Hospitality workers across the UK raised over £10,000 for industry charity, Hospitality Action, earlier this month, when they joined forces to show their support for the charity’s annual fundraising event, HA Week. Companies got up to a host of innovative and engaging activities to raise funds to support their fellow industry workers in crisis.
Red Carnation hotels lived up to its reputation for creative fundraising once again, generating £5000 by organising an array of fundraising activities including a poker night, a cook-off between different nationalities at the hotels, a bake-off and a 5k run.
Other companies and colleges also participated – here’s a snapshot of what they got up to:
“¢ Bunzl Catering Supplies led the way with a co-ordinated week-long series of fundraising events, raising £3297.49.
“¢ The London Linen Supply who once again donated £200
“¢ Hospitality Action’s agencies got involved, with Jellybean Creative Solutions raising £250 with their Count the Jellybean competition, and Mercieca raising £65 through its office cake sale.
“¢ University College Birmingham hosted a chocolate-themed night, with a four-course meal devised by four renowned Barry Callebaut chocolate ambassadors, including Michelin-starred chef Alan Murchison. This raised £1280.
“¢ Stoke on Trent College prepared a three-course lunch live in front of diners and held a guess-the-weight-of-the-cake competition.
“¢ City of Bristol College with The Chefs’ Forum kicked off the week of fundraising activities with 30 students rowing the equivalent distance of a round trip from London to Paris to raise money.
“¢ Private-hire taxi operator, Manchester Cars, donated 20p to Hospitality Action for every journey booked during HA Week, raising £402.
“¢ Holiday Inn Express Winchester and Manchester took part in the ultimate bike race and raised £1519 for the charity. The two hotels teamed up to cycle 246 miles, the distance between their two properties, in the shortest amount of time. Holiday Inn Express Winchester won the race.
“¢ The Cavendish London made the most of British Sandwich Week coinciding with Hospitality Action Week by donating £2 from each sandwich sold, as well as holding an Australian-themed lunch, having an ice cream van, chiropodist, bake sale, pub quiz, and a raffle to win an extra week’s holiday, raising £515.
Another highlight of the week was the At Your Discretion appeal, which encouraged restaurants to add a discretionary £1 to diners’ bills in support of Hospitality Action during HA Week. Hotel restaurants were especially supportive – Heston Blumenthal’s two pubs The Hinds Head and The Crown, ABode Hotels, Brown’s, Tyddyn Llan and Park Plaza Group hotels across London took part to raise impressive sums for Hospitality Action.
The appeal is set to continue beyond HA Week for those keen to support the charity in this way. Readers can still show their support by texting 70070 with the code HAWK13 £5, to donate £5 to HA Week.
