Hospitality Action sees more than £10,000 raised during HA Week
Hospitality workers across the UK have raised more than £10,000 for Hospitality Action (HA) through a string of activities during the sector charity's annual HA Week.
Hotel group Red Carnation generated £5,000 through a series of initiatives earlier this month, including a poker night, a cook-off between different nationalities at the hotels, a bake-off and a 5k run.
As well as the fundraising activities of individuals and companies, a number of hospitality businesses took part in the At Your Discretion appeal, which encouraged restaurants to add a discretionary £1 to diners' bills during the week-long event.
Heston Blumenthal's two pubs the Hinds Head and the Crown, ABode Hotels, Brown's, Tyddyn Llan and Park Plaza Group hotels across London all took part and raised impressive sums for Hospitality Action. The appeal is set to continue beyond HA Week for those keen to support the charity in this way.
Other companies and colleges also participated in fundraising events. Here's a snapshot of what they got up to:
• Bunzl Catering Supplies held a co-ordinated week-long series of events and raised £3297.
• 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 £1,280.
• 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.
• Holiday Inn Express Winchester and Manchester took part in a bike race and raised £1,519 for the charity. The two hotels teamed up to cycle 246 miles, the distance between their two properties, in the shortest amount of time. Winchester won.
• The Cavendish 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.
• The London Linen Supply donated £200.
• Jellybean Creative Solutions raised £250 with a ‘Count the Jellybean competition.
• Mercieca raised £65 through an office cake sale.
• Private hire taxi operator Manchester Cars donated 20p to Hospitality Action for every journey booked during HA Week and raised £402.
"Our fundraising activities mean that our team members get a treat alongside raising money for Hospitality Action," commented Ema Tukiran, assistant HR manager at the Cavendish London.
"People are always thrilled to see the final total of what we have raised and love to see their contribution, no matter how big or small, go to such a worthy cause."
