This year has been so very different to how any of us might have imagined it; the pandemic has touched on all aspects of our business from our ships, to our Guests, the colleagues we work with and our partnerships, including our charity partners; Southampton City Farm, Teenage Cancer Trust and The Prince’s Trust.
For the charities we support, like many others, the past few months have been tough, but it’s been made easier by people like you doing fantastic things behind the scenes to support them.
Here’s what a few of you have been challenging yourselves with these past few months;
The Prince’s Trust
Congratulations to everyone in team Cunard (Daniel Kur, Kasia Waters, Cristina Munoz, Jamie Doherty and Marie Dunleavy) who completed a collective total of 148 miles on foot or bike as part of the recent Palace to Palace challenge.
As part of team Cunard, Marie Dunleavey and Jamie Doherty set out to cycle 26.2 miles to improve their personal wellbeing and also raise money for underprivileged young people struggling to find work. With no training under their belt they set off and exceeded the challenge cycling 32 miles and contributed £447 toward Carnival UK’s Palace to Palace fundraising total of £1,425.25.
Congratulations to the whole team. If you would like to show your support for team Cunard click here.
Teenage Cancer Trust
Congratulations to Anna Goddard who ran Goodwood half marathon on 27 September and raised nearly £1,200.
Anna began her training on 1 January with couch to 5K and built up her distance over the last nine months with the help of two friends whom she ran the race with. If you would like to show your support and help Anna achieve her fundraising target click here.
Southampton City Farm
When Keeley found herself furloughed she knew she had to make the most of it and was eager to try something new where she could gain new skills and that would give her a sense of purpose and positivity – volunteering ticked all the boxes.
You can be as involved as you like but my regular slot on the farm was a day of two halves, animal care in the morning, and gardening in the afternoon. I’ve loved every second.
I’ve made new friends (furry and human!), have new found knowledge and the entire experience has been so rewarding. I feel I’ve made a valuable contribution and it provided a focus away from Covid-19 in tranquil and calm surroundings. I felt part of something important and worthwhile and my mental health, wellbeing and fitness all benefited. The farm offers a very unique and inspiring environment. It’s run predominantly by an army of volunteers and I’m proud I took the plunge to join them.” Keeley Davies
Get involved
Inspired to take on a challenge of your own? Getting outdoors, setting goals and meeting new people are all proven ways to improve our wellbeing and mental health (and they make you feel pretty good too!)
Here’s how you can get involved;
- Spend a day with furry friends
- Open to the general public every Saturday and Sunday, between 11am and 3pm, all entry fees go toward supporting the running of the farm. To book click here.
- Feel good and volunteer (...again!) at the farm
- Unfortunately due to resource required to support new volunteers the farm are unable to accept new applications, however if you’ve helped out before and would like to again, you can complete an online volunteering request form here.
- Make a donation
- Times are tough for many right now but if you are able to make a donation, no matter the size it will be appreciated. You can make both monetary and Amazon wish list donations to Southampton City Farm via their website. You can also make monetary donations on both Teenage Cancer Trust’s webpage, as well as The Prince’s Trust page.
- Send an e-card
- Did you know that £1.6 billion is spent annually on greeting cards in the UK?! And let’s face it, they’re not the most environmentally friendly. Swap your greeting card for an e-card and the cost of the card will go toward Southampton City Farm. For details click here.
- Enter the Omaze million pound house draw
- Click here to enter the Omaze Million Pound House draw and a percentage of your entry fee will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust. Your donation will make a huge difference to many teenagers and young adults, and you might just find yourself winning a million pound house in Cheshire. Entry fees starts at £10, postal entry also available.
- Become a corporate volunteer for The Prince's Trust
- Young people at The Prince’s Trust need your support to develop and profile their skills. The Prince’s Trust relies on volunteers every day to help young people on the path to realising their potential and getting their lives back on track. As a corporate volunteer, you’ll bring real-life experiences to young people. Giving just a day of your time to share your skills, personal experience, and ‘top tips’ will help to bring workshops and activities to life, preparing young people for the real world of work. Register here.
Alongside our long standing charity partners Teenage Cancer Trust and The Prince’s Trust, we can confirm a second year of partnership with Southampton City Farm.
Please join us in supporting our charity partners your way – and don’t forget to share what you get up to with us on Instagram @CarnivalUKComms #Charity #FeelGood