One year of P&O Cruises supporting Southampton
As Southampton Football Club announced P&O Cruises as the club’s new Principal Partner, Saints Foundation is reflecting on a year of working in partnership to support the community.
Last year, a three-year partnership was agreed between Saints Foundation and P&O Cruises as part of the club’s official sleeve sponsorship, and while the men’s first team and academy have now P&O Cruises move to front of shirt; Saints Foundation staff have been proudly wearing P&O Cruises front and centre for a full season already.
Jazz Bhatti, Saints Foundation’s Head of Partnerships and Business Development, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with the team at P&O Cruises over the last year, and we have been blown away by all the ways they have chosen to support us throughout the business.
“Everyone we have met so far has been so generous in their time, passionate for the cause, and determined to make a difference in our city. A huge thank you to everyone who has been out to our sessions, organised fundraising events, taken on challenges, and shown us love in the last year of partnership.”
P&O Cruises has supported existing Saints Foundation fundraising events with key roles in three headline events for the charity last season in Share the Joy Christmas Appeal, Charity Matchday, and Charity Dinner.
As part of the annual Christmas celebration, colleagues at Carnival House donated presents that were later given to recipients across the city, and hosted an event in the build-up as part of Red and White Week of Action for Charity Matchday allowing Saints Foundation to showcase its wide-ranging work.
P&O Cruises was also headline sponsor for the Foundation’s flagship event Saints Foundation Charity Dinner, speaking alongside Chair of Trustees Rachel Goldsworthy to kick off the night’s proceedings which raised a record-breaking total.
As well as supporting existing events, P&O Cruises and Carnival UK also introduced two new ventures - Saints at Sea and Beat Britannia.
P&O Cruises flagship Britannia played a key role in both fundraisers, mostly importantly as the glamorous host of the exclusive event which included a four-course meal from Marco Pierre White’s exclusive P&O Cruises menu, an appearance from the man himself, a performance of Unbelievable created by Stephen Mulhern and Jonathan Wilkes and much more.
This event raised an incredible £35,312 to help support Southampton.
Four runners from Carnival UK created a Beat Britannia event as part of the ship’s 10th Anniversary Celebrations. The four incredible fundraisers took on a 230-mile race across six days as they looked to Beat Britannia back to Southampton after setting off from Liverpool. Mark, Nicole, Sam, and Martin raced the 143,000 tonne ship back to its home port as they raised money for Saints Foundation and Teenage Cancer Trust.
They were welcomed back to the city in the early hours having raised an incredible £14,617 for the two charities.
Saints Foundation is delighted with all the support given by P&O Cruises and look forward to the second year of partnership and beyond.
