Shadow UK minister for aviation and maritime Mike Kane visits Nautilus Mariners' Park

Shadow UK minister for aviation and maritime Mike Kane MP and members of Wirral Council visited Nautilus International's Mariners' Park on Thursday 15 February to view building work on 27 new residents' apartments and a new head office on the site – the largest single newbuild investment in Wallasey.

Mariners' Park is a unique retirement community for seafarers and their dependants, operated by the Nautilus Welfare Fund, a UK registered charity run by Nautilus International. The park, located on the banks of the river Mersey, is home to over 180 residents and offers a range of specialist services and facilities to support their wellbeing and independence.

The award-winning multi-million-pound building project is now underway. The investment won Regional Deal of the Year in the 2022 Mersey Maritime Industry Awards. Judges deemed this strategy for growth to be the most significant deal in the maritime industry within the Liverpool City Region and greater Northwest. The award recognised Nautilus as best in class for investing in jobs and services in the greater Merseyside area.

Mr Kane MP said: 'I am delighted to visit Mariners' Park and see first-hand the excellent care and support that the Nautilus Welfare Fund provides to retired seafarers and their dependants. Seafarers play a vital role in our economy and society, and they deserve to have a dignified and comfortable retirement. I commend Nautilus International for their ongoing commitment to the welfare of maritime professionals and their families.'

Chris Shirling Rooke, chair of the Nautilus Welfare Fund, said: 'We are honoured to welcome Mike Kane MP to Mariners' Park and showcase our unique retirement community for seafarers. We are excited to share our plans, as we continue to invest in our infrastructure and expand our capacity to support even more seafarers and their dependants.'

Andrew Jones, director of welfare at the Nautilus Welfare Fund, added: 'We are proud to be hosting Mike Kane MP at Mariners' Park and giving a glimpse of the life and activities of our residents. We hope that this visit will raise awareness of the importance of seafarers' welfare and the challenges and opportunities that they face in their retirement. We also hope that it will inspire more seafarers and their dependants to consider Mariners' Park as their home away from home.'