National maritime charity, the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, has announced the winner of its tenth annual photography competition, showcasing images relating to all aspects of the UK’s historic relationship with the sea.

This year, the charity’s annual competition received more than 1,000 entries from amateur and professional photographers alike, with the judging panel awarding the overall prize to Justin Minns for his entry, ‘The Old Oyster Beds’, a stunning aerial shot taken in Brightlingsea, Essex. The image won the photographer a £500 prize voucher for photographic equipment.

In addition to the overall prize, winners were also named in four categories:

  • Coastal Views: Andrew Hocking – ‘Unicorn’ taken in Godrevy, Cornwall

Andrew Hocking – ‘Unicorn’ taken in Godrevy, Cornwall

  • People and Recreation: Jason Thompson – ‘My Playground’ taken on Skegness Beach
  • Industry: Jonathan Killick – ‘Wind Turbines’ taken in Lincolnshire
  • Ships and Wrecks: Justin Minns – ‘Scattered’ taken at Thames Estuary, Essex

Justin Minns – ‘Scattered’ taken at Thames Estuary, Essex

The competition was judged at Trinity House earlier this month by a prestigious panel of photography experts, with online picture editor at The Telegraph, Neil Stevenson, former Sunday Times picture editor, Ray Wells and picture editor of the i, Sophie Batterbury joining Chief Executive of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, Capt. Justin Osmond RN.

The Society, which provides financial support to former seafarers and their dependants, encouraged photographers of all abilities to submit pictures that captured the essence of the UK’s enduring connection with the sea, including merchant ships, fishermen, coastline, harbours and ports.

Jonathan Killick – ‘Wind Turbines’ taken in LincolnshireJason Thompson – ‘My Playground’ taken on Skegness Beach

Captain Justin Osmond said, “As we are now in the tenth 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.

“Our seafaring community continues to face significant challenges every year despite the outstanding contribution it makes to our lives, so 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, an area of the fishing industry which can often feel neglected, but was particularly striking with the shipwreck’s presence alongside the oyster beds. As always, on behalf of the Society, I would like to say a massive thank you to all of those who entered this year and hopefully we will see you back again in 2023!”

The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society supports fishermen, merchant mariners and their dependants who are suffering financial hardship, whether due to accident, ill health, unemployment or in retirement after a life spent working at sea. A total of £1.3 million was paid in grants during the past year in over 1,700 cases of need.

To view a full gallery of this year’s winning images, visit: https://shipwreckedmariners.org.uk/. If you are in the position to donate to the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, you can find out how to do so here: https://shipwreckedmariners.org.uk/support-us/donations/.

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