Ipswich-based Fred. Olsen announces its new staff charities for 2015/16

Staff across the three Ipswich-based Fred. Olsen companies – Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Fred. Olsen Travel and Fred. Olsen Ltd. – have selected their three new local charities to support during 2015/16: Forget-Me-Not Dementia Campaign at West Suffolk Hospital, Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK.

Nominated and selected by Fred. Olsen staff, these three charities will receive support from May 2015 until the end of April 2016. Fred. Olsen staff will take part in a host of fun initiatives to raise funds throughout the year, including ‘cake bakes’, ‘dress down’ days, pub quizzes, a Christmas Craft Fayre and a Summer sporting event.

Rachael Jackson, Chair of the Fred. Olsen Staff Charity Committee, said:

“Fred. Olsen staff have chosen to support these three very worthwhile causes throughout 2015/16. For many of our staff, these causes are very close to their hearts, with friends and family members affected by illness and making use of the services that these amazing charities provide.

“We have lots of exciting events planned for the coming year, and we hope that all our staff will get behind these charities to help to raise some serious money!”

Representatives from Fred. Olsen’s three new staff charities were invited to visit the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ stand at the Suffolk Show in May 2015 to launch the new fundraising partnerships.

Dave Gooderham, Fundraising Manager at West Suffolk Hospital Charity, said:

“We are so grateful to staff at Fred Olsen who have chosen the Forget-Me-Not Dementia Campaign and we look forward to a fun and successful year ahead.”

Forget-Me-Not Dementia Campaign at West Suffolk Hospital is an appeal that aims to enhance the care and support available to patients with dementia, and their loved ones. The appeal has paid for a specialist day care room and a selection of reminiscent material and training and will now fund a special dementia walk in the hospital corridors. The campaign will also raise vital awareness of the condition as well as change and challenge perceptions of dementia.

Megan Bailey, Alzheimer’s Society Community Fundraiser in Suffolk, said:

“We are delighted that Ipswich-based Fred. Olsen has chosen Alzheimer’s Society as one of their charities this year. One in three people over 65 will die with dementia. It is caused by diseases of the brain and can happen to anyone. As a charity, we rely on the generosity of organisations like Fred. Olsen to help us continue our vital work.”

Alzheimer’s Societyprovides information and support, funds medical and social research, and campaigns for better quality of life for people with dementia and a greater understanding of the condition. Everything that the society does is guided by the things people affected by dementia have said they want to see in their lives.

Nichola Whymark, the Local Fundraising Manager for Cancer Research UK in Suffolk, said:

“We are extremely grateful to everyone at Fred. Olsen for choosing Cancer Research UK as one of their chosen charities this year. We do not receive any government funding, so support like this is crucial in our life-saving research to beat cancer sooner. In the last 40 years survival rates have doubled for those diagnosed with cancer. This is an incredible achievement, which would not be possible without the support of local people and businesses, such as Fred. Olsen.”

Cancer Research UK aims to help prevent cancer, diagnose it earlier, develop new treatments and optimise current treatments by personalising them and making them even more effective. In order to achieve this life-saving work, the charity needs support from people all over the country to fundraise and campaign.

In 2014/15, Fred. Olsen staff raised over £15,000 for its three chosen charities, which was split equally between East Anglian Air Ambulance, Crohn’s & Colitis UK and Macmillan Suffolk.

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

To learn more about the Forget-Me-Not Dementia Campaign at West Suffolk Hospital, Alzheimer’s Society or Cancer Research UK, visit the websites at www.wsh.nhs.uk/Charity/Appeals/Dementia www.alzheimers.org.uk and

www.cancerresearchuk.org respectively.

Photo caption: Representatives from Fred. Olsen’s three new staff charities – the Forget-Me-Not Dementia Campaign at West Suffolk Hospital, Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK – were invited to visit the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ stand at the Suffolk Show on Wednesday 27^th May 2015 to launch the new fundraising partnerships.

Pictured, left to right: Jon Lee – Services Administrator and Volunteering Officer for Alzheimer’s Society in Suffolk; Rachael Jackson – Chair of the Fred. Olsen Staff Charity Committee; Dave Gooderham – Fundraising Manager at West Suffolk Hospital Charity; Ruth Ryland – Deputy Chair of the Fred. Olsen Staff Charity Committee; Nichola Whymark – Local Fundraising Manager for Cancer Research UK in Suffolk.