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"My maritime abilities are legendary here – my inability to keep my stomach down is the source of a lot of jokes," laughs Paul Shone, superintendent for the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen (the Fishermen's Mission) in North Shields.

You might think that such a lack of sea legs would put someone off a job which involves working so closely with fishermen. But, after 14 years with the organisation including six in North Shields, it's obvious that Paul has no doubt about his calling.

Paul with his wife Margaret

"It's not something you do for a career move, because you want to be at the top of it," he explains. "You have to feel called by God to go into it.

"I was an intruder alarm engineer and as is the way the job became redundant, and I felt this was where God was calling me to be in the mission service."

Highs and lows

The Mission aims to provide support and help for fishermen and their families wherever and whenever it is needed.

This means that as superintendent Paul can find himself doing a huge variety of things - from helping a fisherman's widow to buy a new sofa, to arranging dental treatment for a foreign sailor and, on a sadder note, taking funerals.

The Quay at North Shields

"Sometimes it's just a listening ear," Paul says. "Sometimes it's someone to be there to support them through other things such as claims for welfare and benefits.

"There's a lot of highs and lows. One minute you can be taking a wedding and the next minute you can be dealing with someone who's been lost at sea. That has happened - I've had to do that."

Support for all

Deep sea fishing is a very dangerous job and each year an average of 28 boats are lost and 100 men are killed or seriously injured according to RNMDSF figures.

Paul says this is one of the reasons why there is still a real need for the mission, even though we often hear reports about fishing being in decline. He is on call 24 hours a day to deal with emergencies and providing support to bereaved families is another important part of his role.

They helped injured fisherman Ivan

Though based in North Shields, Paul's patch runs from Amble down to Whitby, and as well as serving local fisherman the Mission also supports those from other places who are working out of the area.

They have showers the fishermen can use, organise medical treatment when needed and can even arrange cash transfers – for example if the wife of a fisherman wants to send money to wherever her husband is working.

"We're here for any fisherman," says Paul. "Any coloured skin, any nationality, any religious denomination. If he knocks on our door for help he will get it."

At the beginning of 2008 the mission moved into smaller premises at the other end of the quay but there's little doubt that they will continue to be busy.

It certainly is a 24/7 job.