Thirty shipping teams splashed about in the water in London on Friday 13th September, raising £666,000 for charity.
The annual OSCAR Dragon Boat Race is organised by Phil Parry of maritime people experts, Spinnaker. The total now raised by the OSCAR Campaign is around £3.35m.
The Campaign is named after Phil’s 25-year-old son Oscar, whose life was saved by experimental treatments developed by the bone marrow transplant team at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children when he was three to eight years old.
“It’s quite remarkable how year after year the shipping community pulls together to support the OSCAR Campaign,” said Maritime London CEO, Jos Standerwick. “We should all be very proud of this industry and the wonderful people in it.”
“There was so much interest this year, that we sold out and had to turn teams away,” says Phil. “We already have teams confirmed for next year during London International Shipping Week. If anyone reading this is interested in taking part or supporting the event in some other way they can email us on [email protected]“.
Winners of the dragon boat racing, all accompanied by the theme tune from seventies cop TV-series Hawaii-Five-0, were shipping and energy data analytics and ship tracking firm, Kpler. Kpler’s Julian Miller was gushing: It’s our first time and we’ve had so much fun. We are all totally inspired by the fundraising result of the event and of Union Maritime and we will build our support next year to keep reaching higher on the fundraising scoreboard! Of course, even though it’s lighthearted, we’re over the moon to have come first in the final.”
Second place (0.6 seconds behind) went to the Coolco team, captained by their CCO Christopher Bergsland, father of Billy who was treated for and survived Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Borealis were in third place. CEO Christoph Toepfer said: “We love this event. The whole office gets behind it and looks forward to taking part every year. It’s good for shipping. It’s good for London. And it has made a difference by funding the development of new treatments and techniques that are already in use.”
As has become tradition, Oldendorff Carriers (fourth place this year) generously sponsored the bar. “With Oldendorff picking up the tab, we’re able to raise even more funds by selling sponsored cups entitling people to drinks at the bar,” explained Megan Duckworth from the GOSH Children’s Charity.
While the dragon boat racing was close, the fundraising table was eclipsed for the second year in a row by Union Maritime, “who have adopted the OSCAR Campaign as one of their own if you like,” said Phil Parry. “Union Maritime CEO Laurent Cadji and his wife Sarah visited Great Ormond Street Hospital with me a couple of years ago. They were moved by the heartbreaking stories of children with cancers and immune diseases who need the help of the world’s best at GOSH. Dr Persis Amrolia, head of BMT at GOSH (who treated Oscar) impressed and inspired them so much as he and his team inspire and motivate me. We all of us owe these dedicated specialists so much. Without the work they do and that shipping funds, many more parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters would have lost a child, grandchild or sibling. It’s an honour to contribute in any way we can.”
The OSCAR Dragon Boat event works by asking each team to raise a minimum of £6,000 on top of a registration fee. “Every penny counts,” says Parry, “the cumulate effect giving us such a great outcome. But, Union Maritime take it to another level and with the help and support of their brokers, customers, partners, bankers and others, their team raised £500,000 this year. It’s just tremendous and we’re so grateful. This year’s fundraising alone should enable us to fund three distinct research projects.”
The teams in 2024:
- Finalists: Kpler, Coolco, Borealis, Oldendorff Carriers, UK P&I, MFB Solicitors
- Everyone else: Union Maritime, Thomas Miller 2, Purus, Baltic Exchange 1 & 2, Tysers, NorthStandard, Thurlestone, BRS, Ashley Group Holdings, Miller Insurance, Lomar, Britannia P&I, Windward Shipping, ONE, CoolCo, Navigator Gas, Borealis Maritime, Taylor Maritime Investments, Cheniere, C Solutions Limited, Steamship Mutual, SSY, Clarksons, TMC Marine …and of course Spinnaker.
There is still time to donate to your favourite team via its Just Giving page. Search “OSCAR Dragon Boat 2024” and choose which team you’d like to support.
For details about next year’s event: [email protected].
Photos from the 2024 event: Spinnaker Flickr
