News

The LACA 5k challenge exceeded all expectations raising more than £2,750 to date against an original target of £2,000.

More than 80 people from 24 companies across all sectors of the education catering industry took part in the challenge to run, walk, cycle, row and swim the 5k between July 9 and 11.

Sarah Gray, board representative for the LACA partners and marketing manager at Mars Foodservice, said: “I would like to thank everyone who donated and took part, including my colleagues at Mars Food, Green Gourmet, Premier Foods, Dr. Oetker, sQuid, Nuttall’s, Pasta King, Hobart, Parent Pay, Cool Milk, Unilever Food Solutions, Love Joes and many more.

“I would also like to thank our communications and creative partners, Proactive Communications and Juice, who both pulled out all the stops to support us and even take part themselves.”

Gray decided to champion the initiative and originally set a target of £2,000 to raise in support of the new LACA chair Carrieanne Bishop’s chosen charity, The Black Country Foodbank.

The Black Country Foodbank helps vulnerable individuals and families in crisis through the provision of three days of emergency food supplies, while a longer-term solution is developed.  The service it provides has an enormous impact on the people who use it, giving them an important breathing space at a time of need.

While most of the charity challenge took place at LACA’s Main Event, team members who were not present completed the challenge at other venues nationally and internationally. For example, school food campaigner Lindsay Graham completed her challenge in New York.

Gray added: “I am delighted that we have beaten our target and I would like to encourage everyone to keep giving. If you would like to donate, the page is still and there’s still time to give at www.justgiving.com/LACA5kChallenge. It would be great to exceed £3k; that’s £1k for every mile of the challenge. Every penny really does count.

“The event worked so well I hope it will continue in years to come at LACA. And we can prove it too; we asked those taking part to take pictures of themselves completing the challenge and upload to Twitter – check out #LACA5k.”