Berth holders donate over £5000 ‘Boating Bonus’ to MDL Marinas’ chosen charities

Berth holders at MDL Marinas have donated their ‘Back to Boating Bonuses’ to the RNLI and Ocean Youth Trust South. The charities will receive circa £5000 and £900 respectively.

As lockdown eased, and everyone was able to get back on the water, MDL offered its berth holders and annual dry stack customers a 50% rebate on their April berthing fees. Berth holders had the choice of having the ‘bonus’ applied to their account or donating it to either the RNLI or Ocean Youth Trust South, MDL’s two chosen charities.

The RNLI, the lifesaving charity which received the lion’s share of the berth holder’s generosity, was extremely grateful for the donation. Ed Stevens, Area Lifesaving Manager at the RNLI, says: “Because of coronavirus restrictions over the past few months, the RNLI’s usual ways of fundraising have been halted. We are kept afloat entirely by public contributions and we’re always grateful to our donors but now, more than ever, a donation like this will help our volunteer crews continue to save lives. We’d like to say a huge thank you to the berth holders at MDL Marinas for their generosity and for keeping us in mind at this time.”

MDL has supported the Ocean Youth Trust South for over 40 years, developing a close relationship with the charity which offers young people life-changing sailing experiences. Thrilled to receive the donation, Mark Todd, Chief Executive of Ocean Youth Trust South, explains how the money will make a difference: “We’re so grateful to MDL’s berth holders for their generosity. The money donated will assist us in our endeavours to get more young people out on the water who couldn’t otherwise afford to, changing their lives through sailing on the voyages we offer.”

“The Back to Boating Bonus was a thank you to our berth holders for their patience over the last few months, it’s been tough for everyone,” says Tim Mayer, MDL’s Sales and Marketing Director. “We’re delighted that so many of our customers decided to donate their bonus to our two chosen causes, both such worthwhile charities.

“We’re on a steady path toward a summer of great sailing, and we look forward to working with our teams and customers to make sure that we can all enjoy the water while keeping all necessary precautions around Covid-19, social distancing and hygiene measures.”