Ruth Campbell - QVSR / DSM

Port Chaplain at Deutsche Seemanns Mission/QVSR Ports of London Tilbury & London Gateway

Speaker

Ruth has been working in the Port of London for the past 7 years.

She started as a ship visitor volunteering her services on a part time basis whilst her young children were growing up.

A background in social work and counselling has allowed Ruth to connect with seafarers and understand their welfare needs. In response to the COVID pandemic Ruth was asked to step out of her volunteer role into a full time chaplaincy role working for the QVSR / Deutsche Seemannsmission partnership on the Thames.

Since March 2020 Ruth has been at the sharp end of the work at Tilbury dealing with a myriad of issues including the abandonment of 1800 cruise ship crew in the Port of Tilbury as the operator went into administration - the non payment of salaries, well-being concerns, suicide attempts, hunger strikes - are just part of a long list of interventions and emergency responses made during the pandemic.

Ruth has a passion for justice and equality and is currently supporting the maritime sectors drive toward vaccinating all seafarers.