A NATIONAL maritime charity that provides financial support to former seafarers has announced the winner of its 10th annual photography competition.

The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society encouraged entrants to submit pictures that captured the Britain’s connection with the sea, such as merchant ships, fishermen, coastline, harbours and ports.

Justin Minns was awarded the 2022 Overall Winner for his entry ‘The Old Oyster Beds’, an aerial shot showing a shipwreck next to Oyster beds taken in Brightlingsea, Essex, and won a £500 prize voucher for photographic equipment.

Captain Osmond, chief executive of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, said: “Our seafaring community continues to face significant challenges every year, despite the outstanding contribution it makes to our lives.

“It is important that we are able to use the competition as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate our maritime industry and ensure that those working within it have access to vital support.

“We thought that Justin Minns’ winning image, ‘The Old Oyster Beds’ really encapsulated the beauty in Britain’s coastlines.

“It is an area of the fishing industry which can often feel neglected, but was particularly striking with the shipwreck’s presence alongside the oyster beds.”

More than 1,000 entries from both amateur and professional photographers were judged by a panel of experts at Trinity House in September.

The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society which has given £1.3 million in grants over the past year to fisherman, merchant mariners and their dependants who are suffering financial hardship, also awarded further prizes.

Mr Minns also won the Ships and Wrecks category for his picture of a boat on the beach in front of a bright red sunset at Thames Estuary, Essex, titled ‘Scattered’.

Captain Osmond added: As we are now in the 10th year of the photography competition, it is amazing to see the nation still enjoying our coastlines and supporting our maritime industry with a passion.

“To receive the same fantastic standard of images as when we first launched the competition a decade ago is brilliant to see.”

For more information on the work the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society is doing visit shipwreckedmariners.org.uk/.