P&O Cruises is celebrating raising over £600,000 for charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support. The business has worked in partnership with Macmillan for the last two years, and the money raised by employees and customers will fund local Macmillan projects to help ensure that no one has to face cancer alone.

The business has reached their fantastic total by fundraising in various ways and thanks to the generosity of their passengers, including taking on the Isle of Wight Challenge, and inviting celebrity chef Eric Lanlard to lead a Head Office bake-off for Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

On-board events such as officer and crew fitness challenges and weekly coffee mornings involving customers also helped boost the total. One of the projects to benefit from the funds raised includes the new Macmillan Healing Garden at Southampton General Hospital, which, when complete, will be a tranquil place where people affected by cancer and their families can enjoy some peace and quiet together during treatment. 

Simon Phillips, Director of Fundraising at Macmillan Cancer Support says: “I’d like to say a huge well done to everyone at P&O Cruises for reaching this total and a heartfelt thank you to all the customers who took time on their holidays to get involved with fundraising too. At Macmillan we believe that no one should face cancer alone, and thanks to our partnership with P&O Cruises we can fund more services that help us to support people affected by cancer when they need it most.” 

Gerard Tempest, Chief Commercial Officer at P&O Cruises says: “I’m immensely proud of everyone here at P&O Cruises for raising £600,000 for Macmillan in just two years. Many of our colleagues who have taken on challenges for Macmillan have themselves been supported by the charity during a cancer experience, and it’s this personal understanding of the difference they can make that has driven us to such fundraising heights. I’m also delighted to know that the money we’ve raised will contribute to services right here in our local community, which is a truly fantastic legacy for everyone involved in the partnership.” 

2015 is set to be another busy year for the partnership, with the official opening of the Macmillan Healing Garden at Southampton General Hospital and the 25th birthday of Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in September. 

If you’ve been inspired by P&O Cruises’ fundraising efforts, visit macmillan.org.uk/getinvolved to find out how you can support Macmillan.