Posted on: 5 July 2023
The Britannia Group has a long association with the marine reinsurance market in Bermuda and the donations will help support the work these charities undertake to train and educate young sailors and support local maritime communities.
The Britannia Group, the oldest mutual P&I Club, has announced that it has made separate one-off donations of USD75,000 to four charitable organisations based in Bermuda: the Bermuda Maritime Academy, Bermuda Sailors’ Home, Bermuda Sloop Foundation and Endeavour. All the charities support aspiring or more experienced sailors as well as local maritime communities more generally in Bermuda.
The Britannia Group’s links to the marine reinsurance market in Bermuda go back to the 1990s when it set up a Bermuda based reinsurance company called Boudicca, that was owned and controlled by a Bermuda Purpose Trust. As the reinsurance market provision has evolved over the years, the Britannia Group decided in 2022 to merge Boudicca with its other reinsurance vehicle in Bermuda, USMIA. The Trust received consideration for agreeing to the merger, which was equivalent to its original seed money with the terms of the Trust requiring this seed money to be distributed to local maritime charities in the event of the Trust being wound up. The Britannia Group approached the former directors of Boudicca to seek their recommendations for maritime charities in Bermuda to receive donations.
The donations were presented to representatives of the four charitable organisations by Board directors of the Britannia Group at a lunch in Hamilton, Bermuda on 3 July 2023.
“Making sizable donations to these very deserving maritime charities is an appropriate way for the Britannia Group to demonstrate its support for their invaluable work in supporting seafarers at every stage of their careers. Whether it is training Bermuda’s next generation of mariners or offering recreational spaces where sailors can relax and unwind ashore, these charities perform a vital service to the maritime community,” said Andrew Cutler, CEO, the Britannia Group.
“All of us at the Bermuda Maritime Academy are sincerely grateful to the Britannia Group for this meaningful and important contribution which will be instrumental in allowing us to begin the creation of a long term home for the Academy enabling us to provide essential marine training and certification to Bermudians,” said The Hon. Michael Winfield MBE JP, Chairman, Bermuda Maritime Academy.
“On behalf of the Bermuda Sailors Home, we would like to thank the Britannia Group for their very generous donation which will help us continue to serve the needs and assist all seafarers that find themselves on Bermuda’s shores,” commented Edward Barnes, General Manager, The Bermuda Sailors’ Home.
“The Bermuda Sloop Foundation relies on the generosity of supporters like the Britannia Group in order to facilitate our world-class programmes for young people onboard our sail training vessel, Spirit of Bermuda. This donation will enable us to continue our goal of having all middle-school students participate in experiential learning voyages”, stated Robin Hammill, CEO, Bermuda Sloop Foundation.
“We are deeply thankful for the Britannia Group’s generous support of Endeavour’s work that inspires and empowers young people from all backgrounds, skills and abilities across Bermuda by building self-confidence and life skills with experiential learning through sailing”, said Jennifer Pitcher, Executive Director, Endeavour.
Photo: from left to right – back row: Michael Winfield, Chairman, Bermuda Maritime Academy; Robin Hamill, CEO, Bermuda Sloop Foundation; Edward Barnes, General Manager, The Bermuda Sailors’ Home; Nic Plianthos, USMIA; Mike Hall, Deputy CEO, Britannia Group. From left to right – front row: Andrew Cutler, CEO, Britannia Group; Richard Heppell, CFO, Britannia Group; Jonathan Clipper, USMIA; Jennifer Pitcher, Executive Director, Endeavour; Tony Firmin, Chair, Britannia Group.
