

Enjoy.

by Keith Dickson - Newlyn Mission Superintendent

Let me help  you to understand a bit about the Mission men themselves. Mission men are in the job because of a deep seated desire to help their fellow man or woman.  They are at their happiest when they are fulfilling that desire and the unhappiest when that desire is frustrated.  Many Mission men would tell you that perhaps the only reason they continue to serve in the Mission is that at the end of most days, despite its frustrations and catalogue of disasters they can console themselves with the thought that today the Mission made a difference to someone’s life and someone’s life was made better for the Mission being there.

So this begs the question how does the Mission make a difference?

Perhaps one way to see the difference the Mission makes is to look at the statistics that HQ insists we compile so carefully each year.  During the last year, from 1st November 2006 until 31st October 2007 Newlyn Mission staff carried out 148 visits to the homes of retired fishermen, widows, fishermen’s families and injured or sick fishermen themselves.  This entailed driving in excess of a thousand miles around the highways and byways of Cornwall.  Mission staff visited the local hospitals 15 times again, visiting fishermen and their families.

Over £16,500 pounds was distributed by the Mission to support those fishing families who found themselves in financial hardship during 2006 – 2007. The grants were used for a diverse range of needs from replacing a washing machine for a fishermen’s widow left with three young children to paying for the funeral costs of a retired fisherman’s wife.  In each and every case this financial support met a need that would not have been met otherwise and brought home a message that people do care and you are not alone.

One of the highlights of the Mission year is the Christmas Cheer Deliveries. Every year those retired fishermen, widows and their children receive a small gift and an appropriate grant from the Mission.  For many of those who the Mission supports Christmas is not a joyful time of year as it only emphasises their loss or dire financial situation.   What strikes me most each year when doing Christmas Cheer Deliveries is not people’s appreciation for the gifts but their real joy that somebody out there is thinking of them.  During the Christmas period Mission staff made 105 home visits to 136 fisher folk.  The Mission also provided Christmas presents for 14 children who have either lost their father or the family were facing severe financial hardship.

In the last year the Mission canteen served over 31,000 breakfast, lunches and snacks. The canteen is well used by the local fishing community and is warmly thought of as the heart of Newlyn community life.  This is illustrated when you look at the 41 different organisations that use the Mission Centre as a meeting place.  Organisation such as AA, NA, Newlyn Male Voice Choir, St Peters Players, Western Training, Night Cap, Newlyn Harbour Regeneration etc.

Newlyn is not exceptional in either the range or type of care and support it offers the fishing communities it serves.  So when you multiply this care across the eleven Mission Centres and eight Welfare Offices you can see what your support means across the country and the scale of the difference it makes.

However figures are dry and it is to easy to lose sight that they tell the story of real peoples lives.  So to put some flesh on these statistical dry bones I would like to show you two examples of what difference you support made to real people.

On 31st December last year a local fisherman was attacked and seriously injured. He was admitted to hospital and his family were summoned as he was not expected to survive the night.  This left his family, in Grimsby trying to find transport on New Years Eve so they could travel down to Cornwall to be at their fathers bedside .  They eventually used all their savings and bought a second hand car and drove the 391 miles from Grimsby to the hospital.   Mission staff met the family and after meeting with them it became apparent that although the hospital could provide accommodation near the Intensive Care Unit the family had no money even to eat and would require financial support whilst staying at the hospital.   The family visited the Mission centre regularly during their stay at the hospital and further support was given.  Perhaps most importantly they had a sympathetic ear ready to listen as they vented their anger and sorrow.  For this family there was no plan B without the support they would not have been able to stay at their father’s bedside during this traumatic and difficult time for them.

Last November Mission staff were approached by a young fisherman who was trying to return to sea after being injured aboard a local fishing boat and had spent the last twelve months recovering from his injuries. During his recuperation he had lost his home and had broken up from his long time partner.  The situation was made worse when his now ex-partner refused to allow him access to his children.  He described the last year as his “annus horribilis”, I chose not to enquire if he meant this as a joke or was misquoting the Queen.  This young fisherman had managed to get a berth aboard a local beamer but he had no oilskins as they had disappeared from the boat he had been working on shortly after his accident.  The Mission was able to provide support to buy the oilskins and equipment he needed and he went to sea the following day.  I met him on the quay a week later as his boat was landing and as I talked to him what was most evident was not his appreciation for the oilskins but his hope that the coming year held promise for him. 

Your support makes a difference and I hope that you can perhaps appreciate how much of difference and to how many people. Being a Mission man is an immense honour and privilege.  The Missions work is not sexy or glamorous but as each Mission man or woman can testify it makes a difference in people’s lives.  But it only has that opportunity to make a difference because of the support of individuals such as yourselves.