MDL Marinas raises £10,000 for charity through summer initiatives

We are proud to announce that our marina teams raised an impressive £10,000 over the summer, reinforcing our commitment to supporting local communities and national charities. These funds will benefit a range of important causes, including Hamble Lifeboat, Macmillan Cancer Support, Prostate Cancer UK, and many more.

Through a variety of fundraising events across a number of our marinas, we have made a significant impact. Among the standout efforts was a bold initiative led by Lauren McCann, Marina Manager at Ocean Village Marina in Southampton, who shaved her head to raise funds for Breast Cancer UK, Prostate Cancer UK and Ocean Youth Trust South. Alongside other events, including a raffle and a duck race, the team at Ocean Village Marina raised a total of £4,886.

“A huge thank you to everyone that supported our charity events. From amazing live music and generous raffle prize donations to all the personal donations, we couldn’t have done it without the best marina team and community," says McCann.

We’re thrilled to support these three incredible charities, and I’m proud that my hair donation is now on its way to The Little Princess Trust to be made into a wig for a child undergoing cancer treatment.

Charity initiatives across MDL Marinas

In addition to the efforts at Ocean Village, many of our other marinas also held successful fundraising events this summer, with marina teams, tenants and customers working together to support the causes. Some key highlights include:

• Bray Marina raised £580 for Swan Lifeline through their 'Pedalo to Penton' event, where staff pedalled from Bray to Penton Hook, supported by Bray Marine Sales, who provided a safety boat.
• Chatham Maritime Marina raised £470 for Evelina London Children’s Charity through raffles and competitions such as “Guess the Sweets”, held in memory of a colleague’s granddaughter.
• Port Hamble Marina raised £2,948 for Hamble Lifeboat through a 24-hour cycling challenge and BBQ.
• Mercury Yacht Harbour hosted a summer party that raised £650 for Hamble Lifeboat and Wetwheels, with over 250 guests attending to enjoy games, raffles and generous donations from local businesses.
• Northney Marina raised £360 for Macmillan Cancer Support and the Alzheimer’s Society with a charity BBQ.

Ongoing support for Ocean Youth Trust

In addition to these fundraising efforts, we continue our long-standing support for Ocean Youth Trust South, providing a home for its sail training vessel Prolific. We are also proud to continue our commitment to the MDL Sail Training Awards, which offers young people the chance to experience life at sea.

Nominations for the 2025 sailing experience are now open. Winners will embark on an unforgettable 5-night, 6-day adventure aboard Prolific, where they’ll take part in all aspects of life on board – from hoisting sails and helping with maintenance to night sailing, cooking and cleaning, alongside the rest of the crew. The adventure departs from Southampton in April 2025.

Daniel Horsley, MDL’s Operations Director, comments: “We’re incredibly proud of the hard work, dedication and support shown by our marina teams and customers.

“Raising £10,000 for such a wide range of causes is a huge achievement. We’re proud to back charities that are so close to our hearts and make a real difference in people’s lives."