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More health support for the fishing community

Posted on by angelo
More health support for the fishing community

Increased dental and health support has been offered to fishing communities in the Channel Islands.

The Fishermen’s Mission helped provide free dental exams and treatments, blood pressure checks and offered advice on accessing health and wellness services.

The service is run by SeaFIT, a joint initiative of the Fishermen’s Mission and the Seafarers Hospital Society.

This is the second time the service has visited Guernsey and Jersey to carry out this work and several fishermen said it was “wonderful” and “awesome” that the pop-up health checks were returning.

Chris looks at the camera as he sits near a desk equipped with medical equipment to measure his cholesterol levels. He wears a yellow sweater with blue stripes and a red collar. He wears a blue cap with glasses on the brim of the cap. Behind him is a blue board on which are pinned a few deplored pieces of paper.Chris looks at the camera as he sits near a desk equipped with medical equipment to measure his cholesterol levels. He wears a yellow sweater with blue stripes and a red collar. He wears a blue cap with glasses on the brim of the cap. Behind him is a blue board on which are pinned a few deplored pieces of paper.

Fisherman Chris Casey praised the service (BBC)

Chris Casey, a fisherman from Jersey, had his cholesterol levels checked as part of his visit to the service.

He said it was “almost impossible” for people in his area to make medical appointments because it had to be done “weeks and weeks in advance”, which was not practical for the fishing community because they would not know if they were to be at sea at that time.

“This is my first time going there because last year the weather was half decent so I was fishing, so these regular, annual visits make a big difference,” M added Cassey.

The sessions took place in St Peter Port Guernsey on Tuesday and St Helier in Jersey on Thursday and Friday.

Carol smiles at the camera. She wears a blue fleece with red linings and the Fishermen's Mission logo on the chest. She has short blonde hair and blue eyes. Behind her is a warehouse containing fishing equipment such as nets.Carol smiles at the camera. She wears a blue fleece with red linings and the Fishermen's Mission logo on the chest. She has short blonde hair and blue eyes. Behind her is a warehouse containing fishing equipment such as nets.

SeaFIT’s Carol Elliott wants more people in the fishing community to know about the service (BBC)

Carol Elliott of SeaFIT helped organize the tours and wants them to continue.

She said: “we would love to be here again” and “hopefully we can bring more services to Guernsey”, but “it all depends on funding”.

Ms Elliott added: “Quite often fishermen tell us they haven’t seen a dentist in years, so just the fact that we’re here makes all the difference.”

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