The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute has benefited from a $25,000 fundraising donation for its education programmes.

The funds were raised by the Harbourfront Restaurant through a gourmet lunch and art auction, which was held on April 11.

The sale of event tickets, a draw for prizes and an auction of the photography of Pierangelo Lanfranchi, Harbourfront’s general manager, helped to reach the total.

The funds will be used to cover the BUEI’s education programmes including its Steam classes, labs, workshops and explorer camps.

Mr Lanfranchi, along with a committee led by Francesca Turner and Angela Cooney, spearheaded the initiative.

They received help from Becky Mortimer, Angie Bell and Jenn Morrison.

Mr Lanfranchi said: “I am pleased to celebrate 25 years of photography, a journey that commenced at the Harbourfront Restaurant in May 2000.

“I held a birthday party there and received a two-megapixel digital camera and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Mr Lanfranchi’s photographs have been published in Time, National Geographic, Italian and Bermudian magazines, as well as the BBC.

He added: “Some of my works continue to be displayed in executive offices and hotels in New York, London, Lake Como and various other cities.

“Additionally, two of my bluebird photographs were transformed into Bermuda stamps. Throughout the years, I have supported a number of charities in Bermuda through my art sales.”

Traci Burgess, the BUEI chief executive, said that the organisation was grateful to everyone involved in co-ordinating and supporting the “phenomenal fundraising event”.

She said the institute’s education framework provided ocean literacy and environmental education for people aged 5 and over.

Last year, the BUEI delivered more than 24,000 hours of education programming to 5,750 local students, with approximately 70 per cent of its education encounters being young people from public schools across the island.

Ms Burgess added: “We are thankful for fundraising events like this luncheon and art auction that provide much needed financial resources for BUEI while raising awareness for our vision where the ocean around Bermuda is widely understood, appreciated and protected.”

Harbourfront and the BUEI thanked the event’s sponsors and those who made generous contributions to the fundraiser.

They included BGA, Pitt & Co, Europa, along with donations from Gosling’s, Two Rock Wines, Burrows & Lightbourn, the Waterfront Group, Butterfield & Vallis, Viking, Donna Lindo, and MEF directors Emilio Barbieri and Teresa Chatfield.

Harbourfront’s team, led by Florian Neururer, was also recognised for its contributions to the event.