As 2024 draws to a close, we’re celebrating the incredible achievements of our team at Spinnaker. From professional milestones to personal triumphs, our staff have had an inspiring year—and they’re excited to share their highlights with you. Join us as we look back on a year filled with growth, success, and memorable moments!
Phil Parry, CEO
Taking the total raised for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity to over £3m.
When we started the OSCAR Campaign to raise funds from shipping to support a variety of projects, we set ourselves a target of half a million pounds. That seemed a bit of a stretch at the time, but the total is now £3.45m of which £740,000 was raised during 2024. That’s an amazing achievement, the credit for which belongs to the 30 teams who took part in the 2024 OSCAR Dragon Boat Race and in particular to Union Maritime and event sponsors Oldendorff Carriers.
Putting family first
The time comes when children become their parents’ carers. For me, that time came in Autumn 2023 and was followed by 8 heartbreaking months watching my elderly father lose both his legs to diabetes and become entirely dependent upon me, my mother and my partner (her own father now having just had a stroke – at least we’ve had training!). The achievement? Prioritising Dad and putting in the time to make him feel loved and cared for. They say you only live once, but I recently heard this turned on its head – you only die once, but you live every day. We made sure we were there for Dad every day and I feel that we gave him the best last 8 months he could have had. I shall always be proud of that.
David Tubb, Director, Recruitment
Work Achievement – This year has been a record-breaking one for me, achieving my best-ever billings to date. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see hard work, dedication, and perseverance pay off in such a significant way.
Personal Achievement – I took the plunge and signed up for the London Marathon, a challenge I’ve always dreamed of taking on. Even better, I’ve stayed committed to my training schedule, and I’m feeling stronger and more motivated with every run.
Daryna Rozum, Reward Consultant
Work Achievement – This year I joined SEA and had my first year working on Seafarer Daily Wage Cost Survey alongside Sandra and Georgina. I also felt much more confident networking at the conference.
Personal Achievement – I knitted my first jumper in 2024 and haven’t stopped making garments ever since. I also started actually speaking Norwegian this year. And had my first hike ever!
Helen McCaughran, Marketing & Business Development Manager
From a work perspective, I am incredibly proud of the work I have done to evolve the annual Maritime People & Culture conference. This year we introduced the Gala Dinner and Maritime HR Awards giving delegates further opportunities to network and also showcase some of the amazing work they do in their HR departments.
From a personal perspective, I’m pleased to have stuck to my goals set at the beginning of the year for regular pilates and mindfulness sessions. Namaste!
Bethanie-Taylor Grenfell, Marketing & HRC Executive
Work Achievement – This year, I stepped into a marketing role, and I’m incredibly proud of how much my confidence has grown, particularly in reaching out and collaborating on marketing projects for Spinnaker. I’ve played a part in expanding our connections and contacts in this space, which has been so rewarding. A highlight for me was working alongside Phil and GOSH to help organise the OSCAR Dragon Boat Race. Being part of such an incredible, record-breaking, and meaningful event is something I’m truly proud of this year!
Personal Achievement – In 2024, six years of hard work, determination, and saving finally paid off—my partner and I bought our first home! We’ve been in for almost a month now, and having the opportunity to make it our own and complete all the work ourselves is something I’m so proud of us for achieving.
Clementine Matiwaza, Recruitment Resourcer
Work Achievement: This year, I’ve deepened my knowledge of the shipping market while building strong connections with an incredible network of clients and marine professionals. It’s been a rewarding journey of growth and learning in such a dynamic industry.
Personal Achievement: On a personal note, sometimes just staying alive, staying positive, and navigating the ups and downs of life is an achievement in itself—and I’m proud of that!
