The local MP for Hastings and Rye, Sally-Ann Hart, is calling on residents to join her in supporting a local project that is documenting and promoting the local fishing community in Hastings.
Local photographer, John Coles, has been documenting the work and lives of the fishermen and their families in Hastings, in a new piece of work called Generations: Hastings Fishing Families.
This photographic portrayal covers the lives of the fishermen from the 1990’s to the present day, looking at Britain’s oldest, and Europe’s largest, beach-launched fishing fleet, which practices Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainable fishing practices. It is a community that has been in existence for over a thousand years.
In supporting this work, Sally-Ann said” this is an incredible piece of work that really draws you in to the lives of the men and women who make up Hastings’ fishing community. John’s talent shines through in every photograph and he has this unique ability to capture the essence and truth of a moment in every shot. John is now fundraising to complete this project with donations of the books going to the Hastings Fishermen’s Protection Society. I would encourage all residents to visit John’s fundraising page and do all you can to support this fantastic piece of work.”
The £14,750 requested is for editing the text, designing the layout and printing 1,000 copies. Moreover, as a “thank you” for all their support, John will be donating to the Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society copies of 'Generations' for them to sell at the annual fish fairs to help raise funding for HFPS.
You can visit john’s fundraising page here for more information:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1703269622/generations-hastings-fishing-families