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2025-12-31-accounts

HOPE s beyod bode & HEALING beyod measure

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F O R E W O R D

Contents

20 MADAGASCAR: AFRICA MERCY FIELD SERVICE

IMAGES:

(COVER) Musu, reconstructive plastic patient, with Dieke van Tuijl, volunteer nurse from The Netherlands. See page 14 for Musu’s story.

(ABOVE) Dr David Chong, volunteer maxillofacial/head and neck surgeon from Australia, mentors Dr Nirina Adrien Mandrano, plastic surgeon from Madagascar, onboard the Africa Mercy.

IMPACT SINCE 1978:

  - LIFE-CHANGING SURGICAL PROCEDURES

OUR TWO-SHIP FLEET

THE WORLD’S LARGEST CIVILIAN HOSPITAL SHIPS

The Africa Mercy

The Global Mercy

MISSION

Mercy Ships follows the 2,000-year-old model of Jesus, bringing hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor.

VISION

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to transform lives and serve nations.

VALUES

As with every year, it is wonderful to look back and see the joyful faces of people who have had their lives transformed by the work of Mercy Ships.

It is impossible not to be moved by witnessing Farah’s joy, now that he can finally smile again after a painful oral tumour was removed, or the relief of Doxie that her fragile baby Alfredo is growing into a healthy, strong little boy.

Our healthcare education programme continues to grow, with training provided for more than a thousand healthcare professionals from 18 countries in Africa this last year. Many more clinicians are receiving the skills they need to improve healthcare in their own countries. From medical training to hospital-based mentorships and many specialised programmes, we are helping to equip local healthcare professionals with the skills and resources they need to provide quality care for generations to come.

The Global Mercy continued serving in Sierra Leone and the Africa Mercy operated in Madagascar. It was wonderful to welcome onto our ships so many patients who have longed for relief from pain, sometimes for many years, and to give them the surgeries they desperately needed.

This year, we were delighted to welcome Shelley Pigott as Executive Director. Shelley has a great deal of experience in international development, which will be invaluable in leading Mercy Ships UK.

As Chair of the Board of Trustees, it remains a huge privilege to take part in our mission and to work with staff, volunteers and donors. It is humbling to see the faith, passion and commitment that they bring, enabling Mercy Ships to transform so many lives. In caring for our fellow humans, we are truly serving Jesus himself.

I hope that you will be uplifted and inspired as you read the incredible stories of life-changing healing, teaching and caring in these pages. Thank you for your part in the Mercy Ships journey.

Dr Revd Michael Spence

Chair, Mercy Ships UK

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I joined Mercy Ships UK in July 2025 and it is truly a privilege to take on the role of Executive Director, joining a passionate team of dedicated staff. In my early months, it has been inspiring to meet partners, donors and volunteers, all of whom are part of what Mercy Ships is doing to provide free surgeries and support the development of healthcare services in Africa. My grateful thanks goes to Clive Mitchell for his sterling work as interim Executive Director.

Mercy Ships is not only about onboard care, but also about long-term sustainability. A significant part of the work is building and developing partnerships across the countries in which we work, in order to give people throughout Africa equitable access to quality healthcare.

It is our donors and partners that make our operations possible. From the shipping industry organising Cargo Day to raise money, to the individuals who ran a marathon or signed up to a direct debit, I am truly grateful.

Our volunteers are at the heart of what we do. From surgeons to ship captains, our volunteers are using their gifts and talents to bring hope and healing. I am filled with admiration and gratitude for the work of volunteers like Dr Manjit Dhillon and Captain Ian Lawrence, and you can read more about their time on board in this report.

I have been very moved by seeing the work of Mercy Ships up close and my prayer is that God will continue to use us effectively in the UK and internationally.

This year, our ships continued to provide safe surgical care on both the east and west coasts of Africa. The Global Mercy headed back for another field service in Sierra Leone and the Africa Mercy returned to Madagascar for Mercy Ships’ fifth visit to the nation. The dedication and perseverance of the onboard teams ensured that patients received life-changing surgeries.

I trust that you will be inspired by the stories in this report. It is only through your support that we can change so many lives.

Shelley Pigott Executive Director, Mercy Ships UK

Every year that passes, I remain humbled by the impact hope and healing have on so many. What began as a dream eventually became a ship that soon grew into a fleet where thousands of volunteers serve the underserved every year. Every day our mission continues to grow – reaching further and discovering new communities, while transforming lives and futures in ways none of us could have ever imagined.

For many of our patients, healing doesn’t begin in the operating room. It starts with a gentle hug offered to someone who has been told they are unwanted or in the quiet relief of a mother hearing that her child has a hopeful future. It begins with the simple assurance that they are seen, valued, and not alone.

This past year, we witnessed that truth again and again. We saw it in the laughter that filled the wards when eight-year-old Musu reached high for the first time in years. We saw it in the joy Farah discovered after surgery finally removed the tumour that had burdened him for so long. Their journeys tell a story far richer than any number or statistic could capture.

As you read through the following pages, we hope that you know these stories were made possible because of you and others who also believe in our mission and purpose. Your partnership crosses oceans and communities, empowering us to bring hope and healing, comfort and care to those who need it most.

Today, Musu, Farah and thousands more can look to the future with confidence and joy, and communities can witness what is possible when hope meets action. Together, we are transforming lives, bringing healing that truly extends far beyond what we could have ever imagined.

Following the model of Jesus,

Don Stephens

Founder/President Emeritus

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Approach to IMPACT

In many low-resource countries, the burden of untreated surgical conditions is felt more deeply than anywhere else. In sub-Saharan Africa, the situation is dire: at least 90% of the population has no access to affordable surgical care, and those who do are twice as likely to die from complications than in higher-income regions.

Mercy Ships recognises these critical gaps and partners with African nations to help bridge disparities. Our multifaceted approach begins with collaborative assessments to understand local needs and continues through direct medical services, education and training, and impact evaluation. This strategy aims to treat patients and strengthen local healthcare systems.

The focus extends beyond individual surgeries to include education and training for healthcare professionals. By partnering with providers to develop the skills and knowledge they need, we encourage long-term sustainable change.

At the heart of Mercy Ships’ efforts is a belief in the true power of transformation. When lives are transformed, so are communities and nations. Mercy Ships is actively building a future where healthcare is accessible and sustainable for generations to come.

DIRECT MEDICAL SERVICES

Direct Medical Services are designed to meet patients where they are, deploying hospital ships to African nations to provide free surgeries and dental services. The specialty surgical procedures offered are typically unavailable in the country or simply inaccessible for many, due to high costs and a limited surgical workforce.

Mercy Ships takes a whole-person approach to surgery, developing thorough pre- and postoperative care based on the patient’s condition and specific needs. The design of the surgical schedule and selection of patients aims to ensure care is curative, independent of the local healthcare system.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Mercy Ships fosters long-term partnerships with nations by developing relevant specialised training, such as:

Mercy Ships strives to create a world where those suffering from disability, disfigurement or disease have access to quality, affordable medical or surgical treatment and whole-person care so they can reach their God-given potential.

Whether it’s being able to return to school, having the ability to provide for their families or simply being accepted by others, the impact extends far beyond one patient into families and entire communities.

IMAGES: (LEFT) Hawa, a patient from Sierra Leone with a goitre; (THIS PAGE) Hawa with Rosaline Sidratu Bundu, day crew, after surgery; Dr Betelhem Hailu Belda, PAACS anaesthesia resident, working through a mock airway procedure in the simulation room on the Global Mercy with Elaine Sigalet, volunteer simulation coordinator from Canada; Malagasy lab technicians study in the practical training room at the UGANC dental school.

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HOPE beyond borders & HEALING beyond measure

In 2025, Mercy Ships’ impact reached across communities and countries. Alongside thousands of life-changing surgeries, vital education and training programmes supported long-term improvements to surgical and anaesthesia systems. This year marked continued momentum toward lasting, sustainable impact.

Thanks to collaboration with national partners, lives were transformed and healthcare systems changed for good.

The impact also reached beyond the ships and spanned Africa. Mercy Ships launched a number of new partnerships to further strengthen medical education and training, funded continent-wide surgical dialogue and diplomacy events, and supported critical healthcare infrastructure projects. In partner nations like Guinea, Mercy Ships also built upon existing relationships to deepen the impact of student sponsorships and surgical education programmes. Off-ship initiatives ensured even more healthcare professionals were equipped to serve their communities with competence and confidence.

A defining moment of 2025 was the start of construction on a new hospital ship, the Africa Mercy II . Sister vessel to the Global Mercy and future successor to the Africa Mercy , the new ship will boost the organisation’s ability to provide life-changing surgical care and education across Africa for years to come. Made possible by a significant anchor donation from the MSC Foundation, the vessel is anticipated to enter service by 2029.

2025 stands as a powerful reminder of what is possible when people of compassion, excellence and faith come together to bring hope and healing.

IMAGES:

(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Abubakarr, reconstructive plastic patient from Sierra Leone, playing with Joanna Immendorfer, paediatric ICU nurse from the USA, in the hospital corridor; Bek Purcival, volunteer physical therapist from Australia, works with Adrien, reconstructive plastic patient, in rehab alongside Hosea Rakotondrafara, rehab day crew from Madagascar; Graduate Mohamed Bangura during the Nurse Anaesthesia Diploma Swearing-in Ceremony, a multi-year programme developed in partnership between Mercy Ships, the Ministry of Health and the University of Sierra Leone; Patients and crew during Celebration of Sight, an event to commemorate successful eye surgeries.

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2025 by the numbers

D I R E C T M E D I C A L S E R V I C E S

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4,554 5,019 6,860
TOTAL UNIQUE TOTAL SURGERIES TOTAL SURGICAL
SURGICAL PATIENTS PROCEDURES
5,117 9,731 31,863
TOTAL UNIQUE TOTAL DENTAL TOTAL DENTAL
DENTAL PATIENTS VISITS PROCEDURES
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216 RECONSTRUCTIVE 123 ORTHOPAEDIC
PLASTIC
262 WOMEN’S HEALTH
634 MAXILLOFACIAL
Total
surgeries
2,129 OPHTHALMIC
BY SURGICAL
SPECIALTY
640 PAEDIATRIC
1,015 GENERAL
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NOTE: A patient often has multiple procedures as part of a single surgery or dental visit and may also have multiple surgeries or dental visits. Total unique patients refers to the number of individuals who received surgical care with Mercy Ships.

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E D U C A T I O N
A N D T R A I N I N G
1,061
TOTAL UNIQUE HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONALS TRAINED FROM
18 AFRICAN NATIONS
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
PARTICIPANTS BY
PASSPORT NATION
1 280+
305,400
TOTAL EDUCATION
AND TRAINING
PARTICIPANT HOURS
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AFRICA’S SURGICAL FUTURE

In 2023, Mercy Ships expanded its education and training approach to include long-term investment in individual learners, reflecting the commitment to addressing Africa’s critical shortage of specialised healthcare professionals. Access to specialised education remains limited due to scarce training programmes and significant financial barriers. By sponsoring students over time, Mercy Ships helps remove these obstacles and strengthen pathways into specialised care.

Total education & training hours

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2023 105,123
191% increase
2024 159,727 from 2023 to 2025
2025 305,400
0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000
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Average hours of training per participant

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300 288
Alongside this, Mercy Ships is supporting 250
current healthcare providers through 200
continuing professional development, 150 173 311% increase
delivering immediate impact while building from 2023 to 2025
100
lasting sustainable capacity. As Africa’s 70
population grows rapidly, strengthening 50
today’s providers while investing in the 0
next generation of specialists is vital to 2023 2024 2025
expanding access to safe surgical care
across the continent.
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NOTE: A participant may be involved in more than one education and training project.

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S I E R R A L E O N E
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Patients, caregivers
and crew celebrate
Christmas at the
Hope Centre.
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SIERRA LEONE Global Mercy field service

1,998 UNIQUE SURGICAL PATIENTS

D R A U S T I N D E M B Y , S I E R R A L E O N E M I N I S T E R O F H E A L T H

2,124

SURGERIES

3,071

SURGICAL PROCEDURES

1,421

UNIQUE DENTAL PATIENTS

2,348

DENTAL VISITS

6,231

DENTAL

PROCEDURES

386

UNIQUE EDUCATION & TRAINING PARTICIPANTS

49,957

EDUCATION & TRAINING PARTICIPANT HOURS

After another successful field service in Freetown was completed in June 2025, the President of Sierra Leone invited the Global Mercy to return for a third consecutive visit. Taking place from August 2025 until June 2026, this is the eighth Mercy Ships field service to the country over the course of 30 years.

The need in Sierra Leone is great and the government remains committed to improving its healthcare system. To help achieve this goal, Mercy Ships provided surgical education and training programmes alongside the Ministry of Health, the University of Sierra Leone and Connaught Hospital. Many medical professionals grew their skills through practical mentorship on board. Meanwhile, the Safer Surgery programme delivered in partnership with Connaught Hospital brought critical education to participants in areas such as sterile processing, infection prevention, nursing and physiotherapy. Support for dental education also continued through the sponsorship of Sierra Leonean dental students studying in Guinea.

Many patients received life-changing safe surgery across maxillofacial, paediatric, orthopaedic, general, reconstructive plastic and ophthalmic specialties. Skilled and dedicated crew on board the Global Mercy , including more than 300 Sierra Leonean national day crew members, cared for thousands this year.

Mercy Ships is thankful to partner with the Government of Sierra Leone to provide a positive, lasting impact for future generations.

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M U S U ’ S S T O R Y From pain to possibility

Mamie was working when she received a call from her brother with news that every mother dreads: “Your daughter Musu was in an accident. Hot oil spilled on her.” Mamie rushed Musu to the nearest hospital. After three months, she recovered but could no longer straighten her arm.

Scars stretched from eight-year-old Musu’s face down to her fingers. Children would call her cruel names and at home, she was incapable of helping her mother. This sweet girl with a bright future was also being held back in school. As hope faded, Musu seemed to be fading along with it.

But when Mamie’s sister told her about the Global Mercy ’s arrival in Sierra Leone, hope reappeared. “Musu was so happy,” said Mamie. “She asked me, ‘Mama, do you believe that they will be able to operate this hand?’ I told her, let’s leave everything to God.”

After a three-hour surgery, Musu could move her left arm again for the first time in two years. For Mamie, it wasn’t just a miracle, it reinforced her hope in God. “God is the one doing everything. When He says yes, it’s yes, and when He says no, it’s no,” she said.

When Musu returned home, her healing was not only apparent to her own family, but also to her community. “She now comes to school regularly, moves around freely and plays with her friends,” shared her teacher, Samuel.

Her mother also holds renewed hope for Musu’s future: “She wants to be a nurse and I told her that I will support her.”

IMAGES: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Mamie and Musu before Musu’s surgery; Dr Toko Wilson, PAACS resident surgeon from Liberia, and Dr John de Waal, reconstructive plastic surgeon from New Zealand operate on Musu; Musu at her school after surgery; Musu practises household tasks in rehab after surgery; Musu plays pretend nurse with Louisa Dunne, volunteer ward nurse from Australia.

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F A R A H ’ S S T O R Y A reason to smile again

For over 15 years, Farah, a 65-year-old farmer from Sierra Leone, lived with a painful tumour that began with a decayed tooth. After the tooth fell out, he was left with a persistent sore. He sought help any way he could, but his condition worsened. The sore grew into a large mass, forcing him to give up the work that supported his family.

“[The] tumour was benign but had grown for more than a decade; something that would have been removed in minutes elsewhere,” explained Dr Georg Eggers, a volunteer surgeon from Germany. When he heard Mercy Ships was bringing its hospital sihp to his country, he knew it was his chance for healing.

After surgery, Farah’s transformation was immediate. He finally claimed victory over the growth that had altered his life. When he returned home, his village gathered to celebrate. “I thought my father would die,” said his daughter. “When I saw him [when he returned], I was surprised.”

Today, Farah smiles without pain and has hope for the future. “I just have to say thank you to Mercy Ships. They’ve given me peace of mind.”

N U R S E B E T T Y K O K E R Turning loss into lifesaving care

For Betty Koker, nursing is more than a profession, it’s a life purpose. Her journey began with heartbreak when she lost her mother due to medical negligence. “From there, I decided to become a nurse so that I can help people, especially children, not become orphans," she said.

Her time on board the Global Mercy expanded her hands-on experience even further, from orthopaedic rehabilitation to hands-on emergency simulations. But what resonated most was the culture of dedication and

empathy she witnessed. "The main thing I’ve learned here is whatever you are doing, you should “ There are things we were be compassionate about it,” not doing before, but now said Betty. “You should do we are putting them into it with love, confidence and practice and it has helped a teamwork." lot of patients. ”

That vow carried her to

Freetown, where she earned a nursing qualification in 2016.

Afterwards, she volunteered at Connaught Hospital until she was hired full time. Her

compassion and determination quickly set her apart.

At Connaught, Betty now applies her new skills daily, strengthening patient care and inspiring her colleagues to do the same. For her, the programme changed in how care is delivered. “We learned a lot. There are things we were not doing before, but now we are putting them into practice and it has helped a lot of patients,” she said.

When Betty learned about the mentorship programme at Connaught through Mercy Ships, she jumped at the opportunity. Under the guidance of UK nurse mentor Katie Henderson, Betty refined her skills, learning structured patient care protocols and emergency response techniques, strengthening her confidence and precision.

IMAGES: Farah’s village welcomes him home after surgery; Farah before and after surgery.

IMAGE:

Nurse Betty Koker at Connaught Hospital.

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Nurse Betty Koker cares for a patient at Connaught Hospital, under the mentorship of Katie Henderson, volunteer nurse from the UK.

Co aught Hospital SAFER SURGERY

“ We want this training to contribute to strengthening the entire healthcare system in Sierra Leone and make sure that the nurses who will be trained during this period will not only serve in Freetown, but will go on to impact the entire healthcare system in the country. ”

M A S S I A M I S O U M A H O R O , P R O G R A M M E O F F I C E R

At Freetown’s Connaught Hospital, big changes took place in 2025. Ongoing, multiyear training initiatives, designed to deliver sustainable impact, strengthened the foundations of surgical care. Co-designed by Mercy Ships and Connaught Hospital leadership, the Safer Surgery Programme enhanced surgical safety by improving nursing practice, infection prevention and sterile processing standards, ensuring safer outcomes for patients.

NURSE MENTORSHIP

In 2025, the Nurse Mentorship project equipped surgical nurses through intensive four-week modules that blended classroom learning, simulations and supervised ward practice. By focusing on patient assessment, infection prevention, wound care and specialty surgical knowledge, the programme strengthened the largest workforce in the hospital. Nurses bring these skills directly into their daily practice, driving improvements in pre- and post-operative care.

essential processes and supporting data collection on patient outcomes, the project reduces infection rates without requiring major infrastructure upgrades.

STERILE PROCESSING

The Sterile Processing project, delivered in partnership with Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust (SPECT), trained hospital staff how to decontaminate, clean, inspect and sterilise surgical instruments. Standardising these procedures will help to reduce infection risk and equip participants to successfully train others.

PHYSIOTHERAPY

The Physiotherapy project brought newly trained Sierra Leonean physiotherapists to work alongside the Global Mercy rehabilitation teams to expand their clinical and technical skills. Building national rehabilitation capacity helps reduce disability, improve patient recovery and quality of life, and decrease long-term healthcare burdens.

INFECTION PREVENTION

Through a partnership with Lifebox, Infection Prevention training introduced the Clean Cut project to reduce surgical site infections. Teams received training in antibiotic timing, sterile field maintenance, instrument sterility, skin preparation and use of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist. By strengthening

These efforts are all part of a larger, longterm strategy for safer surgical care. By upskilling local professionals, strengthening systems and fostering a culture of quality improvement, Safer Surgery at Connaught is laying the groundwork for lasting improvements in Sierra Leone and beyond.

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M A D A G A S C A R
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MADAGASCAR Africa Mercy field service

“ The surgery activity is not just a single event; it reflects the collective spirit of teamwork, ” compassion and excellence that defines all of us.

1,430

UNIQUE SURGICAL PATIENTS

D R C E L E S T I N E V A V Y R A Z A F I A R I S O A , M A D A G A S C A R R E G I O N A L H E A L T H D I R E C T O R

1,588

SURGERIES

2,472

TOTAL SURGICAL PROCEDURES

1,292

UNIQUE DENTAL PATIENTS

2,286

DENTAL VISITS

8,266

DENTAL PROCEDURES

169

UNIQUE EDUCATION & TRAINING PARTICIPANTS

23,825 EDUCATION & TRAINING PARTICIPANT HOURS

In February 2025, the Africa Mercy returned to Madagascar for her second consecutive field service. This stay marked the fifth time Mercy Ships has visited the island nation since 1996.

Throughout the year, Mercy Ships focused on providing direct medical services and expanding upon surgical education and training programmes. Working with the Ministry of Health, Mercy Ships selected patients from multiple regions across Madagascar.

Crew on the Africa Mercy performed more than one thousand successful surgeries, including maxillofacial, ophthalmic, reconstructive plastic, paediatric orthopaedic and general surgery.

Hundreds of healthcare professionals received instruction in areas like comprehensive cleft care, clubfoot and surgical and anaesthesia training. Additional programmes included Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) residency rotations and on-ship education for student nurses.

These initiatives meet participants where they are and equip them with essential skills to improve surgical conditions nationwide. These programmes also make safe surgical care more accessible and support the long-term, sustainable development of Madagascar’s surgical and anaesthetic systems.

Lasting change is only possible thanks to the ongoing support of the Government of Madagascar and Mercy Ships is grateful to continue the partnership in 2026.

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A L F R E D O ’ S S T O R Y Against all odds, Alfredo finds his smile

When Alfredo was born, his family feared showing him to his mother because of his cleft lip. But when Doxie saw him, she was overcome with love. As a first-time mother, she vowed to do everything she could for her baby. “I said to the Lord, ‘What should I do for this baby since you have given him to me?’”

After she heard about Mercy Ships from a midwife, Doxie carried Alfredo to the screening centre in hopes of finding healing for her son. The medical team explained that, at just a few days old, Alfredo was still too small for surgery and needed time to grow stronger, and they gave her an appointment date to return.

Doxie returned to her village with guidance on his feeding from the medical team. As they waited to return, she did everything she could to help Alfredo gain strength. Due to his cleft, he could not breastfeed properly, so she relied on formula to nourish him. But she could not afford the formula for long. Without consistent access to nutrition, Alfredo grew weaker. He was thin and fragile as she made the journey back to the Africa Mercy .

When the team met the six-month-old, he only weighed 2.6 kg. Surgery was too risky, so he was placed on the Mercy Ships infant feeding programme, which gives malnourished babies the sustenance they need. Alfredo received specialised nutrition and close medical support to help him gain weight. As Alfredo grew stronger, he was finally ready for his life-changing surgery.

Today, Alfredo’s cleft lip is healed and Doxie is at ease about his future: “My wish for him is that he will study like every other kid and have a better future.” A future that was made possible by a mother’s love and the hands of mercy.

IMAGES: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Doxie and Alfredo (6 months old) before beginning the Infant Feeding Programme; Alfredo at one year old, now healthy enough for surgery; Dr Emmanuel Kyobe, PAACS resident from Uganda and Dr Stavan Patel, volunteer maxillofacial surgeon from the USA, examine Alfredo during ward rounds; Alfredo after surgery with Alana Donkin, volunteer ward nurse from New Zealand; Alfredo (18 months old), fully healed.

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M A D A G A S C A R
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One path, two chapters

H O W T R A I N I N G H E L P E D B R O T H E R S W A L K F O R W A R D

The principles of the Ponseti method remained the same, but treatment took longer and needed greater expertise. Weeks of casting gradually stretched stiff feet, reducing the need for invasive surgery and improving outcomes.

at a Ponseti clinic established through that original training. His care was the outcome of a programme that prioritised sustainability from the start.

At Hôpital Analakininina in Toamasina, two brothers sat side by side, their legs wrapped in white casts. Born with the same condition, they shared a journey shaped by two moments in time.

Mercy Ships began supporting clubfoot care in Madagascar in 2015, mentoring local teams in the Ponseti method, a gentle, evidence-based approach using weekly casting, careful manipulation and, when needed, a small surgical procedure. The first mentoring programme focused on babies and young children, training Malagasy health professionals to provide long-term care.

Fanirisoa’s care, however, represented a new chapter. While Madagascar had a strong national clubfoot programme, many children missed early treatment. As they grew older, untreated clubfoot became more complex to manage.

For Fanirisoa, that meant careful correction, a small but crucial procedure, and close follow-up. For the clinicians, it meant hands-on mentoring to gain skills and build confidence.

Both boys were born with clubfoot, a congenital condition that causes a child’s feet to twist inward and downward. Without treatment, walking is often painful and limited. When the older brother, Fanirisoa, was born, his parents couldn’t access specialised care, so they tried traditional massage and bandaging. While there was some improvement, walking remained a struggle.

“ When you see a child improving and at the same time you see a local team gaining confidence... that’s sustainability. The treatment will finish, but the knowledge

Dr Saholy Razafindranaly, a Malagasy general practitioner and Ponseti trainer, remembers the beginning clearly. “2015 marked the start of clubfoot treatment using the Ponseti method here in Madagascar, with support from Mercy Ships,” she said. Since then, she estimated that more than 3,000 children had been treated.

When Mercy Ships returned in 2025, the organisation launched a new Clubfoot Mentoring Project under the leadership of Nick Veltjens, the physiotherapist who led the 2015–2016 efforts. The focus was on strengthening care, especially for older children, and mentoring clinicians who could carry this work forward for the next generation.

For the boys’ father, the impact was already clear. will stay. ” “Now their feet are straight and they can walk,” he said. “They can do everything the others can do.”

When Vonjy was born with the same condition, the family’s worries grew. “Before, walking was painful for them,” their father said. “They used to cry and say, ‘It hurts.’” In their community, the boys were sometimes given nicknames because of how they walked. Their parents stayed silent: “That was just how things were.”

When Mercy Ships left in 2016, the work continued. Through partnerships with the Ministry of Health and organisations like MiracleFeet, clubfoot clinics spread across the country. Despite challenges like long travel distances and too few specialists, Malagasy clinicians continued providing care year after year.

Two brothers, treated side by side, carried the impact of two moments in time: one shaped by training planted 10 years earlier and the other helping to train what came next. Their story reflects what’s possible when care is locally led, knowledge is passed on and hope is built to last.

“When you see a child improving and at the same time you see a local team gaining confidence... that’s sustainability. The treatment will finish, but the knowledge will stay,” said Veltjens.

Hope came through a radio announcement. After hearing about Mercy Ships, the family travelled from their home near Antananarivo to a screening in Toamasina, where their story became part of a much bigger legacy.

Vonjy’s treatment reflected that success. He was treated entirely by Malagasy health professionals

IMAGES: (OPPOSITE PAGE) Dr Saholy (left) removes one of Fanirisoa’s casts; (ABOVE) Fanirisoa and Vonjy with their parents after their treatment.

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A P P E A L S U C C E S S

Summer appeal success S E L I N A ’ S J O Y F U L S T O R Y

The Mercy Ships UK summer appeal was very successful, in part thanks to two generous supporters who matched the first £100,000. This kind offer boosted the appeal fundraising.

“I used a bandage to cover the hernia when she went out, to stop people from mocking us,” said Mariama.

Thankfully, Selina was selected to have the surgery she needed on board the Global Mercy .

Focusing on the story of Selina in Sierra Leone, donors raised £320,614. With the match funding, this increased to an incredible £420,614.

Dr John Zwiacher, the volunteer general surgeon from the US who operated on the toddler, added that it is common for children with umbilical hernias to face social stigma. Selina’s hernia was already 6cm in size. Untreated and growing hernias can quickly become serious, explained Dr Zwiacher.

Selina was born with an umbilical hernia, a condition that occurs when part of the intestine sticks out through the muscles near the belly button.

When she started walking, her mum Mariama took her to a hospital, but was told that Selina was too young for surgery. With no hope of treatment in sight, Selina continued to live with the painful, growing hernia.

“ Her stomach is now, just like my own. ”

While on board, Mariama ” found that the love she experienced from Mercy Ships volunteers helped her regain confidence. She was overjoyed and full of gratitude for the successful surgery. Selina can now experience a happy childhood free from pain, ridicule and the health risks of an untreated hernia.

– Mariama, Selina’s mother.

Hernia pain for adults can be devastating, and the same was true for two-year-old Selina.

Sadly, Selina spent every day with a pain in her tummy, without knowing why, and without the treatment she needed. It was distressing for Mariama to see her child in pain. And this loving mum suffered in other ways too – she found it hard to work, cook and carry out her daily duties like many mums in her village. Mariama fought to give Selina a happy childhood. But it was a struggle, because every time they left the house, Mariama was afraid of what people would say.

Thanks to our generous supporters, we can share hope and healing with many other patients who are eagerly waiting for life-changing surgery, just like Selina.

IMAGES: (FROM TOP) Selina with her grandmother after surgery; Selina on the ward just before surgery; Selina before surgery.

INCOME TOTAL £420,614

CASH DONATIONS 4,400

NEW RECURRING DONATIONS 234

REACTIVATED SUPPORTERS 194

NEW SUPPORTERS 486

AVERAGE CASH GIFT £65.30

AVERAGE RECURRING DONATION GIFT £14.04

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A C R O S S A F R I C A
S E N E G A L
G U I N E A
T O G O
Global Mercy Ships’ work across Africa
Mercy G H A N A throughout 2025 was shaped by long-
term partnerships, local leadership
and a shared vision for stronger, more
accessible healthcare systems. In
multiple countries, ongoing education
and training programmes continued
to meet urgent surgical needs and
invest in lasting, sustainable solutions.
ACROSS AFRICA
At the heart of this strategy is a
commitment to close critical gaps
Hope beyond borders in surgical care. Free, life-changing
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A C R O S S A F R I C A
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providers. These investments build local capacity and expand access to safe care. They enable programme graduates to return to their home countries to train others and serve their communities with greater skill and confidence. In addition, Mercy Ships is committed to strengthening systems through infrastructure renovation and construction projects, as well as providing equipment and equipment training, to ensure nations have the resources they need to offer quality care.

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S O U T H
A F R I C A
Africa
Mercy
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At the heart of this strategy is a commitment to close critical gaps in surgical care. Free, life-changing surgeries, while core to Mercy Ships’ mission, represent just one part of a broader approach. Mercy Ships places equal emphasis on strengthening the people, institutions and systems that make safe surgery possible.

Over time, this integrated approach creates a multiplying effect. Patients regain health, providers gain expertise, hospitals improve standards of care and countries move closer to self-sustaining surgical systems that can meet the needs of their people. Across the continent, Mercy Ships is honoured to walk alongside nations and be part of supporting healing today and strengthening the healthcare systems of tomorrow.

Through sustained collaboration with ministries of health, hospitals and local universities, Mercy Ships supports the training and professional development of surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and other essential healthcare

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A C R O S S A F R I C A

2,404 UNIQUE DENTAL PATIENTS

5,097

DENTAL VISITS

17,366

DENTAL PROCEDURES

284

UNIQUE EDUCATION & TRAINING PARTICIPANTS

189,022

EDUCATION

& TRAINING PARTICIPANT HOURS

IMAGES: Dr Mariama Camara, Dr Guirassy II Mariama, Dr Diallo Mariama Cire and Dr Soumah Yalikhatou, the first female general surgeons trained in Guinea.

GUINEA Long-term partnership

In 2025, the long-term partnership between Mercy Ships and the Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry (UGANC) expanded to sponsor more students from across Africa to receive dental and surgical training. Following the completion of a new clinical training space in late 2024, Mercy Ships increased the number of international students participating in UGANC programmes. Students came from across the region, including Madagascar, Benin, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and more.

HANDS-ON TRAINING WITH REGIONAL IMPACT

The partnership supported clinical training, administrative systems and pedagogical guidance for UGANC’s dental curriculum, alongside surgical and anaesthesia programmes. Dental students and recent graduates received simulation-based and hands-on training, while also providing basic oral health education to patients and caregivers.

“These growing partnerships with other countries are an important part of what we do,” said Dr David Ugai, Mercy Ships Country Director for Guinea. “Some students come because they don’t have dental schools in their own countries. Others come for one year and we sponsor their residencies so they can return home as future educators.”

specialty-specific training, Mercy Ships continued to invest in sustainable surgical systems and local capacity.

EXPANDING SURGICAL EDUCATION

PARTNERSHIPS

Since 2024, Mercy Ships has partnered with the Faculté de Sciences et Techniques de la Santé (FSTS) to support its existing suite of surgical education programmes, including anaesthesia, general and visceral surgery, ENT, plastic and orthopaedic surgery, trauma, neurosurgery, paediatric surgery, obestetrics and gynaecology, and urology.

“There are significant gaps in the surgical workforce across Africa,” Ugai said. “Without strong surgical education programmes, those gaps will widen as the population grows.”

RENOVATING FACULTÉ DE SCIENCES ET TECHNIQUES DE LA SANTÉ

This year, the medical education sponsorship programme broke new ground in Guinea when four participants earned their diplomas of specialisation, becoming the first female general surgeons trained in-country. "Their achievements mark a historic turning point, and we are honoured to have supported these leaders as they step forward as specialists in general and visceral surgery, inspiring others to follow their path," said Estelle Mouadeu Toualeu, Mercy Ships Medical Education Sponsorship Manager. Mercy Ships also supported them to pursue international internships to broaden their experience in Morocco, Tunisia and France.

Mirroring its collaboration with Gamal’s Dental School, Mercy Ships grew its partnership with FSTS, which houses the UGANC Departments of Nursing and Medicine. In late 2025, candidates were selected to participate in the UGANC FSTS Faculty Development project, which encompasses a range of master’s degrees in the medicine, nursing and pedagogy fields.

As part of this partnership, Mercy Ships also launched a key infrastructure project. Renovations began for what will become a new Faculty of Science Simulation Centre, to be completed in 2026.

BUILDING FACULTY FOR THE FUTURE

Beyond technical instruction, these partnerships emphasise faculty development, curriculum strengthening and practical simulation. By sponsoring future educators and supporting

IMAGE:

A dental student and Dr Ana Filipa, Mercy Ships education and training programme officer, treat a patient in the UGANC clinic.

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A C R O S S A F R I C A

TOGO

MEDICAL EDUCATION Sponsorships

Mercy Ships partnered with universities in 13 African nations to sponsor students for specialised education in dentistry, surgery, anaesthesia, nursing, biomedical engineering and ancillary services. Students received training through various specialised medical partnerships, including UGANC in Guinea and PAACS. These projects are managed by the Mercy Ships Guinea country team. The Medical Education Sponsorship Programme aims to:

“ This training programme, made possible through the sponsorship of Mercy Ships, has profoundly transformed the way I view orthodontic practice. It has enabled me to move beyond a purely technical approach and embrace a more holistic one, integrating quality of care, social responsibility and a commitment to ongoing learning. “

DR AMADOU OURY DIALLO RESIDENT IN ORTHODONTICS

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UNIQUE MEDICAL ED.
MEDICAL ED. PARTICIPANT
PARTICIPANTS HOURS
GUINEA [] 60 87,544
SIERRA LEONE [†] 16 19,207
GUINEA-BISSAU 12 10,137
MADAGASCAR [‡] 10 13,308
BENIN 9 9,527
KENYA 3 9,792
MAURITANIA 3 864
CAMEROON 2 4,035
TANZANIA 1 3,264
BURKINA FASO 1 632
SOUTH SUDAN [§] 1 116
UGANDA [§] 1 116
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The vision is big and the journey’s only beginning. Moving forward, Mercy Ships plans to continue building new partnerships with universities and institutions across Africa so that more students can receive specialised education. Mercy Ships intentionally selects programmes in Africa so students can receive context-relevant education, promoting the growth and development of existing specialisation programmes.

Data is included in the following totals: *Guinea (pg 30),[‡] Sierra Leone (pg 12), ‡Madagascar (pg 20), § South Africa (pg 34)

897 UNIQUE SURGICAL PATIENTS

1,073 SURGERIES

1,075 SURGICAL PROCEDURES

5 UNIQUE TRAINING PARTICIPANTS

619 TRAINING PARTICIPANT HOURS

MADAGASCAR

229 UNIQUE SURGICAL PATIENTS

234 SURGERIES

242 SURGICAL PROCEDURES

In 2025, Mercy Ships began partnering with the University of Lomé to advance dental education in Togo. This multi-year project aims to increase the number of qualified Togolese dentists through infrastructure improvements to equip the dental clinic and simulation space.

Mercy Ships also continued supporting surgeon mentoring through Lumière Divine, the NGO founded by Dr Abram Wodomé, Mercy Ships Ophthalmic Specialty Consultant.

In addition, Mercy Ships sponsored 1,000 cataract surgeries in northern and rural Togo through the Christian NGO, Sight.org. These efforts will help improve access to ophthalmic surgical care in the region for years to come.

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IMAGE: Dr Nestor Avia from Sight.org performs surgery at a clinic in Elavagnon, Togo.
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MADAGASCAR & SIERRA LEONE

Freedom From Fistula is a key long-term partner of Mercy Ships, providing free fistula surgeries and free maternity care to ensure safe childbirth. In 2025, Mercy Ships supported the organisation by funding surgeries at the Madagascar obstetric fistula clinic, which Mercy Ships helped establish in 2015.

In Sierra Leone, Mercy Ships provided funding for paediatric consultations at the Aberdeen Women’s Centre, which was built and established by Mercy Ships in 2005. This ongoing partnership has been instrumental in transforming the lives of women and girls across Africa.

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A C R O S S A F R I C A

186 UNIQUE TRAINING PARTICIPANTS

3,725

TRAINING PARTICIPANT HOURS

SOUTH AFRICA

In 2025, Mercy Ships continued to support the Society of Anaesthesiologists of South Africa (SASA) to deliver SAFE Paediatric and Obstetric Anaesthesia courses nationwide. Several courses featured a “Training the Trainer” component to equip participants to pass on their knowledge, strengthening surgical and anaesthesia systems across South Africa.

GHANA

Mercy Ships provided funding and content for the Ghana Surgical Dialogue 2025. This was a prominent national-level forum where key leaders gathered to support the government’s efforts to enhance surgical, obstetric, trauma and anaesthetic care.

In addition, Mercy Ships has been in Ghana conducting local assessments in preparation for the Global Mercy ’s arrival to the Port of Tema for field service in 2026.

SENEGAL

In 2025, Mercy Ships began supporting the Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar’s dental school expansion. This partnership strives to increase training capacity so that more students can receive high-quality instruction. Mercy Ships’ investment in the dental school includes providing prosthodontics equipment, addressing the need to enhance specialised instruction. In addition, Mercy Ships procured medical simulation equipment to donate to the university’s simulation centre, allowing more students to receive high-quality theoretical and practical instruction.

Dakar is also home to the Mercy Ships Africa Service Centre, a strategic base that supports the organisation’s operations, enhances logistics and fosters relationships with local communities and government partners across Africa.

PAN-AFRICA HEALTHCARE Diplomacy

NATIONAL SURGICAL, OBSTETRIC, AND ANAESTHESIA PLAN (NSOAP)

In 2025, Sierra Leone launched its NSOAP (2026–2030) in collaboration with partners like Mercy Ships. Led by the Ministry of Health, the plan demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthening the country's surgical care. This actionable and measurable plan will provide a strategic roadmap to expand access to safe, timely and affordable surgical care nationwide, while also leading to improved coordination and accountability.

PAN-AFRICAN SURGICAL HEALTHCARE

Mercy Ships also supported NSOAP development in Ghana and is now part of the nation’s NSOAP implementation committee. Together, these resolutions are designed to deliver lasting, Africa-led solutions for surgical care.

FORUM (PASHEF)

In 2025, Mercy Ships advanced pan-Africa diplomacy efforts by helping African leaders turn political commitment into practical action. This included partnering with Smile Train to fund PASHeF, now in its third year and firmly established as a continental platform where solutions are shaped for Africa, by Africa.

AFRICAN DENTAL EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM

In Morocco, deans, programme directors and faculty from across Africa gathered for the inaugural African Dental Education Symposium. The event culminated in the launch of the African Education Dental Association (AEDA), the continent’s first collaborative association committed to advancing dental education.

In attendance were the African Union, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and representatives from 42 ministries of health and finance. The forum focused on showcasing scalable national models, innovative financing approaches and collaborative pathways to strengthen surgical, obstetric and anaesthetic care.

Supported by Mercy Ships, the symposium assembled Africa’s dental educators, committed to building stronger academic programmes, sharing resources and increasing access to training across borders. Inspired by similar associations in the USA and Europe, the AEDA supports curriculum development, faculty exchange and student training, while advocating for stronger dental health systems in Africa. As partnerships deepen, this collaboration marks a hopeful turning point for the future of dental care across Africa.

The formal strengthening of partnership with the Africa CDC marked another milestone. As the African Union’s technical health arm, the Africa CDC is positioned to elevate PASHeF priorities on the African Union agenda and support implementation at scale.

IMAGE:

Dr Mustapha Kabba, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Clinical Services in the Ministry of Health, presents at PASHeF.

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OUR VOLUNTEERS Serving with purpose

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2,176
UNIQUE VOLUNTEER
CREW FROM75 NATIONS 689
NATIONAL DAY CREW
1 200+ IN SIERRA LEONE
AND MADAGASCAR
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Mercy Ships volunteers are the heartbeat of the organisation. They come from around the world, selflessly donating their time and expertise to provide transformative medical care to those who need it most. Without them, the hospital ships wouldn’t be able to operate. Volunteers are crucial to the work Mercy Ships does year after year, leading by example and living out the 2,000-year-old model of Jesus. Mercy Ships is forever grateful for our generous and compassionate volunteers.

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The volunteer
crew of the
Global Mercy.
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B E C K Y C H A P L I N : Once rescued, now a rescuer

“I’m joyful and bubbly. I love to laugh. I care a lot about people. I like to be creative and I love the Lord.”

While earning her master’s, she was researching occupational therapists working in low-income countries and Mercy Ships popped up. A few years later, she eagerly applied to volunteer.

That’s how Becky Chaplin, volunteer Rehab Team Leader on the Global Mercy , introduces herself. Her story is one of faith and a lifelong dream fulfilled: hope and healing that truly goes beyond borders.

Today, Becky is not just serving patients, she’s also teaching recent physiotherapy graduates essential skills so they can help even more people in their communities. She began supporting their education on board the ship and now, she leads the Physiotherapy Project at Connaught Hospital in Sierra Leone.

Becky’s journey began in Kenya, “ where, as a newborn, she was found by a veterinarian who felt a divine prompting to check a roadside bag. “I think God was looking after me and sent a voice to the vet to find me,” she said. Adopted at seven weeks old by a missionary couple from the UK, Becky grew up surrounded by faith and compassion. “Mum said when she picked me up, she felt God was saying, ‘This is your daughter.’”

“ Mercy Ships has had a big impact on helping me grow and become more of a leader ... It’s amazing to be in a place where you get to live out your faith openly. ”

” Serving with Mercy Ships has even deepened her faith and leadership. “Mercy Ships has had a big impact on helping me grow and become more of a leader,” Becky said. “It’s amazing to be in a place where you get to live out your faith openly.”

Becky sees her role not only as physical restoration but as spiritual encouragement. She believes that each patient is seen and loved by God. “If you want something that’s enriching, pushes you and grows you, then it’s for you,” she advises future volunteers. “Just step out in faith and you won’t be disappointed!”

Living in the UK but identifying as both Kenyan and British, Becky’s heart has always been drawn back to Africa. “I’ve always had a heart to come back to an African country,” she shared. “I wanted to do it once I had the skill or experience to be able to help.”

IMAGES:

Becky in the rehab clinic on board the Global Mercy ; Becky works with a patient in rehab.

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A P P E A L S U C C E S SV O L U N T E E R L I V E S
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Finding a new life at sea

I A N L A W R E N C E & D E N I S E N G U M

Ian Lawrence faced one unique challenge during his year as captain of the Global Mercy . “It’s very unusual as a captain to spend 10 months in one place”, he explained. “So part of the challenge is keeping the deck crew engaged and motivated.”

can access formal training.

Denise Ngum is one beneficiary of that training. Denise trained as an electrical engineer, but she had struggled to find a job in her home country, Cameroon. In 2018, she joined the electrical department on the Africa Mercy – and spent seven years on board.

Ian was granted a year’s unpaid leave from his job as a marine pilot in the port of Southampton to volunteer on the Global Mercy . Ian and his wife, Elizma, had met on a ship and had been thinking about showing their children what life at sea was like. His children, eight-year-old Abigail and fiveyear-old Piran, went to school on the ship.

“I was amazed at the support I was given,” said Denise. “The Chief Electrician encouraged me to think about what my next step could be with training. He told me that Mercy Ships could be a platform for gaining new skills.”

“Piran had his first day of school in the middle of the Atlantic, halfway between Tenerife and Sierra Leone,” laughed Ian. “And I was able to take him to school, which was really special.”

She was offered the opportunity to study for the licence she needed to become an electrical technical officer in Newcastle – a step she had never dreamt would be possible. “My time at South Shields Marine School was the best studying experience I’ve ever had,” she said. “I returned to Mercy Ships fuelled with knowledge.”

After sailing to Sierra Leone, the Lawrence family lived on board the Global Mercy for 10 months, before the ship returned to Spain for maintenance.

Denise is now an electrical technical officer with Explora Journey cruise ships. “Mercy Ships opened up a whole new experience for me and I’m so grateful,” she added.

“On normal ships that sail regularly, night watches are seen as the worst part,” said Ian. “But because we may only be at sea for up to 10 days at a time, these slots are gold. The deck crew are falling over themselves to sign up to these watches to get navigation time.”

Ian added that Mercy Ships has a dedicated maritime training scheme that ensures deck crew

IMAGES: (LEFT TO RIGHT)

Ian Lawrence, Chief Officer, taking his son to his first day of school; Denise Ngum, Electrical and Control Technician, in the engine room.

D R M A N J I T D H I L L O N Bringing joy through healing

While on the Global Mercy in Sierra Leone, Dr Manjit was one of two surgeons working to remove a complex, life-threatening jaw tumour for a young man. Alex’s surgery required tumour removal, followed by a second surgery to reconstruct his jaw using bone from his hip.

Dr Manjit Dhillon is a consultant surgeon in oral and maxillofacial surgery in Aberdeen. She started volunteering with Mercy Ships in 2023 and now uses her annual leave each year to perform complex facial surgeries onboard.

Two of her more dramatic surgeries were featured in several newspapers in 2025.

that she was seeing patients whose tumours had grown so large, when they should have been treated much sooner. But she realised that without trained specialists, there is nobody available to perform these surgeries. .

While on board the Africa Mercy in Madagascar, Dr Manjit removed a massive benign tumour from twoyear-old Armella. The 280g growth behind her ear was continuing to grow and starting to affect how Armella held her head.

Armella held her head. Dr Majit has highlighted how she feels that her volunteering with Mercy Ships has aided her “Without this surgery, she would have struggled professional growth and made her a better surgeon. to hold her head up and would have lived on the fringes of society,” explained Dr Manjit. “Now she The eye-catching stories of her transforming work can enjoy going to school without getting picked on. were featured across the media this year, helping to She’s saved from a lifetime of injustice.” drive interest in Mercy Ships' mission.

Find out more about Find out more about volunteering on board. volunteering on board. IMAGES: (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) Dr Manjit, in the operating theatre on board the Global Mercy ; Dr Manjit with Alex during post-surgery ward rounds; Armella before surgery.

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E M M A N U E L N W A J I Guided by faith & service

When Nigerian-born Emmanuel Nwaji set sail on his first vessel, he never imagined the adventure his skills would take him on. Today, as Second Officer on board the Global Mercy , Emmanuel ensures safe navigation and oversees training on the world’s largest civilian hospital ship.

Emmanuel’s father hoped he’d become a doctor. Instead, a government scholarship redirected his path to study nautical science in Egypt, launching a maritime career that would take him across oceans and through countless ports.

Now serving alongside his wife, Sophia, who volunteers as Crew Banker, Emmanuel finds joy in both his work and their shared purpose.

Years later, Emmanuel traded his commercial career for Mercy Ships. His first experience was on board the Africa Mercy . “On a commercial vessel, you work for money and your goal is your career. But with Mercy Ships, there’s a better reward. There’s this fulfilment you get knowing that you’re a part of something bigger.” He became so passionate about serving that he extended his commitment.

As an African officer helping steer a hospital ship serving his own continent, Emmanuel’s story comes full circle. He may not be wearing a white coat, but he’s helping change lives.

“I definitely recommend serving with Mercy Ships to other seafarers, even if it’s just one time,” Emmanuel urged. “It has a way of changing your outlook on how the maritime industry should operate.”

He was also drawn by the organisation’s faithbased mission and impact across Africa. “Mercy Ships made me really see the need in Africa. I’m happy this is happening in Africa and I get to be a part of it,” he said.

S H I R L Y D E B O E R : A lifetime of caring

While working in remote areas, often as the only healthcare provider, Shirly delivered babies, performed skin grafts and even tended to animals when no vet was available. Her faith and resilience have inspired countless others.

From Tasmania, Australia, to Papua New Guinea and Senegal to the decks of the Africa Mercy , nurse Shirly de Boer has spent five decades serving across the globe. Known fondly as “Aunty Shirly,” she now cares for paediatric patients on board,

She first heard about Mercy Ships in Senegal in 1992. Decades later, when the opportunity arose to volunteer, she sold her caravan, car and calves to serve on board the Africa Mercy . “I thought maybe coming to Mercy Ships would be a lovely way to finish my nursing career.”

continuing a dream sparked at age 10 when she saw a photo of a child in need.

Now, mentoring younger nurses and photographing moments of hope, Shirly is a living testimony to one powerful truth: it’s never too late to provide hope and healing.

“I’ve been nursing for 50 years and I have loved every bit of my nursing career,” she said. “It’s something that as a child I wanted to do and I think God has prepared me for that role in my life.”

ESG INITIATIVES Environmental, Social and Governance

In 2025, Mercy Ships continued building upon its commitment to leave a lasting impact on the health of people and communities in sub-Saharan Africa, using state-of-the-art hospital ships in close collaboration with local partners and stakeholders. In the spirit of the organisation’s core values to strive for excellence across all areas of operations, Mercy Ships is committed to upholding the highest Environmental, Social and Governance standards.

surgical services and education and training programmes to its partner African nations. This transformative work is made possible by a crew of volunteers serving on board as well as staff working around the world, all of whom Mercy Ships is dedicated to supporting as they live out their mission.

Our qualified, prepared and missionfocused people are the hands and feet of Mercy Ships. In 2025, the organisation began a multi-year strategy to improve the volunteer experience, ensuring longterm, sustainable volunteer staffing for Mercy Ships’ programmes. This year, an organisation-wide Gallup engagement survey resulted in management action plans aimed at improving workplace satisfaction, as well as volunteer and staff experience.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Each Mercy Ships vessel meets international safety and environmental standards and regulations, such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships. To maintain optimum safety and efficiency, the ships and their operations are managed in accordance with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code and the classification requirements of Lloyd’s Register.

GOVERNANCE

Mercy Ships’ governance model includes oversight from the Mercy Ships International Board of Directors consisting of men and women with diverse profiles from around the world. The Mercy Ships brand represents the headquarters in Garden Valley, Texas, a fleet of hospital ships operating in host countries in Africa, 16 affiliated independent charities around the world under the name Mercy Ships that raise funds and recruit volunteers to staff and run the hospital ships and related operations, and an Africa Service Centre in Dakar, Senegal.

The Global Mercy was built with energy efficiency as a major component of her design. It lays a roadmap for Mercy Ships’ commitment to operating eco-friendly vessels into the future, expanding the organisation’s positive impact on partner nations while minimising the impact on the environment. Key features on board the vessel include modern and efficient systems that provide reliable power, clean water and air conditioning for the hospital and crew, all of which reduce the ship’s total energy consumption relative to earlier generation vessels.

Each National Office is an independent charity organised under the laws of its respective country, has its own Board of Directors and complies with each country’s specific legislation for nonprofit NGOs. Mercy Ships currently operates a two-ship fleet consisting of the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy , each of which is led by a Managing Director and management team that reports directly to Mercy Ships’ executive leadership.

SOCIAL

The core of the Mercy Ships mission is to tangibly improve the lives of individuals and communities through the delivery of direct

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LOOKING AHEAD Healing beyond measure

Tatsy, general surgery patient from Madagascar, holding a photo of himself before surgery.

As I step into this new role as CEO of Mercy Ships, I do so with deep gratitude and a sense of God’s leading. This season has reminded me again of the extraordinary potential within our people, our partnerships and our mission. Together, we look toward 2026 with great expectation as we aim to be best-in-class for our patients, our people and our partners.

In 2026, the Africa Mercy will continue serving in Toamasina, Madagascar, deepening long-standing local healthcare partnerships through surgical care and expanded training. This next chapter allows us to keep building for greater impact, ensuring our work strengthens the foundations of surgical care for years to come.

Meanwhile, the Global Mercy will complete her third consecutive field service in Sierra Leone mid-year. After her annual maintenance period, she will sail to Ghana for Mercy Ships’ fifth visit to the nation since 1991. Building on a long and trusted relationship, this next field service will focus on providing safe surgical care while strengthening local healthcare systems through training and collaboration with national partners.

Across the continent, we will continue advancing our work in Guinea through our partnership with Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, expanding dental, anaesthetic and surgical training programmes that contribute to long-term national capacity.

As we prepare for the coming year, we will lean into strengthening our internal systems and the stewardship that supports our mission so that both those we serve and those who serve with us can flourish and reach their God-given potential.

We invite you to join us in prayer for the volunteers who will fill and fuel our ships, for the nations and leaders we are honoured to partner with and for the patients and families who we will be caring for. We look to the Lord for wisdom as He leads us forward in His strength and courage.

Dr Michelle White

Mercy Ships International CEO

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Financial Review and Strategic Report

SUMMARY

In 2025, Mercy Ships UK (MSUK) achieved its best ever income year of £11.2m compared to £9.9m the previous year, an increase of 13%. During the year we received exceptional support from our loyal donor base. This included more than 9,000 regular donors along with one-off donors who responded generously to our campaigns. Our income does not include a monetary amount representing the contributed services valuation of volunteers provided by MSUK. This amount totals £3.4m (£3.5m: 2024) and is included in the Mercy Ships International accounts. Our fundraising ratio at 23% (2024: 23%) also does not benefit from this amount

The 2025 total expenditure of £13.6m including grants, compared to £11.0m the previous year, reflects MSUK’s commitment to our international programmes, together with investment towards future growth in our ability to support these activities. This expenditure commitment included a total of £8.0m in grants (2024: £6.2m), an increase of 29%.

INCOME

Total income for the year of £11.2m was 13% up on the previous year (2024: £9.9m), with Legacy income of £2.1m (2024: £2.2m).

During the year, our Individual Giving team saw a large uplift in online donations, along with excellent engagement from our mid-level donors. We raised almost £770,000 across our two matched appeals, contributing to over £1.4m from all 12 campaigns. Retention rates were maintained and average gifts increased by £11.

In 2025, the Philanthropy team advanced Corporate Partnership development across the maritime sectors while deepening relationships with key donors, including through a dedicated visit to Northern Ireland. Cargo Day (focused fundraising from the international shipping community) achieved its strongest year to date, and significant events and ship visits created valuable opportunities for stewardship and new introductions. Philanthropic investment in volunteer sponsorship also grew, ensuring skilled professionals could serve on board and deliver life-changing care.

Our Engagement work was strengthened by the arrival of our first Events Manager, and income from Christian festivals and churches alone grew to £163k. We continue to strengthen our partnerships with community groups and networks, and relationships with alumni and speakers who faithfully represent us, which resulted more than £167k being raised.

Alongside growing income for grant purposes, recruiting volunteers is a vital part of our mission and during the year MSUK volunteer recruitment team delivered the equivalent of 44 fulltime roles (2024: 47) with a contributed services valuation of £3.4m (2024: £3.5m). Providing volunteers for our ships covering roles from the galley to the operating theatre is essential to delivering our work and we are continuing to invest in resources towards this task.

UK accounting policies require our income figures to include an amount of £1.2m (2024: £1.0m) in respect of some 20 highly skilled employees covering a range of vital roles as secondees to Mercy Ships International (MSI). MSI invoices for these staff roles, but MSUK does not receive this income directly – rather, offsetting an equivalent amount as grant funding to MSI. The UK office is delighted to be able to contribute in this way.

EXPENDITURE

This year, total charitable expenditure increased by 26% to £11.2m (2024: £8.8m) including a record £8m (2024: £6.2m) in grants. This was used primarily for operationalising our hospital ships, off-ship training programmes, MSI secondee salaries and supporting crew and volunteers in delivering vital free healthcare to people facing desperate need in some of the world’s poorest countries. Within this amount, the following were noteworthy: grants for Mercy Ships programmes of £6.6m (2024: £5.4m); crew support of £135k (2024: £210k); and financial aid to crew of £313k (2024: £278k). Expenditure also included £1.4m (2024: £1.2m) for staff working directly for Mercy Ships International, Mercy Ships Global Association and Mercy Ships Norway

RESERVES POLICY

The Directors review the reserves policy annually and during 2025 amended the policy to more accurately reflect the level of risk. Accordingly, grant amounts deemed ‘discretionary’ were removed from

the six months’ total expenditure, based on the annual budget as agreed by the Board. This gave rise to a one-off grant amount to MSI of £2.25m, contributing to the record final grant total for the year of £8.0m, emphasising our intention to ensure as much funding as possible goes to support Mercy Ships programme activity. Restricted funds are not included in the reserves policy, as the Directors have no discretion over how they are spent. If the Directors choose to designate funds, these will not be included in the reserves policy, as they are held for a designated purpose.

FUNDS

At the end of 2025, total funds stood at £3.5m (2024: £5.9m) reflecting the change in the Reserves Policy. Restricted funds held amounted to £0k at the end of 2025 (2024: £9k). All restricted funds are subject to terms and conditions agreed with donors or the nature of the appeal, which are applied accordingly. On 31 December 2025, unrestricted funds are £3.5m, of which £3.5m are free reserves. This represented 6.7 months’ operating costs for the 2026 total budget.

GOING CONCERN

We have set out above a review of the financial performance during the financial year and our reserves position at the year end. We have adequate financial resources and have the structures in place to manage the business risks. In addition, our budgeting and forecasting processes have taken into consideration the current economic climate and its potential impact on both our various sources of income and our expenditure. We have

an expectation that we have adequate resources and control mechanisms to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Further, we believe that there are no material uncertainties that may cast doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. Therefore, we continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the annual financial statements.

RISK MANAGEMENT

The risks which face the charity are detailed in its consolidated risk register, which the Directors keep under active review. Headline risks in 2026 include:

  1. Uncertainty brought about by the current economic and geopolitical climate and the potential impact on donors and donor acquisition.

Mitigation: Uncertainty has been factored into our planning and budgeting process for 2026. Regular monitoring of actual expenditure against budget is undertaken by the management team, with corrective action plans, as necessary, overseen by the relevant Board Committee.

  1. Cyber security continues to be a significant risk, especially in relation to online activities – of which MSUK has a full range, including our website, donor database, online donations and accounting systems.

Mitigation: MSUK employs a third-party IT service to provide specialist expertise. All staff receive training, with frequent reminders to promote an attitude of ‘everyone is responsible’.

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Corporate Structure and Governance

Mercy Ships UK is part of the global family of charities under the Mercy Ships banner and values. The International Support Centre of Mercy Ships Operations manages the charity’s marine and medical operations internationally. Alongside the UK, 15 other nations have a registered Mercy Ships charity. These partnerships are governed by an Association Agreement, which defines the operational and strategic links between the organisations, safeguarding the independence of the UK charity and its responsibilities for data protection, financial management, safeguarding and strategic operation.

Mercy Ships UK, company number 03147724 (England & Wales), is a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. Our registration number with the Charity Commission for England and Wales is 1053055 and with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator SC039743. The charity is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 11 December 1995, and it was incorporated on 17 January 1996. The Memorandum and Articles of Association were revised in 2007. Under the conditions of the guarantee, members’ liability is restricted to £1 each. The number of members at 31 December 2025 was 10 (2024:9).

MERCY SHIPS UK’S CHARITABLE OBJECTIVES The Board has ongoing regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission when reviewing the charity’s activities and future plans. Mercy Ships continues to make a significant impact in numerous communities and on thousands of individual lives in Africa, through surgical interventions carried out on the Global Mercy and the Africa Mercy , in onshore facilities, and through the lasting legacies left behind through extensive training and capacity building, and as such funding provided by the UK is utilised exclusively to this end. Regular monitoring and reporting of projects is carried out to ensure that Mercy Ships continues to deliver world-class healthcare and is utilising funds in line with the wishes of donors in the UK.

SAFEGUARDING

Mercy Ships UK has a Principal Safeguarding Officer who oversees the implementation of safeguarding measures across the whole organisation. Alongside this, we have a Safeguarding Lead on the Board, as well as external support from a specialist Safeguarding organisation. The Safeguarding Policy and procedures were reviewed regularly and updated, across the UK operation and globally. The Board are confident these measures will continue to maintain the high standards of protecting vulnerable people and putting quality of care at the centre of all we do.

BOARD AND MANAGEMENT ROLES

The Mercy Ships UK Board of Trustees is legally responsible for the overall control of the charity and for ensuring that it is properly managed.

The Board’s principle roles are:

The Board delegates responsibility for operational management to the Executive Director (the Principal Officer), who is responsible for developing the organisation’s plans, policies and processes, following Board advice and approval. The Executive Leadership Team, made up of Director of Finance, Director of Communications and Engagement, Director of Philanthropy, Director of Supporter Development and the Executive Director, supports the leadership of the organisation’s strategic growth. Salaries of key personnel are benchmarked annually with external research and agreed by the Board of Directors.

Mercy Ships UK complies with Fundraising Standards Board requirements and is registered with the Fundraising Regulator, only utilising agencies that are compliant with these standards.

Director recruitment, induction and training are overseen by the Nominations and Governance Committee.

BOARD EXPENSES

Mercy Ships does not solicit gifts by door-to-door acquisition methods, has received no complaints from any regulator and ensures that all donors receive only the communications they request.

No fees or remuneration are paid for serving as a Mercy Ships UK Board member. Mercy Ships UK reimburses reasonable expenses incurred while acting as a director. This includes travel and accommodation expenses required to attend meetings, training and orientation costs. Every effort is made to ensure costs are at a minimum.

BOARD COMPOSITION

The Board comprises independent, unremunerated, non-executive directors (trustees) who have a broad range of skills and experience. Recognising the international collaboration of charities, Mercy Ships UK provides three Board members to the Mercy Ships International Board (total 34 members), and in return receives up to three members from the International Board as full Mercy Ships UK directors.

Mercy Ships UK funds necessary expenses of one Vision trip for each trustee to visit one of the ships as there is clear benefit to the charity.

BOARD MEETINGS

The Board meets four times a year, with additional meetings as required. The Board has two subcommittees:

In 2025 Dr Michelle White, trustee of Mercy Ships UK was confirmed as CEO of Mercy Ships International, to take up her post on 26 January 2026. As the Board continues to be strengthened and expanded, the directors are committed to the highest standards and encouraging applications from a diverse range of individuals.

IMAGE:

Dr Michael Spence, Chair of Mercy Ships UK’s Board of Trustees.

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Statement of Directors Responsibilities

Statement of Financial Activities including income and expenditure account

for the year ended 31 December 2025

The directors, who also act as trustees for the charitable activities of Mercy Ships – U.K. Limited, are responsible for preparing the Directors' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

By order of the Board of Directors,

Dr Michael Spence Chair of Trustees

Notes Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds 2025 funds 2025 2025 funds 2024 funds 2024 2024
£ £ £ £ £ £
Income and endowments from:
Donations, legacies and
recharged salaries 3 9,603,511 1,411,731 11,015,242 8,868,468 795,633 9,664,101
Investments 4 213,118 – 213,118 264,101 – 264,101
Other income 5 – – – 14,661 – 14,661
Total income 9,816,629 1,411,731 11,228,360 9,147,230 795,633 9,942,863
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 6 2,513,188 – 2,513,188 2,215,207 – 2,215,207
Charitable activities 7 9,616,306 1,420,546 11,036,852 7,954,564 815,394 8,769,958
Total expenditure 12,129,494 1,420,546
 13,550,040 10,169,771 815,394 10,985,165
Net gains/(losses)
on invetsments 14 (30,449) – (30,449) (6,876) – (6,876)
Net expenditure and movement
in funds (2,343,314) (8,815) (2,352,129) (1,029,417) (19,761) (1,049,178)
Reconciliation of funds:
Fund balances at 1 January 2025 5,854,267 8,815 5,863,082 6,883,684 28,576 6,912,260
Fund balances at
31 December 2025 3,510,953 – 3,510,953 5,854,267 8,815 5,863,082

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

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Balance Sheet

as at 31 December 2025

Notes 2025 2025 2024 2024
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 16 14,149 13,419
Investments 17 356,284 319,880
370,433 333,299
Current assets
Debtors 18 450,094 687,657
Cash at bank and in hand 2,970,321 5,135,311
3,420,415 5,822,968
Creditors: amounts falling due 19 (279,895) (293,185)
within one year
Net current assets 3,140,520 5,529,783
Total assets less current liabilities 3,510,953 5,863,082
The funds of the charitable company
Restricted funds 21 – 8,815
Unrestricted funds 22 3,510,953 5,854,267
3,510,953 5,863,082

Statement of Cash Flows

for the year ended 31 December 2025

Notes 2025 2024
£ £
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash absorbed by operations 26 (2,301,349) (1,728,591)
Investing activities
Purchase of tangible fixed assets (9,906) (10,884)
Purchase of investments (117,177) (127,786)
Procees from disposal of investments 50,324 109,899
Investment income received 213,118 278,762
Net cash provided by investing activities 136,359 249,991
Net cash provided by financing activities – –
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (2,164,990) (1,478,599)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period 5,135,311 6,613,910
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period 2,970,321 5,135,311

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 December 2025.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements under the

requirements of the Companies Act 2006, for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the trustees on 25th March 2026.

BHick man

Dr Revd Michael Spence Bernard Hickman Chair Treasurer

Company registration number 03147724 (England and Wales)

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for the year ended 31 December 2025

Notes to the Accounts

1. Accounting Policies

Charity information

Mercy Ships - U.K. Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is The Lighthouse, 12 Meadway Court, Rutherford Close, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2EF, United Kingdom.

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charitable company's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)". The charitable company is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charitable company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.2 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

1.3 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Endowment funds are subject to specific conditions by donors that the capital must be maintained by the charitable company.

1.4 Income

Income is recognised when the charitable company is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charitable company has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charitable company has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.

Donated goods and services of medical equipment which are intended to be used to further Mercy Ships objectives are valued at market value and included in income when distributed or utilised.

The Charity employs staff in the UK whose work supports activities delivered for other group entities. Where staff provide services on behalf of another entity, the Charity recharges an appropriate proportion of the related employment costs. Such income is classified within “recharge income".

The basis for apportioning and recharging costs reflects the actual time spent. Intercompany balances arising from recharges are recognised within debtors or creditors as appropriate. These transactions are disclosed as related-party transactions where required by the Charities SORP.

1.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is recognised when there is a legal or constructive obligation to pay. Where expenditure cannot be directly attributed to particular headings, it is allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the relevant resources measured by reference to staff time.

Costs of generating funds relates to activities that are intended to generate income. The cost of fundraising campaigns is expensed in the year which it is incurred although income derived from the initiatives may arise in future years.

Charitable activities comprise of the following:

1.6 Intangible fixed assets other than goodwill

Intangible assets acquired separately from a business are recognised at cost and are subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses.

Intangible assets acquired on business combinations are recognised separately from goodwill at the acquisition date where it is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity and the fair value of the asset can be measured reliably; the intangible asset arises from contractual or other legal rights; and the intangible asset is separable from the entity.

Amortisation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Software 33% straight line

Basic financial assets

1.7 Tangible fixed assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. Except for laptops and computer peripherals which are expensed on acquisition, tangible fixed assets costing more than £1,000 (excluding VAT) are capitalised.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Leasehold improvements 33% straight line Furniture, hardware and equipment 20 - 33% straight line Motor vehicles 20% straight line

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

1.8 Fixed asset investments

Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at fair value at each reporting date. Changes in fair value are recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

1.9 Impairment of fixed assets

At each reporting end date, the charitable company reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible and intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

Derecognition of financial liabilities

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charitable company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

1.12 Employee benefits

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

1.10 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charitable company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

1.11 Financial instruments

1.13 Retirement benefits

The charitable company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

Financial instruments are recognised in the charitable company's balance sheet when the charitable company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

1.14 Leases

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged as an expense on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

1.15 Foreign exchange

Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in net income/(expenditure) .

2. Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of the charitable company’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The key estimate and assumption made in these accounts are considered to be the recognition of legacy income as set out in note 1.4.

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3. Income from donations, legacies and recharged salary

Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
2025 2025 2025 2024 2024 2024
£ £ £ £ £ £
Donations and gifts
 6,401,380
1,350,731		 7,752,111 5,631,502
780,633		 6,412,135
Legacies 1,992,369 61,000 2,053,369 2,181,455 15,000 2,196,455
Grants – – – 5,000 – 5,000
Recharge income 1,209,762 – 1,209,762 1,050,511 – 1,050,511
9,603,511 1,411,731 11,015,242 8,868,468 795,633 9,664,101

Recharge income relates to where the Charity employs staff in the UK whose work supports activities delivered for other group entities. Where staff provide services on behalf of another entity, the Charity recharges an appropriate proportion of the related employment costs.

4. Income from investments

Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds 2025 funds 2024
£ £
Income from listed investments 69,853 20,888
Interest receivable 143,265 243,213
213,118 264,101

6. Expenditure on raising funds

Unrestricted funds 2025 Unrestricted funds 2024
£ £
Direct costs 1,575,375 1,333,897
Staff costs 672,244 639,605
Support costs 265,569 241,705
2,513,188 2,215,207

7. Expenditure on charitable activities

Charitable activities Charitable activities
2025 2024
£ £
Direct costs
Staff costs 2,016,733 1,644,699
Direct costs 408,488 456,257
2,425,221 2,100,956
Grant funding of activities (see note 8) 8,025,424 6,169,146
Share of support and governance costs (see note 9)
Support 586,207 499,856
11,036,852 8,769,958
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds 9,616,306 7,954,564
Restricted funds 1,420,546 815,394
11,036,852 8,769,958

5. Other income

8. Grants payable

Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds 2025 funds 2024
£ £
Gifts in kind income – 14,661
14,661
Charitable activities Charitable activities
2025 2024
£ £
Grants made for Mercy Ships International programmes:
Mercy Ships programmes 6,639,476 5,403,155
Volunteer Crew support 134,758 210,700
Financial aid for crew 312,911 278,437
Medical and Surgical Projects 356,120 60,105
Education, Training and Advocacy Projects 465,069 749
Capital and Other Projects 117,090 216,000
8,025,424 6,169,146

All grants made for Mercy Ships International programmes are made directly to Mercy Ships International or Mercy Ships Global Association.

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9. Support costs allocated to activities

Fundraising Charitable Total Total
2025 activities 2025 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Depreciation 2,478 6,700 9,178 9,592
Training 6,812 18,417 25,229 24,444
Travel and subsistence 23,641 39,883 63,524 56,658
Motor vehicle 772 2,086 2,858 2,827
Facilities and supplies 53,812 145,451 199,263 203,590
Communications 10,980 27,703 38,683 26,289
Equipment maintenance and rental 2,668 7,214 9,882 3,026
Bank charges 55,433 76,231 131,664 91,107
Legal and professional 6,144 37,512 43,656 3,689
Staff costs 102,829 225,010 327,839 320,339
265,569 586,207 851,776 741,561

Charitable expenditure includes total governance costs of £23,581 (2024: £33,238).

This includes the cost of the statutory audit which was £17,400 (2024: £17,650).

10. Net movement in funds

2025 2024
£ £
The net movement in funds is stated after charging/(crediting):
Fees payable to the charityʼs auditor:
- for the audit of the charityʼs financial statements 17,400 17,650
- for other financial services 3,850 5,751
Depreciation of owned tangible fixed assets 9,178 9,592

11. Trustees

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year.

12. Employees

2025 2024
Number Number
The average full time equivalent monthly number of employees during the year was:
Fundraising 13 13
Charitable programmes – UK 13 11
Charitable programmes – direct 20 20
Governance 1 1
Total 47 45
2025 2024
£ £
Employment costs
Wages and salaries 2,291,585 1,963,562
Social security costs 275,575 217,627
Other pension costs 121,817 103,115
2,688,977 2,284,304

Key personnel salaries for 2025, as per the table below, totalled £521,634 for 7 people (2024: £505,315 for 7 people).

Mercy Ships full-time equivalent UK salaries include 19 staff who are classed as ‛secondeesʼ, working directly for Mercy Ships International and Mercy Ships Global Association totalling £1.2m (see note 25). A number of these staff occupy senior positions contributing to the wider remit of the global organisation.

The number of employees, including those seconded to MSI, whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000 is as follows:

2025 2024
Number Number
£60,001 – £70,000 4 4
£70,001 – £80,000 1 2
£80,001 – £90,000 1 –
£90,001 – £100,000 1 1

Four trustees travel expenses were paid by Mercy Ships UK totalling £4,930 (2024: £83) as part of a Vision Trip to visit the Global Mercy in Sierra Leone. Mercy Ships UK funds necessary expenses of one trip for each trustee because there is a clear benefit to the charity.

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13. Volunteer costs

2025 2024
Total number of UK volunteers 44 47
Contributed services valuation 3,437,380 3,494,211

14. Gains and losses on investments

Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds
2025 2025
£ £
Gains/(losses) arising on:
Revaluation of investments (30,449) (6,876)

17. Fixed asset investments

Listed investments
£
Cost or valuation
At 1 January 2025 319,880
Additions 117,177
Valuation changes (30,449)
Disposals (50,324)
At 31 December 2025 356,284
Carrying amount
At 31 December 2025 356,284
At 31 December 2024 319,880

The investments held are in British government stocks and collective UK and global investments. They are managed by Rathbone Investment Management Limited.

18. Debtors

15. Taxation

The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.

16. Tangible fixed asssets

Leasehold Furniture, hardware Motor Total
improvements and equipment vehicles
£ £ £
Cost
At 1 January 2025 54,217 27,349 13,825 95,391
Additions 9,906 – – 9,906
At 31 December 2025 64,123 27,349 13,825 105,297
Depreciation and impairment
At 1 January 2025 45,990 22,155 13,825 81,970
Depreciation charged in the year 5,551 3,627 – 9,178
At 31 December 2025 51,541 25,782 13,825 91,148
Carrying amount
At 31 December 2025 12,582 1,567 – 14,149
At 31 December 2024 8,226 5,193 – 13,419
2025 2024
£ £
Amounts falling due within one year:
Trade debtors 18,185 69,621
Other debtors 86,835 291,945
Prepayments and accrued income 345,074 326,091
450,094 687,657

The charity has been notified of legacies with an estimated value of £645,000 which have not been recognised as income at 31 December 2025 because no notification of impending distribution or approval of estate accounts has been received.

19. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

2025 2024
£ £
Other taxation and social security 63,912 51,261
Trade creditors 115,088 195,739
Other creditors 21,667 21,185
Accruals and deferred income 79,228 25,000
279,895 293,185

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20. Retirement benefit schemes

2025 2024
£ £
Defined contribution schemes
Charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes 121,817 103,115

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund.

21. Restricted funds

The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.

At 1 January Incoming Resources At 31 December
2025 resources expended 2025
£ £ £ £
Mercy Ships Programmes – 34,599 (34,599) –
Volunteer Crew Support 8,815 125,941 (134,756) –
Financial Aid for Crew – 312,911 (312,911) –
Medical and Surgical Projects – 356,120 (356,120) –
Education, Training and Advocacy Projects – 465,070 (465,070) –
Capital and Other Projects – 117,090 (117,090) –
8,815 1,411,731 (1,420,546) –
Previous year At 1 January Incoming Resources At 31 December
2024 resources expended 2024
£ £ £ £
Mercy Ships Programmes – 49,403 (49,403) –
Volunteer Crew Support 28,576 190,939 (210,700) 8,815
Financial Aid for Crew – 278,437 (278,437) –
Medical and Surgical Projects – 60,104 (60,104) –
Education, Training and Advocacy Projects – 750 (750) –
Capital and Other Projects – 216,000 (216,000) –
28,576 795,633 (815,394) 8,815

22. Unrestricted funds

The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used.

At 1 January Incoming Resources Gains and At 31 December
2025 resources expended losses 2025
£ £ £ £ £
General funds 5,854,267 9,816,629 (12,129,494) (30,449) 3,510,953
Previous year At 1 January Incoming Resources Gains and At 31 December
2024 resources expended losses 2024
£ £ £ £ £
General funds 6,883,684 9,147,230 (10,169,771) (6,876) 5,854,267

23. Analysis of net assets between funds

Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total
2025 2025 2025
£ £ £
At 31 December 2025:
Tangible assets 14,149 – 14,149
Investments 356,284 – 356,284
Current assets/(liabilities) 3,140,520 – 3,140,520
3,510,953 – 3,510,953
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds		 2024
2024 2024 £
£ £
At 31 December 2024:
Tangible assets 13,419 – 13,419
Investments 319,880 – 319,880
Current assets/(liabilities) 5,520,968 8,815 5,529,783
5,854,267 8,515 5,863,082

Mercy Ships Programmes includes all ship and surgical operations.

Volunteer Crew Support includes funds raised by volunteers from their supporters. Financial Aid for crew includes donations to support needy crew.

Medical and Surgical projects includes donations for specific projects, e.g. Maxillofacial Surgery Sierra Leone 2025-2026. Capital & other projects includes donations for specific items and projects, e.g. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) equipment.

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24. Operating lease commitments

Lessee

At the reporting end date the charitable company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

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|||| |---|---|---| |2025|2024| |£|£| |Within one year|53,848|44,873|

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Independent Auditor’s Report

to the Trustees of Mercy Ships - UK Limited

OPINION

We have audited the financial statements of Mercy Ships - U.K. Limited (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 December 2025, which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

25. Related party transactions

Mercy Ships International Board members: Dr Michael Spence, Lois Boyle, Dr Michelle White. Dr M White became CEO of Mercy Ships International on 26 January 2026.

MSI transactions: MSUK recharged costs amounting to £1,209,762 (2024: £1,050,511) in respect of salaries for seconded staff; with £109,553 (2024: £166,981) being recharged back by MSI. Total grants given to MSI Programmes £8,025,424 (2024: £6,169,146).

Mercy Ships Global Association (MSGA): Shelley Pigott, Delegate to the General Assembly.

MSGA: Grants made to MSGA amounted to £78,759 (2024: £74,806).

Personal donations amounting to £40,999 (2024: £10,751) were received from eight trustees (2024: five) in the year.

26. Cash absorbed by operations

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|||| |---|---|---| |2025|2024| |£|£| |Deficit for the year|(2,352,129)|(1,049,178)| |Adjustments for:| |Investment income recognised in statement of financial activities|(213,118)|(278,762)| |Fair value gains and losses on investments|30,449|6,876| |Depreciation and impairment of tangible fixed assets|9,178|9,592| |Movements in working capital:| |Decrease/(increase) in debtors|237,563|(281,473)| |(Decrease) in creditors|(13,292)|(135,645)| |Cash absorbed by operations|(2,301,349)|(1,728,590)|

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27. Analysis of changes in net funds

The charitable company had no material debt during the year.

BASIS FOR OPINION

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

CONCLUSIONS RELATING TO GOING CONCERN

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

OTHER INFORMATION

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

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MATTERS ON WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT BY EXCEPTION

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

RESPONSIBILITIES OF DIRECTORS

As explained more fully in the statement of directors’ responsibilities, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud, we designed procedures which included:

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

AUDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and report in accordance with the Acts and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above and on the Financial Reporting Council’s website, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.

We obtain and update our understanding of the entity, its activities, its control environment, and likely future developments, including in relation to the legal and regulatory framework applicable and how the entity is complying with that framework. Based on this understanding, we identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. This includes consideration of the risk of acts by the entity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.

USE OF OUR REPORT

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

T Richardson

Tracey Richardson BSc (Hons) FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of Azets Audit Services, Statutory Auditor Chartered Accountants Westpoint Lynch Wood Peterborough Cambridgeshire United Kingdom PE2 6FZ

Date: 25th March 2026

Azets Audit Services is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charitable company by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

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Trustees, Principal Officers and Advisors

Directors

Ade Adeyemi Lois Boyle - Vice Chair Paul Ramsbottom - Vice Chair Dr Leo Cheng Alisdair Fraser (appointed 1 July 2025) Bernard Hickman - Treasurer (appointed 1 January 2025) Justin Humphreys (resigned 22 April 2025) Angharad Milenkovic Paul Ramsbottom OBE Dr Michael Spence - Chair Naiomi Thalayasingam Dr Michelle White

Mercy Ships Locations

UK patrons

Sir John Major KG CH Dame Norma Major DBE

Africa Service Centre

International Support Centre

Mercy Ships Global

Association

PO Box 2020 Cité Keur Gorgui, villa no 106 Garden Valley, TX 75771-2020 Dakar, Senegal USA mercyships.africa mercyships.org

International patron HRH The Princess Royal

Chemin de la Fauvette 98 CH 1012 Lausanne Switzerland

Interim Chief Executive Officer Clive Mitchell (stood down 30 June 2025)

NATIONAL OFFICES

Executive Director

Shelley Pigott (appointed 1 July 2025)

Mercy Ships Australia

Mercy Ships Sweden

Mercy Ships Netherlands Ridderkerkstraat 20 3076 JW Rotterdam The Netherlands mercyships.nl

PO Box 1080 Caloundra, Queensland 4551 Australia mercyships.org.au

Box 7008 SE-402 31 Göteborg Sweden mercyships.se

Registered and Principal Office

Mercy Ships UK

The Lighthouse 12 Meadway Court Stevenage SG1 2EF

Mercy Ships Belgium

Mercy Ships Switzerland

Mercy Ships Korea

Meirbrug 1 #2-338 Mercy Ships Korea 2000 Antwerp 345, Achasan-ro, Belgium Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05026 mercyships.be Rep. of KOREA mercyships.or.kr

Chemin de la Fauvette 98 CH 1012 Lausanne Switzerland mercyships.ch

Auditor

Azets

Wespoint, Lynch Wood Peterborough PE2 6FZ

Mercy Ships Canada

Mercy Ships United Kingdom

5 - 3318 Oak St. Mercy Ships New Zealand Victoria, BC, V8X 1R1 P.O Box 74283, Greenlane Canada Auckland 1546 mercyships.ca New Zealand mercyships.org.nz

Mercy Ships New Zealand

Banker

The Lighthouse 12 Meadway Court Stevenage, SG1 2EF United Kingdom mercyships.org.uk

Bank of Scotland

The Mound Edinburgh EH1 1YZ

Mercy Ships Denmark

Kay Fiskers Plads 10 2300 København S Denmark mercyships.dk

Mercy Ships Norway

Solicitor

Mercy Ships USA

Markens gate 48 4612 Kristiansand S Norway mercyships.no

Clyde & Co LLP

PO Box 2020 Garden Valley, TX 75771-2020 USA mercyships.org

St Botolph Building 138 Houndsditch London EC3A 7AR

Mercy Ships France 6 place des Terreraux 69001 Lyon France mercyships.fr

Mercy Ships South Africa

Investment adviser Rathbone Investment

71 Sunrise Villas St David’s Street Muizenberg, 7945 South Africa mercyships.co.za

IMAGES: (OPPOSITE PAGE FROM TOP)

Management Ltd 8 Finsbury Circus London EC2M 7AZ

First patients boarding the Global Mercy ; Peter Boogert, volunteer Electrician. (ABOVE) Volunteer crew on the Africa Mercy celebrate her arrival in Toamasina, Madagascar.

Mercy Ships Germany Rudolf-Diesel-Str. 5, 86899 Landsberg am Lech Germany mercyships.de

Mercy Ships Spain

C/Segre, 14, 2° 28002 (Madrid) Spain mercyships.es

Company No: 3147724 (England & Wales) Registered Charity No: 1053055 Registered Charity in Scotland No: SC039743

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How you can help

Donate

Make a regular monthly donation to Mercy Ships. Visit mercyships.org.uk/donate

Nominate us

Nominate Mercy Ships as Charity of the Year partner in your workplace, school, church or organisation.

Come along

Attend or hold your own event or form a fundraising group in your local community, church, club or workplace. Email events@mercyships.org.uk

The work of Mercy Ships is only made possible through generous supporters and dedicated volunteer crew.

Your unwavering, faithful commitment ensures that we can continue to provide hope beyond borders and healing beyond measure, making safe surgical care accessible for those in the greatest need.

Because of you, a sustainable, lasting impact is being made on individual lives, families, communities and entire nations.

Remember us

Remember Mercy Ships in your will. Visit mercyships.org.uk/legacy

Get involved

Run, jog, walk, cycle or swim for Mercy Ships by taking part in one of our Challenge Events. Visit mercyships.org.uk/fundraising

Volunteer

Volunteer onboard or in the UK. Visit mercyships.org.uk/volunteer

Follow us

Stay in touch and find out what you can do to help. Search for Mercy Ships UK

Find out more www.mercyships.org.uk 01438 727800

Mather, orthopaedics patient, with Larissa Obrist, volunteer ward nurse from Switzerland, on the veranda during patient recreation time.

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Mercy Ships UK The Lighthouse 12 Meadway Court Stevenage SG1 2EF mercyships.org.uk

Company No: 3147724 (England & Wales) Registered Charity No: 1053055 Registered Charity in Scotland No: SC039743

© 2026 Mercy Ships