Employees from companies including The Cavendish, Holiday Inn and Heston Blumenthal's pubs The Hinds Head and the Crown got behind the event, now in its fifth year, by organising a host of fundraising events, such as themed dinners, bike races and cake sales.
Red Carnation Hotels, which runs boutique hotels in London, Dorset and Guernsey, itself raised £5k by organising an array of fundraising activities including a poker night at The Milestone, a cook-off between different nationalities at the hotels, a bake-off and a sponsored abseil down 18 floors of the Lancaster London by Mons Henningson, deputy general manager at The Chesterfield Mayfair.
The hotel group also raised another £5k for World Cancer Research Fund during the same week after 45 employees took part in a 5k sponsored run around Hyde Park.
Red Carnation Hotels managing director Jonathan Raggett said: “I’m really encouraged to see the entire RCH team wholeheartedly embrace the opportunity to raise money for such worthy causes. By getting creative and giving time, enthusiasm and money, we raised over £10,000 in one week which is a fantastic achievement."
Fundraising
Other highlights from the event, held from 13-19 May, included:
- A bike race by Holiday Inn Express in Winchester and Manchester raising £1,519.
- A British Sandwich Week themed event by The Cavendish hotel in London where £2 was donated from each sandwich sold; an Australian-themed lunch, cake sale and pub quiz raising £515.
- A Chocolate-themed night organised by University College Birmingham, raising £1,280
- A week-long series of events organised by Bunzl Catering Supplies, raising £3297.49
Many businesses supported the event by adding a discretionary £1 to diners’ bills during the week to raise money to support past and present hospitality workers who have fallen on hard times.
You can still help raise money for Hospitality Action Week. Text 70070 with the code HAWK13 £5, to donate £5.