Red Funnel Raises More Than £13,000 For Isle Of Wight Animal Charity

Red Funnel has raised more than £13,000 for its Charity of the Year, Friends of the Animals, during the first six months of their partnership.

The fundraising total has been achieved through the generosity of customers and staff, with money raised via ticket sales, donations at ferry terminals, teddy tombolas, the sale of unclaimed lost property and sponsored fundraising events.

Three members of Red Funnel staff also took part in the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge, raising more than £1,000 for the charity.

Deck Hand Emily Syvret completed the gruelling 106km route – her first Ultra Challenge – in 25 hours and 32 minutes.

Support for the charity has extended beyond fundraising.

Red Funnel has also donated food and treats to older animals through the charity's Golden Paws Club, produced promotional materials for community events and supported Friends of the Animals at this year's Isle of Wight Festival, where its glitter painting stall proved popular with festivalgoers.

Fran Collins, Chief Executive of Red Funnel, said:

"Reaching the £13,000 mark is a fantastic milestone, but we're not stopping there.

"Together with our customers and colleagues, we're determined to make the second half of the year even bigger and raise as much as we possibly can for Friends of the Animals.

"The charity helps thousands of much-loved animals every year, and we know how important pets and wildlife are to our Island community.

"We're asking everyone to join us in getting behind the partnership, because every donation helps provide food, treatment and a second chance for animals that need it most."

Friends of the Animals has been supporting animals on the Isle of Wight for almost 36 years, providing emergency veterinary care, running a pet food bank, funding neutering programmes and helping vulnerable animals find new homes.

Helen Sinclair MBE, Founder of Friends of the Animals, thanked everyone who had contributed to the fundraising effort.

She said:

"We are so grateful to everyone at Red Funnel and to all of their wonderful customers who have supported us over the past six months.

"Reaching £13,000 is an incredible achievement, and the additional support we've received through food donations, promotional materials and community events has made such a difference.

"Every pound raised helps us continue our work caring for sick, injured and unwanted animals, while supporting the families who love them.

"We can't thank everyone enough and look forward to seeing what we can achieve together during the rest of the year."

Customers can continue to support Friends of the Animals by making donations at Red Funnel terminals and taking part in fundraising events throughout the remainder of the year.