Fred. Olsen-related companies support the East Anglian Air Ambulance with a further £10,000 donation

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is proud to pass on a donation of £10,000 to the East Anglian Air Ambulance (‘EAAA’). This significant donation, which follows previous awards of £5,000 each in 2017 and 2018, has been brought about by the generosity of the Fred. Olsen Social Engagement Group, acting on behalf of Bonheur ASA (Bonheur) – the ultimate parent company of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines – based in Oslo, Norway, in order to benefit the safety of passengers and staff of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

As an integral part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, Bonheur makes discretionary annual contributions towards, not only social and charitable causes, but also projects and activities considered to be close to its sphere of interest. As such, donations towards third-party air and sea rescue activities – in support of safeguarding both the thousands of passengers and staff members aboard Fred. Olsen-related seagoing vessels – have been identified as falling within this remit.

Mike Rodwell, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

"Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has a close and long-standing relationship with the East Anglian Air Ambulance, which provides an important life-saving resource across our region and the county of Suffolk, where our Ipswich Head Office is located. We are therefore delighted to be able to pass on a donation from the Fred. Olsen Social Engagement Group to them once again.

"With our continued focus on upholding the highest standards of safety and well-being in all areas of our operation, it is important that Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines works with the relevant agencies and organisations, in order to be able to provide the best facilities for our passengers and colleagues in the rare event that the worst should ever happen.”

Ben Walker, Community Fundraiser for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, said:

“As a charity, we receive no regular government funding, so all donations help keep our helicopters in the sky and our crew saving lives. With each mission costing on average of £3,500, the generous donation of £10,000 from Fred. Olsen Social Engagement Group will contribute towards saving further lives in the region.

“Without the support of the community, we would not be able to continue providing our life-saving service, so we’d like to say a big thank-you once again to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines”.

East Anglian Air Ambulance (‘EAAA’) is a 365-day helicopter emergency medical service, covering Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. In 2018/19, the charity undertook 2,821 rescue missions and treated 1,664 patients. Since the launch of the charity in 2000 and the first flight in 2001, EAAA have been dispatched to over 26,000 missions covering Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, an area of over 5,000 square miles. From their Norwich and Cambridge bases the high performance helicopters can reach anywhere in the region within 25 minutes.

Photo caption:

The crew of the East Anglian Air Ambulance receive the Fred. Olsen Social Engagement Group’s donation of £10,000 from Mike Rodwell, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Managing Director (second from left) and Rachael Jackson, Public Relations Manager, at its airbase at Cambridge Airport.

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com. To find out more about the East Anglian Air Ambulance at www.eaaa.org.uk