MSC Virtuosa, which will set sail from Southampton on May 20 for Portland.
Published: May 5, 2021 | Updated: 6th May 2021
Dorset is first port of call as cruise ship is first to welcome guests
Portland will be the first port of call when MSC Virtuosa becomes the first cruise ship to welcome guests on board in the UK this summer.
MSC Cruises’ newest and most innovative ship will set sail from Southampton on May 20.
She will initially offer three- and four-night mini cruises from Southampton to Portland as well as seven-night cruises from June 12 with embarkation points in Southampton, Liverpool and Greenock, and calls at Portland and Belfast.
Antonio Paradiso, Managing Director, MSC Cruises UK & Ireland, pictured left, said: “It’s finally time for travellers across the UK to start discovering again and we are proud and privileged to take them on this journey.
“With MSC Virtuosa, our newest ship, and with a whole host of new activities and experiences, we know our guests are going to create life-long memories on board this summer.
“This landmark moment of restarting cruising from the UK has been long-awaited and we are delighted to be counting down to when we can set sail again.”
MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest cruise brand as well as leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa with more market share in addition to deployed capacity than any other player.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is part of MSC Group, the privately held Swiss-based leading shipping and logistics conglomerate with more than 300 years of maritime heritage.
MSC Cruises has a fleet of 17 vessels and is projected to grow to 23 cruise ships by 2025 with options for six vessel orders in place through 2030.
MSC Virtuosa includes ten restaurants and 21 bars, five swimming pools including an indoor pool, two bowling alleys and two F1 simulators and a Himalayan Bridge adventure rope course 80 metres above the sea.
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Coles Miller strengthens residential leasehold property team
Dorset law firm Coles Miller has strengthened its team of residential leasehold solicitors.
Managing Partner Neil Andrews now leads the department with solicitor Nick Leedham promoted to Associate.
The team – which also includes chartered legal executive Amy-Paige Gregory – helps clients all over the country with expert legal advice on leasehold matters.
Nick has five years’ experience in this highly specialised area of the law after graduating from Bournemouth University with a distinction in his Legal Practice Course following a degree in Biomedical Sciences at Plymouth University.
His father, Roger, pictured above with Nick, is Senior Partner and head of the Conveyancing Department at Coles Miller.
Nick shares his father’s enthusiasm for residential property law but wanted to specialise in leasehold work because it combines both contentious and non-contentious elements.
He said: “I am thrilled to be appointed an Associate at Coles Miller, having trained with the firm originally.
“I believe that residential leasehold property law is on the verge of an exciting new chapter and I am looking forward to many more years tackling the day-to-day challenges it brings.”
Roger said: “I am delighted about Nick’s promotion.
“Firstly, it recognises the valuable experience that he now brings to the firm in this specialist area of law and also the hard work that he has put in over the last five years.
“Secondly, I am extremely proud that – as my son – Nick will continue the Leedham family name with Coles Miller and is following in my footsteps.”
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New mental health support service for carers launched
Carer Support Dorset and Rethink Mental Illness have joined forces to launch new virtual drop-in sessions for unpaid carers across Dorset.
Running monthly, the sessions will give carers the opportunity to find out about mental health services that are available to them, register as an unpaid carer and offer peer-to-peer support.
Carer Support Dorset says the sessions come at a time when there couldn’t be a greater need for mental health support.
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in increased isolation for many carers and has had a devastating impact on the mental health of individuals and carers.
Carers UK’s ‘Caring Behind Closed Doors’ research indicated that 64 per cent of carers said their mental health had worsened over the pandemic.
The first session will be Wednesday May 26 May between 10am-11am.
Carer Support Dorset Manager, Anna Elston, pictured left, said: “We are finding an increased number of carers with feelings of isolation, low mood and heightened anxiety as a result of caring for someone during the pandemic, particularly with support groups being closed.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Rethink Mental Illness to offer a worthwhile service for carers and to combine our expertise and resources.”
