As a proud British cruise line, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ‘pushed the boat out’ to ensure that all its ships were decked out with Union Flags and other patriotic red, white and blue decorations over the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, from 2 to 5 June 2012, and guests raised thousands of pounds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) whilst enjoying all the celebrations, the company said in a statement.
Guests aboard the Fred. Olsen fleet got into the party spirit with raffles, quizzes and other Jubilee-themed activities to raise the following amounts for the RNLI:
Balmoral - £3,012.20
Braemar - £2,241.44
Boudicca - £1,954.16
Black Watch - £1,258.02
Mike Rodwell, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “At Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, we are extremely proud of the commitment shown by our guests towards the RNLI, even in these difficult economic times. The amount that they raised across the Fred. Olsen fleet over the Jubilee weekend – a total of £8,463.82 – is quite astounding, so a big thank-you must go to all those who contributed for their support for this most important life-saving charity.”
Emma Martin, the RNLI’s Corporate Partnerships Manager, said: “We are immensely proud of the partnership between Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and the RNLI, which has been built up over the last 40 years, and the company is our longest-running corporate partner. The tremendous fundraising that took place over the Jubilee weekend on the four Fred. Olsen ships is so valuable to the RNLI, and will help us to train even more crew members to save lives at sea.”
Fred. Olsen’s guests have been raising funds for the RNLI on board its cruise ships since the 1960s, when an RNLI volunteer, Howard Bell (and his wife, Poppy), started the initiative to encourage fellow guests to help the charity to save lives at sea. The relationship has grown ever since, and Fred. Olsen is now the RNLI's longest-running corporate partner.
Over the years, the generous donations of Fred. Olsen’s guests on board its ships have funded four inshore lifeboats – the latest lifeboat, Spirit of Fred. Olsen, was launched in the Kyle of Lochalsh late last year – three mobile training units, three seminar rooms at The Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset, the development and funding of three DODO (drive-on, drive-off) lifeboat launching trolleys at Mudeford, Cullercoats and Criccieth, and RNLI crew member training programmes throughout 2011 and 2012.
In May 2010, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines was presented with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by Royal Patron H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent in recognition of its ongoing commitment, at the RNLI’s annual awards ceremony at the Barbican Centre, London.
