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Newlyn Fish Festival proved to be a life-changing experience for long-distance
'commuter' Camilla Sacchi who traveled down here in August from her home
in the Scottish Highlands - to help out at what is always a busy day in
the life of the port.
The Italian-born classically-trained ballet dancer, who handles Italian-to-English
translations for an Italian publishing house, has now returned as a full
time and uniformed member of staff - and a female one at that.
The 30-year old has recently taken up her appointment as assistant superintendent
and says she couldn't be happier, despite the fact that she didn't know
a single soul when she arrived here three weeks ago.
Camilla's extraordinary journey from the Tuscan 'art treasure' capital
of Florence, where she was born and raised and where her father still
lives, to arguably the country's busiest fishing port, has even taken
herself by surprise.
Although Camilla has always had a great love for the sea and respect
and regard for fishing communities, she has no experience of the industry
until she joined the crew of a Fraserburgh trawler on a ten-day fishing
trip in 2001. Her interest in the sea became a passion and, back at land,
at a trade fair, she met representatives of the Royal National Mission
to Deep Sea Fishermen and simply asked them for a job.
From her Mission base in Inverness she set about building up a photographic
and written portfolio of all the Mission centers in the UK - photographing
fishermen, their families and working environment, and making written
observations at all 18 Mission bases.
Newlyn has played a pivotal role in Camilla's career. She came down here
to help out for a day or two for the Fish Festival and admits that she
simply fell in love with the place. "When I was offered a job here
as assistant superintendent when I had returned to Scotland I jumped at
it," she said, "I was absolutely trilled and I'm delighted to
be here. Everyone has been very welcoming and friendly - and I am loving
it."
Camilla's role will be very similar to that of the Superintendent himself,
Keith Dickson, simply she says , "doing whatever is needed."
Based at the Mission and helping to run the building - and the cafe -
she will also be involved in the all-important welfare side of the Mission's
work - visiting retired and injured fishermen and working closely with
their families. She will also help promote the role of the RNMDSF, raising
its profile wherever and whenever possible, engaged in fund raising and
representing the Mission on Newlyn fish markets.
She is currently working on the production of a fundraising fish cook
book in aid of the Mission which will, she says, be a celebration of fish
- and of fishermen.
Article copyright THE CORNISHMAN
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