Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines raises over £42,500 for Hospice as part of Big Hoot

More than £42,500 has been raised for independent Suffolk charity, St Elizabeth Hospice, by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines through a number fundraising activities as part of the Big Hoot Ipswich 2022.

From an afternoon tea delivery day to mark the Queen’s Jubilee, to an Easter raffle and a ‘Name the Hoot’ game both held on dry land at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ office bases, through to selling bespoke owl biscuits and sponsored crew swimming races aboard three ships, the total figure of £42,547 was raised via a range creative ways, by the Ipswich based company.

Ellis Orchard, PR Manager and Chairwoman of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Team Charity, said: “We know that the hospice sits close to the hearts of so many of our team members here, and it meant a lot to us to be able to support such an important cause in this way.

“We’ve had great fun fundraising with our teams and our guests, and are proud to be making such a difference to a vital service in the community in which we live and work.

“Our Hoot, Owl Hands on Deck, is now sitting proudly in our offices, overlooking the White House Industrial Estate, and is a constant reminder to all we achieved last summer!”

The Big Hoot Ipswich 2022 saw 115 ornately decorated owl sculptures make their nests throughout Ipswich, between June and September, as part of the biggest free art event in Suffolk.

In total, the funds raised by the Big Hoot 2022 stands at £270,316, a record-breaking amount, surpassing the money raised by previous art trails hosted by the hospice alongside Wild in Art – Pigs Gone Wild 2016 and Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk 2019.

As well as fundraising as part of the Big Hoot art trail, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines also became proud owners of the Big Hoot ‘Owl Hands on Deck’ – which was designed by a cruise guest following a fundraising social media competition – after being successful bidders during the Big Hoot auction.

The Big Hoot auction brought the summer’s art trial to its culmination and raised over £160,000 for the hospice in the process – the equivalent to funding four, full-time hospice nurses providing clinical care and support to patients and their families for one year.

Liz Baldwin, Corporate and Sponsorship Fundraising Manager at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “A big thank you to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines for their support of the Big Hoot Ipswich 2022 throughout the art trail.

“Their whole team got behind St Elizabeth Hospice and the art trail, raising an amazing amount of money through a number of imaginative ways. You are all superstars.”

Find out more details about Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines by visiting www.fredolsencruises.com