Wightlink has announced a partnership with Island based company Wight Crystal who will become the preferred supplier of bottled water across all the ferry company’s 12 retail outlets onshore and afloat.
Under the deal, Wightlink will become Newport-based Wight Crystal’s largest client, with over 80,000 bottles expected to be supplied this year. Wight Crystal is part of Osel Enterprises Ltd, an Isle of Wight charity which supports the local community. Welcoming the move, Osel chief executive Tracey Hill said she envisaged the partnership creating further employment opportunities, particularly in the summer months.
The partnership is part of Wightlink’s commitment to increasing the number of local suppliers it uses. The company stocks many Island products and most recently has announced partnerships with a number of local food and drink companies including The Garlic Farm, Full Spread, the Isle of Wight Sweet Company and The Isle of Wight Biscuit Company.
Sean Millward, Wightlink’s head of business operations said:
“There are so many first-class goods produced and supplied by Island companies and we are delighted to be offering our customers more and more opportunities to enjoy them. We are extremely pleased to be teaming up with Wight Crystal. Not only is theirs a quality locally sourced product, we have been hugely impressed with the company itself and also its ethos. All of my office team are from the Island and so we knew all about Wight Crystal but nevertheless, we were surprised by how quickly this has happened. It just seems like a perfect fit.”
Wight Crystal is sourced from a spring at Knighton and twice filtered and UV treated, bottled and labelled at Wight Crystal’s HQ at Dodnor Newport. Four of the six staff involved in the production are Islanders employed on a Work Choice Programme which teaches them new skills encouraging them to grow in confidence and helping them to work elsewhere in the future. Profits raised from the sale of Wight Crystal go towards supporting Wight Crystal’s sister company, the Way Forward, a 24/7 support service for those living with physical and learning disabilities.
Tracey said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be supplying Wightlink and bringing our products to a new market. This is an exciting partnership for all of us at Wight Crystal and we look forward to a long association with Wightlink.”
Sean added that Wightlink was in discussions with other local suppliers about stocking their produce. “Working with local businesses is extremely important to Wightlink and we hope to be making further positive announcements in the very near future.”
Picture shows from left to right, Steve Brett-Hill, Wightlink passenger services co-ordinator; Tracey Hill; Tracey Sangster, Wight Crystal sales and marketing, and Sean Millward.
