Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled a bright new patchwork livery on its flagship, Balmoral, to help to raise awareness of a fundraising campaign in aid of Suffolk-based St Elizabeth Hospice – ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’.
In line with the Fred. Olsen ethos of continual improvement and upgrading of its fleet, Balmoral has been adorned with an eye-catching new patchwork livery. The vibrant pattern was chosen by Peter Deer, Commercial Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, to reflect the cruise line’s support of the ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ campaign, based around the children’s picture book character, ‘Elmer the Patchwork Elephant’, created by David McKee.
The ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ art project – to raise funds for Ipswich’s St Elizabeth Hospice – will be bringing 55 large Elmer sculptures and 85 ‘young Elmers’ to the county town in Summer 2019, and follows on from the hugely successful ‘Pigs Gone Wild’ trail in 2016. The Parade is once again being run in conjunction with public art event specialists, Wild in Art, and new partner, Andersen Press, who have published ‘Elmer’ for 30 years.
Starting with its flagship, Balmoral, the unique patchwork design will be rolled out across Fred. Olsen’s three other ocean ships – Braemar, Boudiccaand Black Watch – over the coming months.
Fred. Olsen has commissioned its own ‘top secret’ sculpture for the campaign, designed by talented Trimley artist, Angela Ashford. The ‘big reveal’ of Fred. Olsen’s design will take place when the ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ art trail gets under way officially on 15th June 2019.
Peter Deer, Commercial Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:
“St Elizabeth Hospice provides a vital service within our community, and has provided invaluable support to many of our colleagues and their families over the years, so we are so proud to be supporting ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ as our major local charity campaign in 2019.
“The Hospice needs to generate £10.5 million to run every year, less than a quarter of which comes from the NHS. While we are already sponsoring and commissioning our very own Elmer sculpture for this Summer’s ‘Big Parade’, we wanted to go one step further and do more to promote the work of the Hospice and just how important this campaign is – and what better way to catch everyone’s attention than by showcasing the bold, bright patchwork colours of Elmer on our beautiful flagship, Balmoral, and across the rest of our cruise fleet?”
Norman Lloyd, Campaign Manager for ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’, said:
“We were thrilled to get Fred. Olsen on board with our campaign as a sponsor over a year ago and we have been so impressed how they have really gone above and beyond in their efforts to be really involved in the campaign; from holding fundraising events at their headquarters in Ipswich, to involving our ‘Patchwork Elmer sculpture’ in all sorts of different events, and now even referencing us in the rebranding of their ships – it really is amazing.
“We were hoping that this year’s art trail would be bigger than ‘Pigs Gone Wild’, but we hadn’t thought in a million years that it would get right round the world!”
Paul Black, PR and Brand Director at Andersen Press said:
“In Elmer’s 30th anniversary year, we want to turn the whole country patchwork in celebration, but to work with St Elizabeth Hospice and Fred. Olsen to turn the high seas patchwork is truly beyond anything we imagined. Here’s hoping this beautiful patchwork livery raises lots and lots of money for the Hospice, and spreads a message of friendship and acceptance in each port of call!”
‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ marks the 30th anniversary since the first book on Elmer’s adventures was published by Andersen Press, with St Elizabeth Hospice also celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2019. Fred. Olsen celebrated 30 years of being headquartered in Ipswich, Suffolk in 2018.
For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com For further information on Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk, visit the website at www.elmersbigparadesuffolk.co.uk