Equipment Industry Walking Group reunites for a 2020 Kinder Scout Challenge

Following on from their challenge walk up Blencathra in the Lake District last September, the Commercial Catering Equipment Charity Walking group are once again re-uniting to take on their next challenge  – a walk up Kinder Scout in the beautiful Peak District.

The team led by James Connolly of Celltherm Coldrooms and Nick Archer of Archer Catering Services have launched their next event which will again seek to raise much needed funds for Hospitality In Action, one of the few charities who assist members of the hospitality Industry who have fallen on hard times, suffered bereavement and are in need of their support. The team will head up Kinder Scout in the Peak District on Friday the 21st February 2020, leaving Edale Village at 9:30am after a bacon sandwich and a tea/coffee.

The Kinder Scout walk will re-enact the Mass Trespass back in 1932 where the Ramblers Group had its humble beginnings. This walk was the initial act of defiance against aristocratic landowners which culminated in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and opened up swathes of wild land to walkers, ramblers and the general public without fear of prosecution.

Nick Archer mentions, that “the walk is about 8 ½ miles and will be over 2,200 feet high. It should take us about 4-5 hours but there is no time limit and the team welcome walkers of all ages and abilities. We wait for everyone and there’s no rush, but please come prepared”!

Basing themselves in Glossop for an overnight stay after the walk and holding the walk on a Friday gives industry bosses an opportunity to give their staff a day off to attend the walk or even organise their own team building day within this event.

James Connolly mentions “these series of walks are very much about the Health and Wellbeing of our industry. There’s no mandatory fee and no commitment to raise funds but the team are asking for donations to their fundraising page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kinder-scout-challenge-2020

The last walk in the Lake District was a great success and the Chief Executive of the Foodservice Equipment Association, Keith Warren, has given the walking Group his organisation’s full support. “I am delighted with this initiative that is focussing on our industry’s mental health and wellbeing. The Foodservice Equipment Association (formerly CESA) is delighted to get behind this brilliant initiative and we are actively encouraging our members to get involved, in fact I’ll be popping along myself in February, having enjoyed last years’ walk”!

These series of walks have drawn wide ranging attendance from not just manufacturers but Kitchen Houses, Distributors, Foodservice Consultants and even competitors pledging their support. Offers of support have been pledged from Celltherm Coldrooms, Falcon Foodservice, Archers Catering Systems, Blue Seal, Essential Supplies to name but a few.

Anyone wanting to join the group on their day out are asked to email James or Nick on james@celltherm.co.uk or nick@archercateringsystems.com for further information. The group have also started a LinkedIn page for those wishing to keep in touch with future challenges and events. Click on this link to visit he page and request to join: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8839711/