Women in Ports Ep 10 | Alex Campbell OBE, Faith, Hope & Care

In this episode of Women in Ports, we sit down with Alex Campbell OBE, Chief Executive of the Queen Victoria Seafarers’ Rest (QVSR), for an extraordinary conversation recorded at the busy Port of Tilbury’s Seafarers Centre. With over 180 years of service, QVSR remains one of the most enduring pillars of welfare, community, and care within the maritime world.

Alex traces QVSR’s origins back to 1843, when the East End of London was a thriving port and the mission’s primary work centred on meeting the physical and spiritual needs of seafarers arriving from around the world. While the industry has transformed dramatically, QVSR’s core purpose has remained constant: people first — offering dignity, rest, connection, and support to those who spend their lives at sea.

Today, QVSR provides modern welfare services across multiple UK ports, supporting around 40,000 seafarers annually. From free Wi-Fi, transport, recreation facilities, and currency exchange to chaplaincy, emergency accommodation, and emotional support — the organisation continues to evolve by listening directly to the seafarers themselves.

🎙️ Highlights include:
• A legacy of care rooted in meeting seafarers’ basic human needs.
• Meeting seafarers’ real needs by asking one bold question: “What do you want?”
• Expanding services for women through tailored accommodation, chaplaincy, and advocacy.
• Providing long-term community and housing for retired seafarers and veterans.
• Spreading gratitude at Christmas with thousands of donated gifts for crews far from home.
• Leading pandemic efforts with one of the world’s highest seafarer vaccination numbers.

Alex’s insights offer a moving reminder that while seafarers enable our global supply chains, they often remain invisible to wider society. Organisations like QVSR not only meet essential needs — they also restore humanity and community to those who make our modern lives possible.

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⌛️ TIMECODES:
00:00 Intro – Women in Ports & guest introduction
00:39 180 years of QVSR: history & mission
02:59 From “soup, soap & salvation” to modern welfare & wellbeing
05:27 Alex’s journey, housing for seafarers & veterans
09:50 Modern seafarer centres & “bringing London to Tilbury”
13:27 Supporting women in maritime & female chaplains
17:34 Expanding to Immingham, Bristol & Felixstowe
20:16 Christmas at sea, sea blindness & powerful stories
27:34 COVID vaccinations, 24/7 rooms & shore leave
33:40 Message to seafarers

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