FRED. OLSEN Cruise Lines has donated more than £33,000 of food to causes in need in Scotland while its ships are berthed in Rosyth.

Food distribution charity FareShare have helped the cruise line company with the donations totalling more than 30 pallets of food.

Items such as cereals, biscuits, dried fruits, chocolate and more have come from Fred. Olsen's four ocean ships Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch.

The items were collected from Babcock’s Rosyth facilities, where the four ships are currently located, by FareShare, which works to support those in difficult circumstances, including isolation, poverty or homelessness.

Thomas Rennesland, hotel operations director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are used to feeding in excess of 4,000 guests and crew across our fleet every day, and while we have not taken on any additional fresh produce since we paused our operations in March – other than that required to feed our crew – our stores and freezers were fully stocked and ready for cruising as normal.

“As our ships have been in the Rosyth area since March, it seemed only fitting to donate these additional food items to those who need it most in Scotland.

“The crew on board have worked extremely hard, in addition to their usual duties, to prepare all of the food items so that they are ready for collection by FareShare and I would like to thank all involved for their efforts for this very worthy cause.

“Thank you also to the Sailors’ Society Port Chaplain for Leith and Forth, who made the donation possible.”