Beach Buddies is celebrating the end of its 10th anniversary year with the announcement that it has secured headline sponsorship for the future with backing from the investment management and fund administration company, FIM Capital, based in Douglas.
 
The news comes as the charity, founded in 2007, looks back on a landmark year which has seen it elevated onto an international stage with invitations to lecture across the world about its achievements which began with two volunteers and now has more than 8,500.
 
“This is fantastic news for Beach Buddies,” said founder Bill Dale. “The fact that FIM Capital made the approach to us and not the other way around is also really good, as it shows that our achievements in the last few years have gained recognition widely across the Island and further afield.
 
“I have known a number of the staff for many years and it was very clear from the outset of our discussions that FIM Capital genuinely want to help us and really appreciate what we are doing. We gave a presentation to the company’s senior management and they could not have been more positive. It was immediately apparent that they share our concerns about pollution of the marine environment and want to do something positive about it.
 
We have developed a very good profile both on and off the Isle of Man and I’m sure that we will both benefit from our joint association both in the near and long-term future. This is a major milestone for our organisation and we are delighted to announce that we will now be known as FIM Capital Beach Buddies.”
 
Russell Collister, FIM Capital Chief Investment Officer, said the company looked on the sponsorship as an opportunity to give valuable financial support, but also to assist with enhancing the profile of FIM Capital Beach Buddies and to help the charity spread the word around the world about how to solve the problem of marine litter.
 
He said, “We have immediately helped the charity with protecting its intellectual property and providing some other administrative assistance. We don’t just want to be the name behind Beach Buddies. We genuinely want to be involved in the organisation and to be there to help in any way we can as it continues to move forward.
 
“Our staff are also very supportive of this decision, and are keen to take part in a series of beach cleaning sessions in the future.  This decision has been very well received throughout the company, and we are very pleased to now be the very first headline sponsor of FIM Capital Beach Buddies.”
 
Philip Scales, FIM Capital Deputy Chairman, added, “We had no hesitation in agreeing the proposal to support the Beach Buddies’ team, whose efforts we have long admired. As a business we recognise the importance of protecting the environment and are currently also providing practical assistance with another initiative to help reduce the amount of plastic waste entering the oceans”.
 
•  FIM Capital Limited is licensed by the Financial Services Authority of the Isle of Man and Regulated and Authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK.
 
Photo - Russell Collister, FIM Capital Chief Investment Officer, with Beach Buddies’ founder Bill Dale.