Fred. Olsen staff’s 'Christmas Craft Fayre and Cake Bake' brings festive cheer to three local charities

A Fred. Olsen staff charity ‘Christmas Craft Fayre and Cake Bake’ in Ipswich today [10^th December 2018] raised nearly £200 for three local causes: Ipswich Winter Night Shelter, Alzheimer's Research UK and Apostleship of the Sea.

Staff from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and Fred. Olsen Limited, on Ipswich's Whitehouse Industrial Estate, hosted stalls, baked cakes and dressed in Christmas jumpers to raise funds for their three nominated staff charities.

Tom Nunn, Chairperson of the Fred. Olsen Staff Charity Committee, said:

“Once again, we would like to thank our staff for ‘digging deep’ and showing their incredible generosity towards our three excellent local causes.

“The Christmas Craft Fayre is always a highlight at Fred. Olsen, and we were delighted to host stalls selling an array of attractive festive wares, including beautiful handmade items, such as Christmas decorations and jewellery. As well as the popular Craft Fayre, staff also sold their homemade delicacies and cakes to raise much-needed funds for our three charities…which were all snapped up extremely quickly!

“We would like to thank our three charities for all their support this year, and festive best wishes to them and all those they support through their valuable work.”

Julia Hancock, Business Manager of The Ipswich Winter Night Shelter, said:

“We provide much more than a warm bed and a hot homemade meal. We employ someone to work with our guests, so that they can make the changes they want to make to improve their lives. We rely entirely on donations from local individuals, churches, companies and grant making trusts in order do to this work, so we are absolutely delighted to be one of the Fred. Olsen staff charities.”

The Ipswich Winter Night Shelter works with local churches, local organisations and local volunteers to provide solutions to the growing problem of providing support and housing for some of the most vulnerable people in Suffolk. Its Night Shelter guests have multiple and complex issues, including poor mental health, poly-substance misuse, physical disabilities, learning difficulties, debt, broken families, long-term unemployment, trauma, suicidal tendencies and problematic housing histories. They also find it difficult to navigate the complexities of the benefits, health and housing systems.

Holly Noon, Regional Fundraising Officer at Alzheimer's Research UK, said:

“Thank you to Fred. Olsen for hosting this wonderfully festive event and raising vital funds for three very worthy causes. The fantastic support Alzheimer's Research UK has received so far from Fred. Olsen will help us to make breakthroughs in dementia research possible and we look forward to continuing our life-changing partnership into the New Year.”

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK’s largest dementia research charity, dedicated to causes, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure. Its mission is to bring about the first life-changing treatment for dementia by 2025 and the charity will achieve this incredible feat by challenging the way people think about dementia, uniting the big thinkers in the field and funding the innovative science that will deliver a cure.

John Green, Director of Development of Apostleship of the Sea – which also hosted a festive stall at the Fayre – said:

“Thanks to the support of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines during 2018, the Apostleship of the Sea has provided welfare support to seafarers on more than 70,000 ships around the world.

"The support of Fred. Olsen during 2018 is a great example of the best of the shipping industry supporting crew welfare to make sure seafarers have a friend in over 300 ports around the world to provide, local information and help and a listening ear.

"It has been great to be at the Fred. Olsen Christmas Fayre to meet again some of the team, who have made this year’s partnership such a success and make such a difference to the wellbeing of countless seafarers.”

The Apostleship of the Sea is a Catholic charity supporting seafarers worldwide. It provides practical and pastoral care to all seafarers, regardless of nationality, belief or race. The charity’s Port Chaplains and volunteer ship visitors welcome seafarers, offer welfare services and advice, practical help, care and friendship. The Apostleship of the Sea in Great Britain is part of an international network known to the maritime world as ‘Stella Maris’, working in 311 ports with 216 Port Chaplains around the world.

Fred. Olsen’s seasonal charity event took place at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Head Office in Fred. Olsen House, on White House Road. The three charities are supported by Fred. Olsen staff for a 12-month period, from April 2018 to the end of March 2019.

Photo caption:

Fred. Olsen staff celebrate the annual ‘Christmas Craft Fayre and Cake Bake’ in their festive jumpers, at Fred. Olsen House, Ipswich on 10^th December 2018. Together, generous staff raised nearly £200 for Fred. Olsen’s three nominated staff charities: Ipswich Winter Night Shelter, Alzheimer's Research UK and Apostleship of the Sea. [Photo: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines]

For further information on Fred. Olsen, visit the websites at www.fredolsencruises.com, and www.fredolsen.co.uk

To learn more about Ipswich Winter Night Shelter, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Apostleship of the Sea, visit the websites at www.iwns.org.uk/, www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/ and www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk/ respectively.