Ambassador Cruise Line and Help for Heroes join Forces in Life-Changing Partnership
Three-year partnership will bolster charity’s commitment to improving veterans’ mental and physical health
To download images and the launch video outlining the partnership*, click here
Today, Tuesday 5 March 2024, Help for Heroes, the UK’s leading Armed Forces and veterans Charity, alongside premium value, no fly cruise line, Ambassador Cruise Line, has announced a brand-new three-year partnership agreement that unites both organisations’ dedication to better the physical and mental health of their communities.
As part of the partnership, Ambassador will raise funds for the charity, provide exclusive access to Help for Heroes veterans and host a series of onboard activities including talks and competitions that will promote the goals and ambitions of the charity.
Help for Heroes provides a holistic support service for veterans and their families across the Armed Forces community, having already helped more than 30,000 people in the UK. They aim to provide lifelong support for every veteran, no matter when or where they served, for as long as it takes.
June 6 2024, also sees the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, and to mark the occasion, both Ambassador cruise ships - Ambition and Ambience – will sail in tandem to the Normandy coast as part of two special D-Day anniversary cruises.
Ambition will depart from Bristol Royal Portbury on 2 June for the six-night D-Day Anniversary Voyage, while Ambience sets off from London Tilbury on 4 June for the 13-night Round Britain D-Day Anniversary Voyage. On 6 June, both Ambience and Ambition will anchor off the five beaches of Normandy that troops landed on 80 years ago with Help for Heroes taking part in each ship’s journey. They will be raising their flag to commemorate the partnership and will also be providing very special guests to participate in various commemorative events onboard.
Christian Verhounig, Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Cruise Line, said: “As a company, we are proud to partner with Help for Heroes, which is close to the hearts of many people. The Ambassador family, ship and shoreside, guests and crew, are known for their passion in making connections through exploration and promoting physical and mental wellbeing, making our partnership over the next three years a natural fit. Both Ambassador and Help for Heroes share the same values, and we’re thrilled to be working together with the charity to help raise awareness of their ongoing work to support these incredible veterans who have given so much through their service.”
James Needham, CEO of Help for Heroes, commented: “We’re incredibly excited to start this voyage with Ambassador Cruise Line who share in our dedication to help the Armed Forces Community. We know that some of our veterans will have to deal with feelings of loneliness and isolation and these inclusive cruises provide access to a world of amazing sights that can be experienced in the company of friends and families.”
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For further press information, please contact:
Braden Cantalope / Rebecca Claxton / Sarah Geppert / Charlotte Wright / Emma Arthurs
Rooster PR
T: +44 (0)20 3440 8930
Note to editors
· H4H AMB1 - Help for Heroes team members and charity ambassador Jamie Hull come together with the Ambassador crew onboard Ambition to mark the launch of the new partnership
· H4H AMB2 – from left to right: Gordon Nardini, Chief Marketing Officer, Ambassador Cruise Line; Joy Petley, Corporate Account Manager, Help for Heroes; Alice Dewsnap, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Help for Heroes; Jamie Hull, Help for Heroes Charity Ambassador; and Christian Verhounig, CEO, Ambassador Cruise Line
· Partnership Launch Video – an overview of the partnership and its aims featuring Ambassador Cruise Line and Help for Heroes representatives including Jamie Hull, charity ambassador, author and veteran. Jamie is helping to raise awareness for the life changing support this partnership will bring for the thousands of UK veterans who rely on the incredible work Help for Heroes undertake daily
About Help for Heroes:
· Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps them live well after service. The charity helps them, and their families, to recover and get on with their lives. It has already supported more than 30,000 people and won’t stop until every veteran gets the support they deserve.
· The Charity supports veterans, and their families, from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians (and their families) who worked alongside our Armed Forces.
· Help for Heroes relies on the spirit and generosity of the great British public.
· Any monetary figures quoted, as funds raised or donated, have been supplied by the fundraiser/donor and are quoted in good faith.
· Help for Heroes has attained the Pride in Veterans Standard (PiVS), a programme run by Fighting With Pride, which demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to providing inclusive and welcoming support to LGBT+ veterans, serving personnel and their families.
· Help for Heroes’ online Suicide Awareness Training course can be viewed at helpforheroes.org.uk/get-help/mental-health-and-wellbeing/suicide-awareness.
· Help for Heroes is actively recruiting new volunteers. To register your interest in becoming a Help for Heroes volunteer go to helpforheroes.org.uk/give-support/volunteer.
· To get support, visit helpforheroes.org.uk / Social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
For further press information, please contact:
Help for Heroes
Michael Power
· T: +44 (0) 7739 466 739
· E: michael[email protected].
About Ambassador Cruise Line
Ambassador Cruise Line launched in 2021, offering premium-value no-fly cruises to the UK market. The company sailed for the first time in 2022 with Ambience operating out of the cruise company’s home port of London Tilbury. A second ship, Ambition, entered service in May 2023, heralding the launch of sailings from eight regional UK ports including the cruise line’s home port in Essex: London Tilbury, Newcastle, Dundee, Edinburgh Leith, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol and Falmouth.
Blending tradition and innovation, Ambassador’s purpose is to inspire and delight every guest to enjoy its cruise experiences effortlessly and sustainably. Offering a wide range of cruise experiences to cater for all types of traveller, the company prides itself on offering the warmest welcome at sea, providing guests with exceptional service, outstanding cuisine and amazing entertainment, alongside a host of breathtaking destinations; all for the best value. These include itineraries for the over-50s market alongside a selection of multigenerational sailings for all the family to enjoy together to multiple destinations including the Nordics, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Africa.
Ambassador’s extremely experienced management team is led by Chief Executive Officer, Christian Verhounig, and its principal shareholder is Njord Partners LLP, London. Ambassador is a member of ABTA, the UK’s leading travel trade association widely acknowledged as the mark of trust and reassurance associated with travel brands. Consumer funds are protected by means of a financial failure insurance policy managed by TMU Management Limited and underwritten by Accelerant Insurance Europe SA, who are regulated by the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA 3193). The scheme is fully compliant with the Package Travel and Linked Arrangements Regulations 2018. To find out more, visit www.ambassadorcruiseline.com or call 0808 1028701.