News

Sarah Gray, board representative for the LACA partners and marketing manager of Mars Foodservice, is organising a 5km charity challenge at LACA’s Main Event on (July 9-11) at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole to raise £2,000 for new LACA chair Carrieanne Bishop’s chosen charity – The Black Country Foodbank.

This helps vulnerable individuals and families in crisis through the provision of three days of emergency food supplies, while a longer-term solution to help them is worked on.

Carrieanne said: “The Black Country Foodbank is an invaluable service and to raise £2,000 for the charity through this initiative would be fantastic.

“The service it provides has an enormous impact on the people who use it, giving them an important breathing space at a time of great need. Currently, their main shortages are fruit juice, tinned fruit, chopped tomatoes, tinned meat and biscuits.”

The challenge to LACA partners, exhibitors and delegates is to complete 5km, either as an individual or as part of a team of three (one mile each).

Participants will be able to row, run, cycle or swim the 5km using the Hilton Metropole’s LivingWell facility. For those that haven’t the time or the inclination to venture to the gym, there is also an option to build up the miles over the duration of the exhibition by walking around the hotel and logging their progress on an App such as iMap My Walk+

In addition to the challenge, there will also be a collection points at the exhibition for donations.

Carrieanne added: “However you’d like to do it, I’d encourage everyone to enter and do their bit for some of the UK’s most vulnerable people. When you consider that our very own Pat Fellows clocked up 16 miles at last year’s LACA Main Event, what are you waiting for?”

Sarah Gray said: “We will present each participant with a certificate and badge and the chance to publish their achievements via social media. We are trying to make this as simple as possible so it appeals to as many people as possible.

“Adding the walking option will enable more people to join in and build up their miles or kilometres over the three days by just walking around the hotel.

“The Metropole is a large venue and I’m sure I walk miles every year when at the show. We want to raise as much money as possible for the charity as it’s such a great cause.”

To enter participants will need to email Sarah Gray at sarah.gray@effem.com for the registration pack, which includes details to encourage family, friends and colleagues to sponsor them.