Going, going, gone! Charity auction makes waves at Soton marina raising £11k for trio of causes

MDL’s Ocean Village Marina hosted a bumper charity auction at their Captains’ Dinner last week, raising £11,000 to be split between three marine charities.

It was one of many activities filling out a busy few weeks for the marina in the run-up to this year’s Ocean Globe Race, which supports Ocean Youth Trust South, the Blue Marine Foundation and The Maiden Factor Foundation.

Chaired by Nicholas Bonham of renowned family auction house Bonhams, the evening featured a variety of big-ticket lots, including a light aircraft flight over Hampshire (£700), dinner for two at the Gaff Rigger with an overnight stay (£750) and a champagne lunch cruise on the Thames (£800).

But the highest bids of the night went to a couple of unique offerings from the charities themselves – a day sail on the Solent aboard Ocean Youth Trust’s training vessel Prolific, and a name placed on the hull of the legendary Maiden as part of The Maiden Factor Foundation’s Names Project.

These lots managed to fetch £3,000 each, making up more than half of the total funds raised.

Tim Mayer, Sales and Marketing Director at MDL Marinas, said: “What a fabulous evening.

“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of MDL Marinas and the Whitbread Round the World Race.”

Attendees heard talks from Ocean Globe Race organiser Don McIntyre, as well as Mark Todd of Ocean Youth Trust South, Eric Harris-Scott of the Blue Marine Foundation, and Tracy Edwards MBE, Founder of The Maiden Factor.

Tim added: “We were delighted to host such a wonderful and inspirational event, raising money for three amazing charities whose continued efforts make the world a better place – as well as honour the brave men and women who are about to set sail on an epic eight-month adventure, racing around the world and pushing each other to the limit and beyond.”

Photo: Kaia Bint Savage

Some of those sailors will be aboard the Maiden, whose all-female crew departs from Southampton along with the rest of the Ocean Globe Race fleet on Sunday 10th September at 9:30am.

They’ll each head over to the start line off the Isle of Wight before veteran sailor Sir Chay Blyth officially kicks off the race at 1pm.

• mdlmarinas.co.uk