Search for Great British Grandparent 2024 begins ahead of National Grandparents Day. Search Launched by Ambassador Cruise Line
Sunday 6 October, National Grandparents Day, marks the official launch of a nationwide search for the Great British Grandparent 2024 – an accolade conceived as a heartfelt tribute to the unsung heroes who give so much of their time, consideration, emotional and, in some cases, financial support to their nearest and dearest, day in, day out.
The search, which has been launched by Ambassador Cruise Line, the cruise operator which caters primarily for the over-50s audience, offers grateful Brits the opportunity to recognise and reward a grandparent for all that they contribute to the family unit.
Running from the first Sunday in October – National Grandparents Day – until 17 November 2024, members of the public are being encouraged to nominate their partner, parent, grandparent or simply a friend for the prestigious title of Great British Grandparent.
Welcoming written, audio and video submissions via a dedicated entry page, all entries will be judged by an expert panel, with the Great British Grandparent to be announced in December. The winner will be treated to a week-long, full-board Ambassador sailing for two to enjoy at a time of their choosing.
The initiative comes after Ambassador commissioned an all-new survey that looks at the intergenerational dynamic, with findings suggesting that grandparents remain the backbone of the family unit.
Research revealed that grandparents are viewed as both generous and reliable, providing an average of 24.6 hours a month of childcare to their grandchildren, even if over a third (38%) receive nothing in return. Grandparents are also considered the most trustworthy people to look after children, with almost two in three (62%) of people saying they trust them most with childcare duties.
But it doesn’t stop there – grandparents are stepping in with financial support too. The research shows that two in five (40%) Brits have turned to their grandparents for money, and that grandparents are understood to be sacrificing on their own lives – including giving up on holidays (16%), holding back on doing things with friends (12%) and remortgaging their home (8%) – to ensure their grandchildren thrive.
Ambassador is proud to be the company behind the Great British Grandparent initiative following a successful first iteration last year. Raymond Pearson, a Grandfather of five from Essex, was named Grandparent of the Year 2023 after he was nominated by his daughter, Hollie. In her nomination, Hollie described her father as ‘an absolute rock’ who ‘really deserves this break’ along with his wife, Helen, who had looked after their grandchildren since Hollie’s husband passed away over two years ago.
As reward, Raymond went on to enjoy a sailing around the Norwegian Fjords with his wife last May, with the extended family kindly agreeing to feature in images to promote this year’s campaign.
Raymond Pearson, Grandparent of the Year 2023, says: “Being named the first Great British Grandparent was an honour – it took me by complete surprise and I was so grateful. My wife and I had an incredible experience sailing around the Norwegian Fjords with Ambassador earlier this year – it made me really appreciate the beauty of our world and it was a nice opportunity to relax. Although, I was eager to see my kids and grandkids on return!”
Christian Verhounig, CEO of Ambassador Cruise Line, says: “Grandparents are the anchors of the family and Ambassador Cruise Line wants to provide a platform for people to recognise how important they truly are. Grandparents offer valuable wisdom, comfort and lessons to the younger generation, as well as support in times of need. We are proud to champion this amazing generation as our search for this year’s Great British Grandparent begins, and would encourage people across the nation to nominate the elder statesmen and women in their lives that really make a difference for this prestigious title.”
To nominate your Great British Grandparent 2024, visit www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/competitions/great-british-grandparent
Entries close at 23:59 on Sunday 17 November 2024.
Sign our petition to grant National Grandparents Day the same status as Mother’s or and Father’s Day here: www.change.org/p/grant-national-grandparents-day-official-recognition
(Search for Great British Grandparent 2024 begins ahead of National Grandparents Day. Search Launched by Ambassador Cruise Line)
