The Royal Dutch Rescue Society (KNRM) consists of donations. One of the loyal sponsors of the rescue station in Hansweert is Venturn. For twenty years, Venturn has donated one percent of our turnover to KNRM Hansweert. Founding partner Patrick van de Ven shed some light on the special bond Venturn has with the KNRM (note: original publication in Dutch).
“As Venturn, we want to be successful and do something good for the world around us as well,” says Patrick. “With clients such as shipping companies and port companies, the KNRM is close to us. We also have a link with Zeeland, for example through commercial shipping on the Western Scheldt.” This affinity led to Venturn specifically choosing the KNRM station in Hansweert (Zeeland) as a charity. And we took that commitment seriously.
Venturn had an official agreement for twenty years of donorship drawn up and set up a special fund to facilitate the donation of one percent turnover per year. “We wanted to lend a firm hand to the volunteers of the KNRM. They don’t do a half-hearted job with their rescues and we didn’t want to do that either. We have been happy donors for about thirteen years now and I am still impressed by what the volunteers of the KNRM achieve together. And the fact they’ve been achieving it for over a hundred years!”
Venturn’s staff also occasionally visits the station in Hansweert to see with their own eyes what is happening. “To keep the involvement alive, we like to throw new employees into the water at Hansweert, for example,” laughs Van de Ven.
