Portsmouth International Port welcomed more than 2,200 local residents and their families to its annual community open day on Saturday 13 June, marking its highest visitor turnout to date.

For one day only, members of the public were given exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the council-owned port, with ships, specialist machinery and innovative technology on display for visitors to explore and experience firsthand.

Running from 10am to 4pm, the event offered a packed programme of activities, including harbour tours, tugboat demonstrations and performances from local drumming group Batala. Children enjoyed climbing aboard vessels, meeting crew members and sounding the ships' horns, helping to create a lively and memorable day for all ages.

SCFS was among a wide range of dock-related organisations invited to host a stand in one of the port's large baggage halls. As visitors made their way through the hall en route to the dockside attractions, they passed each of the exhibitors, ensuring a constant flow of people throughout the day. As a result, the SCFS stand was busy from opening to closing time, with volunteers engaging with visitors continuously from 10am until 4pm.

Positioned alongside The Merchant Navy Welfare Board stand, the event also provided a valuable opportunity to reconnect with fellow chaplains and ship visitors working across the maritime community.

There was particular interest in the selection of foreign-language Bibles available on the SCFS stand. One visitor was especially keen to see both a Polish Bible and an English Bible for her son. Another lady spent some time looking through the various translations before discovering a Russian Bible. “This is my language,” she said. “I've never seen a Russian Bible.”

When offered the Bible on the condition that she would read it, she politely declined, explaining that her interest was simply curiosity. Nevertheless, she continued reading for several minutes before returning it and thanking the team. We pray that the words she encountered will remain with her and that God's Holy Spirit will bring them to mind again in the future.

The “Signal Flags” message displayed on the sketchboard attracted considerable attention and proved an effective conversation starter.

Throughout the day, countless opportunities arose to share the Gospel using the EvangeCube, with visitors of all ages stopping to learn more.

Tony, Sharon and I staffed the stand during the morning, while Brian, Angela and Alex took over in the afternoon, ensuring a welcoming presence throughout the event.

We want to thank everyone who prayed specially for us and were conscious of The Lord’s hand upon us.