Profits from sale of unique silver bracelet will go towards upkeep of UAE’s Flying Angel seafarers’ support vessel

New York City based jewellery designer Deb Schecter of Dyanne Belle has created a unique bracelet the profits from which will go towards financing the Flying Angel, the first support vessel of its kind in the world that helps seafarers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
The bracelet, that features a sterling silver disc inscribed with the words Angel Appeal, was launched at an exclusive event (today 5 November 2009) hosted by the Angel Appeal team and Karen Malia Warrington, The British Consul General’s wife, in the British Embassy Residence and Gardens in Dubai. Guests were treated to bite-size cupcakes sponsored by Kitsch Cupcakes.
All profits from the sale of the Angel Bracelets, produced under the Dyanne Belle brand, will go to the Angel Appeal to help support the running and maintenance of the Flying Angel in its operations off the UAE’s east coast anchorage, used by over 10,500 ships each year.
An average 75 seafarers a day visit the Flying Angel at sea who would not otherwise have the opportunity to come ashore and call home. The service is operated on the east coast of the UAE by The Mission to Seafarers, Dubai. Running costs average $750 a day. The vessel has Internet access, a library with educational and fictional DVDs and books, access to affordable telecommunications a small hotel shop where seafarers can by essential items and provides pastoral and spiritual support with an on board dedicated welfare officer.
Deb Schecter, no novice to the world of charity, having long standing relationships with several organisations in the United States, ranging from women’s health issues to hunger, believes the Angel Appeal to be a worthy cause. "Giving back to the community continues to be a large part of my life and the life of the Dyanne Belle brand,” she said. “When I learned about the major role seafarers’ play in the success of businesses in the UAE and the sacrifices that they make to do so, I felt compelled to help.
“Seafarers can spend many months alone at sea, without contact with families or friends and the Flying Angel enables them to speak to loved ones through email and phone calls. With every purchase of an Angel Bracelet, I know that we are helping seafarers with this vital contact."
Kitsch Cupcakes, which sponsored the event, is Dubai's first specialised cupcakes bar. The concept was started in Beirut, Lebanon by childhood friends Dalia Dogmoch and Racil Chalhoub. They decided to introduce the concept to Dubai in November 2008.
“We were delighted to support this initiative to help provide seafarers with basic daily necessities and allow them to connect with their families and loved ones,” said Dalia Dogmoch, co-founder and chief baker. “It is important to remember that they are the ones behind the lifestyles many of us enjoy today.”
The Angel Bracelet can be bought directly through the website www.angelappeal.com In addition, the charity has a schedule of events and the Angel Bracelet will be available to buy at them all. The next is a carol concert before Christmas followed by the annual High Tea and Jazz afternoon hosted at the British Embassy in February 2010. Details of all events can be found on the website

The Mission to Seafarers in Dubai, part of the international organisation that cares for seafarers regardless of race or religion in over 300 ports around the world, announced recently that VHFL (Vopak) have donated AED15,500.
Vopak employees recently won the money as a prize for the participation in a corporate level survey and along with the management, decided to donate the winnings to charity. The Flying Angel was chosen as one recipient of the money in recognition of her good work in and around the Port of Fujairah. The donation will go towards the running of The Flying Angel, the first support vessel of its kind in the world.
The cheque was handed over at a ceremony on board The Flying Angel. Reverend Stephen Miller, Director and Port Chaplain, The Mission to Seafarers, Dubai, expressed his appreciation. “We are really encouraged that the employees of Vopak have chosen us as a charity worth supporting in Fujairah. The Port of Fujairah and its anchorage provides a great deal of business to the Emirate of Fujairah and at the hub of that business are seafarers who crew the ships, bringing the world’s resources to our door. Vopak’s donation will help to provide the valuable services of Flying Angel for a week. This means that over 450 seafarers will be able to use the services of Flying Angel who are not able to come ashore.”
The UAE's east coast is the second largest bunker anchorage in the world, which is used by over 10,500 ships each year. During this time, over 200,000 seafarers are unable to communicate with family and friends at home for weeks, sometimes months, leading to isolation and loneliness. The vessel has an Internet café, a library with DVDs and books, a medical clinic, access to telecommunications and pastoral support.
Operated by The Mission to Seafarers in Dubai, the Flying Angel was commissioned by HRH The Prince of Wales in a ceremony on Dubai creek, in February 2007. Since then she has visited an average of 5-6 ships daily, and welcomed on board around 70 seafarers every day.
The Mission for Seafarers is constantly looking for donations to fund the $750 a day running costs of the Flying Angel. The eventual aim is to build a fund large enough to enable the Flying Angel to become self-sustaining. For further information on The Angel Appeal or to make a donation, please visit www.angelappeal.com or call 04 398 4918.

Under the direction of HH Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, the Port of Fujairah in cooperation with local authorities, including Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities Authority, to take all measures to ensure a warm welcome and memorable experience for cruise vessel tourists visiting Fujairah.
On the basis of such guidance and under the direction of H. H. Sheikh Saleh Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi – Chairman of the Port of Fujairah, the Port is preparing to start the Cruise Ship Season which will involve regular calls by giant cruise ships, owned by major international cruise companies, calling at the Port of Fujairah.
These ships are top of their class and provide 5 star accommodation for large numbers of cruise passengers.
Fujairah offers these passengers inspiring landscapes majestic mountains, historical sites, stunning beaches, luxury hotels and vibrant culture and traditions.
The season's schedule this year began in the last week of October and will extend to May 2010. During that time 81 vessels are currently scheduled to call at the Port of Fujairah. Calls include Costa Cruise Vessels which well have three of its top vessels Costa Europa and Costa Luminosa calling weekly from 9th December onwards. Royal Caribbean Lines “Brilliance of the Seas” one of the largest Cruise Ships in the World is scheduled to call on 21st January 2010.
Those vessels will make calls at other Gulf Ports as well

environmental projects are planned for the current year.

Fujairah Country Fair kicks off on Friday 11th December at Fujairah Tennis & Country Club from 12 noon, and preparations are well underway to make it even bigger and brighter than the last one. This year we have more homemade goodies for sale, for instance. Look out for Tina’s scented candles or Maria’s handmade soaps. Pickled onions and chutneys make an appearance again as do the hugely popular second-hand clothes and book stalls. The tea shop ladies are already in full swing organising a grand bake of homemade cakes and scones to serve up with a refreshing pot of tea. There are Christmas stalls selling decorations and greetings cards too, together with pot plants and fresh herbs. At the time of going to print we have around 40 stalls and still counting.

But all this is just the tip of the iceberg. The guys at the Tennis Club have promised to fire up the pizza oven and lay on a barbecue. And of course there are loads of games stalls as well as a bouncy castle, face painting and camel rides for little ones.
Can you make something? Man a games stall? Donate some old clothing or books? Come and lend a hand if the answer’s YES. As ever, all our profits go to a very good cause - The New Youth Orphanage in Kathmandu. Last year we raised just over Dhs.100,000 in total. Call Carol on (971) 50 559 7359, email trekkingfornepal@gmail.com or for more information on our activities past, present and future go to www.trekkingfornepal.com.

Dubai Abulhoul Aviation, a new charter company based in Fujairah, was launched in November and will carry tourists in and around the UAE.
Using a Cessna 206 Station Air, the company will begin operations in January with its first flight from Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, to Fujairah International Airport.
It will have the ability to land on water, and airport authorities will provide special services and a hanger for the aircraft’s maintenance.
Starting with one aircraft, the company will gradually ramp up its assets and destinations to include Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The aircraft will carry up to five passengers at a time and fly within a two-hour radius.
It will also be available for mail, package and passenger services besides charter flights. Additional services include accessing remote diving, fishing, kite surfing locations and desert resorts in Abu Dhabi.
Ahmad Abulhoul, chief executive of Abulhoul Aviation, said, “This will be the birth of the first domestic airline service in the UAE linking the East Coast with the capital. And our prices will be attractive to our customers too.”
The aircraft will use floats to land on water and other places that don’t have runways.
Dr. Khaled Almazroui, General Manager of Fujairah International Airport, “We are happy to have Abulhoul Aviation to operate from Fujairah International Airport. We will provide all assistance and services to make such operations very successful. This is part of our marketing strategy to attract different companies and operations to Fujairah International Airport.”
Bill Payne, Chief Pilot for Abulhoul Aviation, “This will be a very safe and successful operation and I’m looking forward to meeting and delighting our customers with the scenic flights in this beautiful part of the UAE.”
Haig Hagopian, Vice President of Wipaire, “Wipaire is very proud to be associated with Abdulhoul Aviation’s winning team and contributing expertise to the success of this enterprise.”
Ahmed Abulhoul, CEO of Abulhoul Aviation, “This will be the birth of the first domestic airline service in the UAE linking the East Coast with the capital. And our prices will be attractive to our customers too.”
The new aviation company has hired Bill Payne as chief pilot, who has 25 years of flying experience and 12,000 hours of flight time. He also has 8,000 hours of experience on floats in Alaska.
“This will be a very safe and successful operation and I’m looking forward to meeting and delighting our customers with the scenic flights in this beautiful part of the UAE,” Payne said.

Rotana collaborates with Médecins Sans Frontières in support of their numerous humanitarian projects worldwide

Rotana, the leading Hotel Management Company in the Middle East and North Africa announced its collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (Atiba Bila Hudood/MSF/Doctors without Borders), by launching its fund raising campaign “Add a light to someone’s life”, that will see donations made by Rotana to this international humanitarian organization.
It is hoped that this first MSF-Rotana initiative will generate close on a quarter of a million Dirhams in support of their various worldwide projects which focus on providing aid to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, and exclusion from health care or natural disasters.
The funds will be generated by offering a candle as a yearend gift to all our partners and clients, in place of a more conventional corporate gift, with the difference in value being donated to the fund. The candle is the symbol of the “Add a light to someone’s life” campaign and Rotana’s support for MSF and to their humanitarian mission in more than 70 countries.
“This collaboration comes as a result of Rotana’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and has been initiated across all Rotana properties in the MENA Region, during the last quarter of 2009,” said Mr. Selim El Zyr, President & CEO of Rotana.
El Zyr continued “We are indeed very privileged to be associated with Médecins Sans Frontières. We strongly believe that this initiative, which is only the beginning of Rotana’s contributions to MSF, will raise awareness in the Middle East about the plight of populations living in crisis zones, create dialogue forums to interact with national communities and to seek for private resources to support MSF independent activities.”
Commenting on this news, Mr. Marc Sauvagnac, Executive Director of MSF said: “We are very honoured and grateful that Rotana commits to a sustainable partnership with MSF to support its actions, raise awareness, and foster interactions with national communities in the UAE and the Middle East at large.
For nearly 40 years, MSF teams, sharing the same humanitarian principles, associate together to provide high-quality medical care to people in need. Access to the most vulnerable, especially in conflicts settings, requires that MSF be recognized as a non-state and independent humanitarian actor.
This independence, which also gives MSF the means to intervene immediately in case of emergency situations, relies on the confidence and the sustainable support of individuals, companies and other private institutions. We are very thankful that, through this first contribution to MSF, Rotana associates its customers, stake holders and staff, to commit together to participate to MSF independent actions.”
Médecins Sans Frontières is an international medical humanitarian organization created in 1971. Today, MSF provides aid to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, and exclusion from health care or natural disasters.
Annually, some 3,000 volunteer doctors, nurses and expert teams, alongside 25,000 national colleagues provide independent, impartial assistance to those most in need in nearly 60 countries. MSF reserves the right to speak out, to bring attention to neglected crises, to challenge inadequacies or abuse of the aid system, and to advocate for improved medical treatments and protocols.
MSF medical teams conduct evaluations on the ground to determine a population’s medical needs before opening programs. The key to MSF’s ability to act independently in response to a crisis is its independent funding. Eighty-nine percent of MSF’s overall resources come from private donors, not governments. MSF has more than four million individual donors and private funders worldwide.