Shipping industry takes OSCAR Campaign beyond £4 million

The shipping industry has once again shown what it can achieve when it comes together, raising an incredible £495,000 at this year’s OSCAR Dragon Boat Race, taking the total raised for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children to £4 million.

The OSCAR Dragon Boat Race has become a major annual event in the London maritime calendar attracting several hundred participants and spectators. Twenty-two teams, including seven shipowners, each raised a minimum of £6,500 and fielded 11 people to splash around in the water against their rivals.

Insurance broker Miller Insurance won the event, separated by less than a second from the runners-up – Tysers in second place, with Pacific Basin third and Oldendorff fourth. The most important competition of the day was fundraising – bar sponsors Oldendorff were the second biggest fundraisers, but yet again it was fellow shipowner Union Maritime who took home the fundraising trophy, raising over £300,000. “In fact, they have now raised north of £1m over the last few years. Every year their efforts humble us. We’re enormously grateful to them and to their sponsors, some of whom individually donated very significant amounts of money,” says Phil Parry, OSCAR Campaign Chair and CEO of event organisers, Spinnaker.

The event has spawned all kinds of fundraising spin-offs, most notably the Steamship Mutual annual quiz in which many of London’s shipping lawyers compete against each other to raise funds for Steamship Mutual’s dragon boat team.

Behind the racing, trophies and friendly competition is the reason the event exists.

The OSCAR Campaign was founded following the treatment of Spinnaker Chairman Phil Parry’s son, Oscar, at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Oscar was diagnosed with leukaemia as a three-year old and a second rarer leukaemia three years later.  He underwent two bone marrow transplants and a stem cell transplant in the next five years, ultimately being cured by  pioneering treatment developed by the hospital’s bone marrow transplant team.

Since then, the maritime industry has rallied behind the campaign year after year for 11 years, helping raise money so that GOSH can continue its lifesaving work for seriously ill children and their families. The impact of that fundraising continues to be seen at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where work is progressing on the new Children’s Cancer Centre.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters, £235 million has now been raised towards the Centre, which will help transform how children with some of the most difficult-to-treat cancers are cared for.  Construction is underway, with excavation of the basement now almost complete. Around 26,000 cubic metres of material has been removed as work continues.

“I can’t stress enough how underfunded childhood cancer and rare diseases are,” Phil Parry emphasises. “Thanks to the money we raise in shipping, there are children alive today who otherwise would not have had a chance. That’s why we have to keep going and why, if anyone reading this is thinking of creating a legacy, I would be delighted to hear from them.”

2026 Teams: Steamship Mutual, Miller Insurance, Pacific Basin Shipping, Tysers Insurance Brokers, Oldendorff Carriers, The Baltic Exchange, MFB Solicitors, Campbell Johnston Clark, Borealis Maritime, A.M. Nomikos & Sons, Stephenson Harwood, Union Maritime, Spinnaker, ITIC, The Nautical Institute, NorthStandard, Britannia P&I, Navigator Gas, Kpler, The Vesta Rein Dragons, Saville Notaries and Oceonix.

Nick Lockyer, Chairman of Direct Marine at Miller Insurance, said: “The Miller Marauders were delighted to win this year’s Dragon Boat Race, narrowly beating our arch rivals Tysers in the final. Having come 10th two years ago and fourth last year, the team were convinced that they could improve this year.
“However, winning the race is one thing, but being part of such a successful day for such a wonderful cause is what it’s all about.

“We wish everybody involved continuing success for the future and hope to be involved again next year. Remember, it’s not the taking part, it’s the winning that counts!”

Billy Spencer, Account Handler, Direct Marine at Miller Insurance, added: “We are incredibly proud to have taken home the trophy after a close final against Tysers, but even more proud to have played a small part in such an important fundraising effort. It was a brilliant day of teamwork, friendly rivalry and community spirit. We are already looking forward to returning next year to defend our title!”