Press release -
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines raise £10,000 for St Oswald’s Hospice in Newcastle with Shaun on the Tyne sculpture trail
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines have raised £10,000 for St. Oswald’s Hospice, through the Shaun on the Tyne art trail in Newcastle.
The trail was run by Wild in Art, who have been raising money for charitable causes since 2008, through a range of engaging sculpture trails around towns and cities throughout the UK and abroad.
Shaun on the Tyne ran from 19th July to 27thSeptember with the sculptures auctioned off on 10th October at Newcastle Civic Centre, where the flock of 40 found their forever homes, raising over £195,000 for the hospice.
Summer Stamps, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Shaun on the Tyne sculpture, sold for £4,100 and was designed by artist Chloe Kacperski, an illustrator and animator from Hartlepool, who’s design was inspired through her love for all things summer and holiday themed, inspired by her childhood growing up in Redcar.
For ten weeks, Summer Stamps, was located on Newcastle’s Quayside at Swirle Pavilion, where the sculpture welcomed thousands of visitors.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has long-standing links to Newcastle, having offered cruises from the region for many years, starting with passenger ferry trips to Norway in the 1950s and 1960s, and now offers cruises from the city to destinations including Scandinavia, the Arctic, Iceland the Canary Islands and more.
Chloe Kacperski, the artist behind Summer Stamps, said:
'It's been such a great experience working with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to create Summer Stamps. It was an exciting project to be a part of and knowing that it’s all been for an amazing local charity has made it all the more worthwhile and enjoyable. We raised such a considerable amount of money, and I couldn't be more proud of us all!'
Jane Hogan, Head of Fundraising at St Oswald’s Hospice said:
“We were delighted when Fred Olsen Cruise Lines signed up to sponsor a Shaun the Sheep sculpture on our trail, in support of St Oswald’s Hospice and it’s been a pleasure to work with them and their team throughout the project.
“To hear that their guests holidaying on board Balmoral and Bolette have collectively raised £10,000 for the hospice is just the icing on the cake. This significant sum of money will support with vital running costs at St Oswald’s Hospice, where all of our services are free to the adults and children need them.
“Trails like Shaun on the Tyne are an important source of income and the kindness of companies like Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has ensured the trail has been a resounding success. We can’t thank them enough and look forward to working together in the future.”
Pete Deer, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:
“We are extremely proud of our long and happy relationship with the city of Newcastle. Our cruise ships are a regular sight upon the Tyne, and they, along with our guests and crew, always receive a warm and happy welcome.
“We know that St Oswald’s Hospice is an extremely valued and vital service within the local community, and our sponsorship of Newcastle’s Shaun on the Tyne art trail is our way of saying thank you, and giving back to the city that has supported us over the years.”
In recent years, Fred. Olsen have raised over £60,000 for St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich, through Wild in Art trails including the Big Hoot and Elmer’s Big Parade.
For more details on cruises from Newcastle with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit www.fredolsencruises.com/cruises-from-newcastle
