UNICEF UK Returns as Charity and Team Partner for Clipper 2025-26 Race

  • Sunayana Vinay
  • 06/05/25
  • The Race, Partners
  • 2 mins read
Our PartnersUNICEF UK

UNICEF UK is set to return as a Charity and Team Partner for the Clipper 2025-26 Race, marking a decade of partnership between the world’s most unique ocean adventure and the global child rights organisation. 

Continuing its presence as a team entry, the ‘Big Blue Boat’ will set sail for a fifth consecutive circumnavigation, as it flies the flag for children’s rights across the globe. This partnership is not only about raising vital funds but also about using the power of global adventure to raise awareness of the challenges facing children worldwide. 

With a new fundraising target of £400,000 for the Clipper 2025-26 race, its community is once again being called upon to go the distance in supporting UNICEF’s life-saving work. 

Since the partnership began, Clipper Race staff, Race Crew and supporters have raised over £1.6 million for UNICEF UK. All funds raised go to UNICEF’s Core Resources, meaning they are unrestricted and can be used wherever the need is greatest. 

Across the 2023-24 edition, Clipper Race crew and supporters raised an incredible £459,653 in aid of UNICEF UK, making it the most successful fundraising edition yet. 

The efforts ranged from haircut fundraisers and ceilidhs to charity bike rides, running challenges, and multiple events held during stopovers such as Oban and Airlie Beach. Race Crew across all legs consistently found creative and impactful ways to drive donations, making the Clipper 2023–24 Race a record-breaking edition for charitable impact. 

These initiatives reflect the commitment of Clipper Race crew to raise awareness and donations for UNICEF. 

As the renewed partnership sets its sights on a bold new race edition, Kate Ashley, Head of Partnerships at Clipper Ventures, said:

We are incredibly proud to welcome UNICEF UK back as our Charity Partner for the fifth consecutive edition and marking ten years of partnership. This milestone is a testament to our shared commitment to protecting and improving the lives of children around the world. Partnering with UNICEF gives us a powerful platform to raise both vital funds and global awareness for the organisation. We are sailing not just for the spirit of adventure, but for the future of children everywhere. 

Heather McCrea, Head of Partnerships at UNICEF UK said:

I am delighted to see that the Clipper Race will once again be anchored in child rights, with the UNICEF yacht leading fundraising efforts to build on an incredible £1.6m raised for UNICEF over the course of a decade’s partnership. UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary donations, so Clipper Race crew and their networks’ unwavering support means that our work for children can continue to go a long way.

 More information on how to donate to the campaign to follow.