Shipping industry leaders sign up for the Sailors’ Society Three Peaks Challenge

Date: 07.12.09 Shipping industry leaders sign up for the Sailors’ Society Three Peaks Challenge Biennial fundraising event in aid of seafarers 18-21 June 2010 - book your place now! Leading figures from the global shipping industry have signed up for the Sailors’ Society Three Peaks Challenge 2010, sponsored by Cargill, and have pledged to raise as much money as possible for the international maritime charity. President of Ocean Transportation, Gert Jan Van Den Akker (GJ) will be joined by senior members of Cargill International SA including; Tom Intrator, Senior Vice President of Platform Leader Energy, Transportation and Industrial, Samuel Schmid, Controller Ocean Transportation and Assistant Vice President and Hans Rueedi, Chief Financial Officer & Vice President. From Nordea Bank, Vice President Michael Sheppard and Ulf Anderson, Head of Shipping Offshore & Oil Services have also signed up. Gert Jan van den Akker (GJ), President of Cargill Ocean Transportation, said: ”Cargill has been linked to the Sailors' Society for many years and it is a great pleasure to again support this fantastic charity challenge event. I made the decision to compete following celebrations of a fairly significant birthday and I’m thrilled that my colleagues will be joining me in my quest to put Cargill at the top of the leader board!” Twenty teams have already registered for the popular challenge, climbing three of the UK’s highest peaks Ben Nevis, Helvellyn and Snowdon in just 24 hours, including Rio Tinto, The Baltic Exchange, Freight Investor Services (FIS), Chaucer Syndicates, Clarksons, Swiss Marine, Tradewinds and GAC World. In 2008 a massive £500,000 was raised from the event, which went towards the ongoing support of seafarers around the world. Sailors’ Society Events Fundraiser Vicky MacLeod commented: ”To have such leading figures from the global shipping community pledging their support and registering shows how seriously this event is taken. All proceeds go towards our work with seafarers across the world; with 95% of worldwide trade transported by sea in a lonely and often hazardous environment, the personal lifeline we offer is needed and we are delighted that the shipping community is getting behind the event.” She added: “We have received a lot of interest in the Three Peaks Challenge. It has the reputation of stretching participants physically, as well as challenging their fundraising skills. We expect to have the full quota of 40 teams signed up by Christmas so we encourage teams to book places as soon as possible to ensure nobody is left disappointed.” The Sailors’ Society asks each team to aim to raise £5,000 in sponsorship for the charity. The Sailors’ Society will organise the whole event themselves which includes: • transport – flights from London Heathrow to Glasgow on 18 June and over the weekend coaches from the hotel in Glasgow, between the mountains and to the hotel in Liverpool. • accommodation on Friday night at Jury’s Inn, Glasgow and Sunday night at Jury’s Inn, Liverpool (the coach is your bed on Saturday night!) • a briefing and pre-event dinner held on board the Glenlee tall ship, Glasgow on Friday evening • a Celebration and Awards Dinner held at the Liverpool Maritime Museum on Sunday evening. Sailors’ Society also provides: • clothing – a high-quality fleece, technical top, polo shirt and rucksack; (sponsorship available here!) • safety – a thorough risk assessment has been conducted. A professional doctor and nurse will accompany the teams throughout; • support and advice – a full information pack containing advice on pre-training, safety and equipment. A detailed training and briefing meeting will be held in London in Spring 2010. For more information of Sailors’ Society Three Peaks Challenge 2010 please contact Vicky MacLeod or Karen Watts on 023 8051 5958 or email events@sailors-society.org. Ends Words: 512 Notes to Editors: The Sailors’ Society is an international charity that provides a personal lifeline for seafarers throughout the world. Existing to enrich and enhance the well-being of the world’s 1.2 million seafarers, the charity offers practical help, emotional and spiritual support and, when in dire need, financial assistance and family liaison through our Port Chaplains and Seafarers’ Centres. Our Port Chaplains visit thousands of ships every year, directly addressing the needs of seafarers - irrespective of a person’s belief or nationality - as well as maintaining vital links within the Ports that they operate. For more information, please visit www.sailors-society.org, or contact Debbie Osborne at Logical Creative Marketing on: 0845 345 69 69 or email: debbie@lcm.co.uk