DAME Charity Donation 2022 Now Open for Nominations

The METSTRADE Organisation invites you to actively contribute to a better world by nominating a worthy marine cause for this year’s significant DAME Awards charitable donation.

As part of their continued commitment to give back to society, the organisers of the METSTRADE show annually donate all DAME Design Award registration fees paid by entrants to a selected marine-related charity. This year, the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee will once again make its choice from a field of nominated charities to name the deserving organisation that will receive the proceeds.

Certified marine-related public charities should apply by 1 May 2022 to be considered for this year’s DAME donation. Applications must be made online at https://www.metstrade.com/awards/dame-charity/form/

Known across the industry for its prestigious reputation, the DAME Design Award celebrates and recognises the dedication to excellent product design by marine equipment companies who are driving the industry forward.

Sarah Westdijk, Senior Exhibition Manager of METSTRADE, says: “We recognise that we have a role to play in providing opportunities to work together with the marine market to inspire a positive development of the industry we serve. Running the world’s largest marine equipment exhibition provides us with significant opportunities to improve our social, environmental and economic impact within the industry. We want to play our part in improving the leisure marine sector’s social footprint by connecting people with the networks and funds they need to help address the big opportunities and challenges they face”.

Last year a cheque worth of €15,450.00 was presented to Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) at the DAME Award ceremony. Working to restore the ocean by creating marine reserves, developing models of sustainable fishing and restoring vital marine habitats, BLUE’s mission is to see at least 30 per cent of the world’s ocean under effective protection by 2030 and the other 70 per cent managed in a responsible way.

BLUE used the DAME donation to provide Berwickshire Marine Reserve (BMR) in the UK with the means to engage with local recreational water users. The proceeds are being spent on covering the time of a local project officer who is hosting a series of workshops to enable stakeholders to contribute and shape how the marine reserve is safeguarded and managed.

The selected charity will be announced mid-June. The entry window for the DAME Awards itself will run from July to mid-September and all companies who exhibit at METSTRADE 2022 are able to enter their new products for consideration by an international jury of renowned designers and end-user experts.

The donation will be presented to the selected charity during the DAME Design Award ceremony which is held during the METSTRADE Breakfast Briefing as a part of the official opening of the show at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre on 15 November.