OREANDA-NEWS. September 29, 2015. P&O Cruises is celebrating after successfully raising an incredible ?1million for charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support. Staff from the Southampton based company marked the fantastic fundraising milestone alongside celebrity chef and P&O Cruises Food Hero Eric Lanlard on board new ship Britannia. 

A special World’s Biggest Coffee Morning event was held on board to thank staff, crew and passengers from around the world for their hard work and generosity. World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan’s flagship fundraiser and turned 25 on 25th September. Eric Lanlard created a special celebratory cake to mark the occasion.

P&O Cruises senior vice president of sales & marketing Paul Ludlow said, “I am very proud of our staff, crew and passengers for reaching this incredible milestone. It is down to their dedication and generosity that we have been able to provide vital services such as the healing garden for people affected by cancer. I look forward to growing the partnership so that we can work together to find new ways to help support people living affected by cancer in Southampton and beyond.”

Rachel Gascoigne, partnership manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said, “Congratulations to everyone at P&O Cruises for reaching this magnificent milestone! We know that every day in the Southampton area, 29 people hear the devastating news that they have cancer. By 2030, the number of people living with and beyond cancer in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will nearly double and shockingly fill Southampton FC’s football stadium nearly four times. The funds that P&O Cruises has raised are vital to providing more services for people with cancer in the community and in turn, ensuring that no one has to face cancer alone.”

1million is enough to fund 19 Macmillan nurses for one year and with the number of people living with cancer in the UK rising, the demand for Macmillan services has never been greater. Funds raised by P&O Cruises have funded a healing garden at Southampton General Hospital for people going through cancer treatment and their families. The garden now provides a tranquil place to relax when treatment is exhausting and overwhelming. The garden is part of the Macmillan Cancer Information Centre which has welcomed over 100,000 patients and family members during the 10 years that is has been open.

The partnership between P&O Cruises and Macmillan began in February 2013 and during this time P&O Cruises staff, crew and passengers have together raised 1 million for the leading cancer charity. Colleagues fundraised in various ways, including walking 106 kilometres around the Isle of Wight and holding coffee mornings on board.