Newlyn Mission sold!

Newlyn's iconic Fishermen’s Mission is set to be sold to a local businessman – but the Mission hopes to retain a presence in the building by leasing back office space and a memorial room

Newlyn Mission's memorial room

The Mission has accepted an offer from Barry Ashworth for the Institute, which was put on the market 12 months ago for £500,000 after two years of deliberations and consultations.

The sale is in line with the Mission’s programme of modernisation across the country that has seen a move away from static operations based in large centres, to an outreach approach that seeks to increase the number of fishermen and their families receiving assistance.

Fishermen’s Mission chief executive, Commodore David Dickens, said: “Over the last 18 months Superintendent Keith Dickson has shown how effective outreach in Cornwall can be in expanding the scope and effectiveness of our work.

“Building on the success of our response to the storms of the winter of 2013/14, we are now reaching far more people than previously, especially in the smaller, more remote ports and harbours in the area.”

Mr Ashworth is said to be keen to retain the building as an iconic part of Newlyn’s history and wants to maintain the connection between the Institute and the Fishermen’s Mission in Cornwall.

The Fishermen’s Mission intends to use funds raised through the sale to provide revenue income for their work in Cornwall.

Commodore Dickens was keen to underline the work of the Fishermen’s Mission to Cornwall and Newlyn in particular, for the long term.

“With 40-plus ports and harbours in Cornwall where commercial fishing takes place, the Fishermen’s Mission is completely committed to the fishermen of Cornwall and their families for the foreseeable future,” he added.

Read more: http://www.cornishman.co.uk/Buyer-Newlyn-s-Fishermen-s-Mission/story-26258998-detail/story.html#ixzz3Vxr2Cb5P 
Follow us: @CornishmanPaper on Twitter