Triple milestone: Over £180,000 Raised (and counting!) for local charities

We’re thrilled to be celebrating not one, but three major fundraising milestones reached through the generosity of our amazing customers.

Through our voluntary donation scheme, offered when booking travel via our website, we’re proud to share that:

• We have hit a milestone £120,000 for The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust (raised since November 2019)
• While simultaneously hitting the £40,000 mark for The Island Haven (raised since October 2021)
• And an incredible £15,000 for Cornwall Air Ambulance in the first 12 months of fundraising alone (raised since July 2024)

With donations coming in daily, the totals as of the end of June 2025 are a combined total of £181,000, for causes that directly benefit the Isles of Scilly and the wider community.

Keeping Scilly special: £122,365 for the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust

Since 2019, our customers have been supporting the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, helping to protect Scilly’s landscapes, heritage, and wildlife. The charity manages 700 hectares of land, maintains 85km of paths, and safeguards 170 scheduled monuments.

Thanks to consistent generosity from those travelling on Skybus and Scillonian III, £6,810 has been raised so far this year, alongside an impressive £13,000 in 2024 alone.

A home in times of need: £40,560 for The Island Haven

Launched in October 2021, our partnership with The Island Haven has helped hit a milestone £40,000, which has supported the development of a dedicated home from home for islanders receiving medical treatment on the mainland.

Located near the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, the home is now complete and offers islanders and their families a much-needed place to stay during prolonged outpatient treatment or emergency situations – easing both financial and emotional burdens.

Patricia Matthews | Trustee of The Island Haven: “Since 2021, The Island Haven has built a relationship with the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group which has resulted in such marvellous support, acting as a conduit for our lovely visitors (their passengers) to enable donations to be made whilst making bookings online.

“This has now reached an extraordinary milestone of £40,000 to date over four years. Donations are crucial to our sustainability, as even though we have had the official opening of the house, we will always have the utility bills, council tax , insurance, internet, laundry and maintenance , so donations will make the difference we need, to maintain The Island Haven. Thank you all for your generous support.”

Isles of Scilly Travel employees and Cornwall Air ambulance mascot on Land’d End Airport airfield with a Skybus twin otter in the background

Saving lives from the skies: £18,120 raised for Cornwall Air Ambulance

Since June 2024, Isles of Scilly Travel passengers contributed £15,000 in the first 12 months of fundraising for Cornwall Air Ambulance, a vital charity responding to over 1,000 missions each year, including dozens to the Isles of Scilly.  Since hitting the £15k milestone, the generosity of our passengers has bumped the fundraising total up to £18,120 with a record-breaking total of £2,210 for this charity raised in a single month via our booking platform.

In 2024, the air ambulance responded to 41 emergencies on the islands – offering pre-hospital critical care in under 30 minutes. The charity relies entirely on public donations and plays a vital role in the safety and wellbeing of those living in, working on, or visiting the islands.

Julia Jeffery | Cornwall Air Ambulance Corporate Partnerships Manager: “We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of Isles of Scilly Steamship Group and their wonderful customers. The incredible amount of £15,000 that they have raised could fund three potentially lifesaving missions by air, in one of our helicopters. It is only thanks to the support of local businesses and communities that we can continue to provide pre-hospital emergency care to those who are critically ill or injured across both Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Thank you for helping us to be there for patients when they really need us most.”

Thank you for making a difference

These three milestones are more than just numbers – they represent lives improved, supported, and in some cases, saved.

At the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, we’re committed to giving back. Each year we contribute around £1 million to local causes, from charity partnerships and medical flights to subsidised travel and community initiatives.

To every customer who has donated: thank you. Your kindness is making a meaningful difference – one journey at a time.