Posted on: 31 January 2024
The Seafarers’ Charity received a generous donation from Boskalis subsidiary Gardline, one of the largest marine survey companies in the world, following a live worldwide radio show broadcast that captivated over 6,000 of their staff worldwide. Last week, Deborah Layde, Chief Executive at The Seafarers’ Charity, visited Gardline HQ at Great Yarmouth for a cheque presentation and a tour of one of their vessels.
Established in 1969 in Great Yarmouth, Gardline has grown to become one of the world’s largest and well reputed marine survey companies. The company has historically been involved in traditional oil and gas developments and has more recently taken a prominent role in the (early) development of offshore wind developments. In 2017, they were acquired by the Netherlands-based company Boskalis.
The funds were raised during the Boskalis Worldwide Connected Radio Show, a 6-hour live broadcast from Boskalis’s Dutch HQ to over 6,000 colleagues, including many seafarers, worldwide. This annual Christmas tradition not only serves as a reflection on the past year, but also enables colleagues to connect and ring in the New Year around the world, fostering a sense of unity among the company staff worldwide.
The interactive broadcast encompasses Christmas greeting requests, project updates, and insights from on-fleet cooks. Boskalis took this opportunity to channel the collective input from its colleagues into a charitable cause, with The Seafarers’ Charity chosen as one of the beneficiaries for this year’s funds.
Meeting with Sam Massingham, Head of HR and Mark Bobby, Fleet Manager at Gardline, for a cheque presentation, Deborah (pictured above) also enjoyed a tour of MV Kommandor, poised at berth for its next project.
She said: ‘It was great to meet the crew and Master of MV Kommandor and to witness their pride in their work during my vessel show round. Our organisations have much in common – our ambition and passion for a progressive safety culture and, of course, in seafarers’ wellbeing. MV Kommandor has much for seafarers including a gym, healthy food, guitars, a library, keyboards, music and gaming equipment. We look forward to working with their teams in the future to raise funds for less fortunate seafarers.’
Fleet Manager, Mark Bobby, added: ‘The Seafarers’ Charity is a forward-thinking charity, that focuses on all aspects of life at sea, whilst supporting wellbeing and welfare of seafarers. It was a pleasure to meet Deborah and show her around the Kommandor. A big thank you to Captain Adam and the crew for escorting us safely on the day. I’ll need to start my marathon training after all those cakes! Good luck to The Seafarers’ Charity in all that they do to make the lives of seafarers better.’
Looking ahead, Gardline is committed to further engagement with The Seafarers’ Charity, participating in upcoming fundraising initiatives, including the 24 Peaks Challenge this year and the London Marathon in 2025.
