How one Mallorcan charity is turning surplus superyacht items into lifelines for vulnerable communities, creating lasting impact far beyond the dock.
Words: Erica Lay
It’s easy to assume that once an item leaves a superyacht, its story is over. In reality, that barely-used duvet, spare microwave or stack of polo shirts could be about to make an enormous difference to someone else’s life.That simple idea is the driving force behind Yachting Gives Back (YGB), a Mallorca-based charity that has quietly become one of the industry’s greatest success stories. Since launching in 2019, YGB has diverted thousands of items from landfill, supported ten local charities and raised close to half a million euros, proving that generosity within the yachting community extends far beyond the dock.We caught up with founder Nick Entwisle to find out how a passing thought while looking across STP turned into a movement that continues to improve the lives of some of Mallorca’s most vulnerable people.
For readers who haven’t heard of Yachting Gives Back before, can you tell us how it all started and what inspired you to launch it?
I retired from Pinmar in 2019 and needed something to keep me busy. Through the Pinmar Golf Tournament, which raised more than €1 million for local and international charities, I’d already seen first-hand how much support was needed.Looking out over a full STP one day, I wondered whether a few yachts might donate some food for people experiencing homelessness. I soon discovered they were willing to donate far more than that; uniforms, bedding, galley equipment and lots of weird and wonderful superyacht quality stuff. Mallorca is often seen as a playground for luxury tourism.
Why is it so important for people to understand that poverty and food insecurity also exist here?
When you spend your days in Mallorca’s marinas and shipyards, it’s easy to forget that life just across the Paseo can be very different.There are thousands working minimum wage jobs in a place which is so popular with tourists that rents are prohibitive, and even those who have accommodation have very little left for food.
What does a typical week look like for Yachting Gives Back? Where do the donations come from, and how are they distributed?
We open our shipping container (kindly donated by STP) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. The charities we support each have their own shelf space. The Yachts from STP and beyond bring us their donations, then our six wonderful volunteers sort everything as it arrives before placing it on dedicated shelves for each charity. Once a shelf is full, the donations are delivered. Thanks to the financial donations we receive, we also do monthly shopping trips for several of our charities.
Have there been any stories or moments over the last few years that really brought home the difference YGB has made to someone’s life? Rather than helping individuals directly, we work with ten registered charities across Mallorca that are already doing incredible work within their communities.
All of the charities we support are based in old properties with old equipment and they do not have reserves to fall back on when things need to be replaced or repaired. Thanks to the amazing support of our industry, we have been able to provide help in so many ways.Some examples: we helped fund an essential stairlift at the Can Gazà shelter. When the Siloe AIDS Hospice received a brand-new electric minibus, we were able pay for the wheelchair access conversion and the electric charging system.
We have paid for new equipment and essential repairs to the kitchens in several of our charities and replaced one kitchen completely. We have supplied countless new washing machines, dryers and microwaves and even the hot water system in one of the homeless shelters.
We have donated superyacht quality bedding to shelters which house over 150 people along with top quality towels. We have delivered countless uniform polo shirts, shorts, trousers and shoes. We are also very happy to be able to improve the conditions of the people who work in the charities we support by giving them better equipment and facilities. They are as fine a group of people as you could wish to meet and we are very proud that we are able to support their efforts.
How has support from the yachting industry evolved since you launched?
Has it exceeded your expectations?It has exceeded anything I imagined. Alongside the incredible donations of equipment and supplies, we’ve now raised almost €500,000.
Aside from normal food donations, what are some of the most unusual or valuable items you’ve been able to repurpose from yachts?
We’ve received everything from a 38kg wheel of Parmesan, which raised €500 for Tardor Soup Kitchen, to an entire 40-foot shipping container that found a new home with Fundación Deixalles. Nothing really surprises us anymore!
If every yacht visiting Mallorca did just one thing to help, what would you encourage them to do?
As Palma is a world class refit centre, the yachts regularly take delivery of new equipment and items. If you’re not sure whether something could be useful, please ask us before throwing it away. You’ll probably be surprised by how much life it still has left.
What are the biggest challenges facing Yachting Gives Back over the next few years?
At the risk of sounding complacent, our industry gives us such wonderful support that I am not too worried about our future. Covid was about as big a challenge as we could have faced and the response was magnificent. The yachts cooked thousands of meals for the homeless and many companies and individuals gave us financial support – none more so than Medical Support Offshore who decided that the profits they made from Covid testing were an unexpected windfall and gave it all away.
Finally, what message would you like to leave with yacht owners, crew and marine businesses who might be reading this?
Please consider YGB before you throw anything away. We can find a use for nearly everything!
For more details visit : www.yachtinggivesback.com
