The Queenstown Lakes Family Centre and Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust have been chosen as this year’s recipients of Real Journeys’ inaugural Cruise-for-a-Cause fundraising initiative.
The two organisations were selected from over fifty applicants, and will take over an entire overnight cruise in both Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound as fundraisers. The cruises are the last step of Real Journeys pre-season staff training. The organisations have set their own prices and keep 100% of the proceeds raised.
The Queenstown Lakes Family Centre needs the funds to shorten its current six-week waiting list for families in need of support.
“Our service is so over burdened that families who’ve reached their breaking point are having to wait far too long to be seen. These funds will enable us to increase clinical hours to respond to these families in a timely manner,” says Ilona Weekley, QLFC General Manager.
The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust wants to pay for a researcher to find out why penguin numbers have significantly decreased on Stewart Island; particularly breeding pairs which have almost halved in the last 12 years on the nearby predator-free Codfish Island/Whenua Hou.
“This work was dependent on external funding which Cruise-for-a-Cause will supply,” says Sue Murray, YEPT General Manager.
Richard Lauder, Real Journeys Chief Executive says there were some very worthy applications and the decision took some time to make. “The research that the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust wants to do in Stewart Island was so aligned with our conservation ethic and dependant on this funding that we felt compelled to support their quest, especially given our own operations in Stewart Island. The Queenstown Lakes Family Centre has a crucial role our community and their application really stood out. They put a great deal of work into an exciting and innovative marketing plan. We’re really looking forward to watching it play out in the coming weeks.”
The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust will sell tickets to the Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise on Saturday 29 August departing from Manapouri. The Queenstown Lakes Family Centre have added a coach and will sell tickets to the Milford Sound Overnight Cruise on Friday 18September departing from Queenstown. They will be offering early-bird and group discounts as well as some additional entertainment yet to be announced.
Real Journeys launched Cruise-for-a-Cause this year to help community based not-for-profit/charitable organisations raise funds for a good cause.
Both the overnight cruises are in the World Heritage Area of Fiordland and include dinner, bed and breakfast and water activities (exploring the fiord close up in a kayak or with a nature guide in a small boat).
For more information visit the following websites:
- Queenstown Lakes Family Centre
For information about the Real Journeys Overnight Cruises visit:
- Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises
- Milford Mariner Overnight Cruises
For further information contact:
Tsehai Tiffin - Real Journeys Corporate Communications Manager
Mobile: +64 21 523 899
Email: [email protected]