The winners of the second Charitable Endeavour Awards were announced at the charity dinner on 20th November at this year’s FEA conference. These awards cast a spotlight on the extraordinary support shown to charitable causes within the foodservice and hospitality sectors.
Sponsored by Meiko, the awards were presented by Lawrence Hughes, vice chair of FEA, and Paul Anderson, the association’s outgoing chair and managing director of Meiko UK. Winners were selected for each of four categories: company, team, group and individual. The judging panel consisted of Lawrence and Paul, as well as FEA council members Glenn Roberts and Toby Magness, and the newly elected chair of the association, Emma Brooks.
For each category the judges were considering five key areas. These were the event undertaken, the commitment and training required to organise it and bring it together, the impact it had on the chosen charity or the wider community, the success of the challenge and how it brought people together.
“We’re only too aware of the amazing community the foodservice and hospitality sectors are, and this year’s winners really show what can be achieved with the support of those around us,” said Paul.
This year’s award winner in the company category was Unox, which saw a team of 25 raise £22,000 for the Burnt Chef Project by carrying a 150kg combi oven almost to the summit of Ben Nevis. This took extreme teamwork to navigate tricky terrain, and is an excellent example of the kind of challenges undertaken to raise money for good causes. “It’s a truly mammoth achievement and everyone involved should be rightfully proud of themselves,” said Paul.
The Team category was awarded to Lockhart Catering Equipment. A team of five people completed the Duchenne Dash, a cycling challenge that saw them race from London to Paris in just 24 hours. This raised £7,725 for research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
The Group category celebrates people who bring together groups from across the industry to raise money. The winner was Marc Sumner, the organiser of the Feast FC charitable football match for the commercial catering industry, which has to date raised £3,000 for the Milly-Rose Stirrup Foundation.
The individual award went to Andy Kershaw, director of property at Marston’s. He raised a staggering £14,000 in aid of both the Marston’s Charitable Foundation and The Sam Myatt Memorial as part of a team that undertook a bike ride between London and Paris.
“All of this year’s winners demonstrate the determination and willpower that makes our sectors such staunch supporters of a range of great causes,” said Paul. “It is a powerful illustration of the positive effects we can have on the world.”
