FUJITSU PROVIDES A BRIGHTER HORIZON FOR CRUISE CHARITY
News Release
Fujitsu
- Fujitsu helps Highland charity to maintain services
- IT firm takes on booking role for cruise volunteers
- Free trips will now continue next season
Computer firm Fujitsu has stepped in to ensure a long-established Highland charity stays afloat to provide popular canal cruises for elderly and disabled people of all ages.
Seagull Trust Cruises has been providing free trips on the Caledonian Canal for disabled, elderly and special needs users since 1987.
This year it enjoyed its most successful season, with the new purpose-built canal boat Highland Cross Seagull, named by the Princess Royal in 2012, carrying 2,091 passengers on 221 cruises between April and September.
The charity, which is run by volunteers, had been supported by The Highland Council and its predecessor, Highland Regional Council, for over 25 years, with council staff latterly operating the booking office through its Alness Service Centre.
However, it has now been arranged for management of the booking service to be taken over by Fujitsu as part of its ongoing partnership with the council.
The enhanced service, which will now see staff at the Fujitsu service desk at Alness Point Business Park manage phone, mail and email bookings on behalf of the trust five days a week - an increase from four - from 3 March 2014. This will be done as part of Fujitsu’s Community Benefits Programme (CBP) - a spin-off from The Highland Council contract - which is spending £1.6 million on 40 projects in the region.
Abby Wilson, Fujitsu’s Inverness-based community benefits manager, said: “Seagull Trust Cruises does very important and worthwhile work and we are very pleased to take over this role and ensure the service can continue next year.
“We have worked closely with the charity and The Highland Council to make sure it will be a very smooth transition for everyone and we look forward to the Highland Cross Seagull sailing as usual in April.”
John Gordon, chairman of the Highland branch of Seagull Trust Cruises, added: “We are extremely grateful to Fujitsu for taking over the booking arrangements. It is a great relief to our volunteers and passengers who were anxious about the future of the service.
“As all our operations are carried out by volunteers, we rely on the goodwill and generosity of supporters to operate.”
Seagull Trust Cruises operates the two-hour cruises between Inverness and Dochgarroch twice a day, Monday to Friday from April to September
To book a cruise first call the Fujitsu Booking Call Centre 01349 886 862 and ask for the Seagull Trust Cruises Booking Office between 10 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday – Booking Office opens 3 March and closes 30 September.
For further information contact
John Ross
Lucid PR
01463 724593;07730 099617
johnross@lucidmessages.com
Notes to editors
The Seagull Trust was founded in 1978 to provide cruises for disabled people of all ages, across Scotland. In 2007 the Trust was awarded the Queens Award for Volunteer Services; in 2008, the Trust became known as Seagull Trust Cruises; in 2009 HRH the Princess Royal became the trust’s patron.
The Highland Branch of the Seagull Trust, formed in 1987, is based in Inverness and operates the 12-passenger Highland Cross Seagull on the Caledonian Canal, with users coming from all over the North of Scotland, from Aberdeen to Wick.
Fujitsu is the world’s third largest IT service provider, employing more than 161,000 people in over 100 countries with an annual group turnover of $47 billion.
In Scotland the company now employs some 500 staff, serving 2,500 sites across the country. The Highland workforce in Beechwood Business Park in Inverness and service desk at Alness Point Business Park makes up around a fifth of the Scottish total.
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