Our new home

NSFHP – Our new home in the Dockmaster’s House!

After a long search for a permanent base in the heart of our local fishing community the NSFHP finally achieved our aim by setting up office in the historic Dockmaster’s House (DMH) on North Shields Fish Quay in the spring of 2026, a seaboot’s throw from our statues ‘The Fisherman’ and ‘The Herring Girl’

Besides enabling us to deliver our range of current activities more effectively, it’s also improving our ability to plan the future projects we’ve got in the pipeline. We’ve launched a free weekly session for our local fishermen to catch up with old friends over a cuppa and a chat, ensuring old workmates don’t lose touch with each other and encouraging better mental health by combatting any possible social isolation

We’re also working closely with office neighbours MacMillan Cancer Care to provide free ongoing advice and guidance from their Community Champion on conditions that can affect fishermen, in a regular drop-in based in our friendly, familiar and non-clinical setting

We continue to run table-top sales from the DMH on sunny days selling donated goods from our many supporters to generate funds to help cover our running costs plus further free educational trips for children (& accompanying teachers) from local schools in the more economically deprived surrounding areas to learn about their fishing heritage from old local fishermen and also our more cost intensive free trips to Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre where the kids can have a full day learning about the fishing industry in a purpose-built centre

Projects still in the planning phase include the digitisation of a History of the North Shields Quayside covering the century or so leading up to the 1970s, donated by the family of the ex-Dockmaster who compiled it, which we hope to gain funding for and make freely available online so people can learn more about the history of the quayside and how it developed into the still busy fishing port we see today

After working closely with the Tyne Rivers Trust charity on a joint project bringing local school and uniformed children’s groups to the quayside to learn about the fishing industry based on the Tyne, our plan is to collaborate further by raising funds to take local children up the Tyne. We hope to work on environmental projects that will raise awareness of our local ecology and wildlife

These are exciting times for the NSFHP and if you’d like help us by making a small donation to help cover the costs of any of these activities we now have a simple donate function on this website and welcome any contributions no matter how small or large – it all helps and any donation is always hugely appreciated!

We’re also always looking for volunteers who can spare an hour or two here and there to help with our activities in any way – just drop us an email and our Chair Terry McDermott will get back to you ASAP – give it a try – you’ll find we’re a very friendly bunch and our kettle’s always on the go!