London to Paris Cycle team triumphs for Hospitality Action

Some 21 of the industry’s top members have raised almost £40,000 for charity as part of Hospitality Action’s Cycle Challenge. It is the second event of its kind with participants cycling from London to Paris to help raise funds for past and present hospitality workers who are in need of support. Among the riders was chairman of Hospitality Action, William Baxter who said: “We cyclists were tested to the limit mentally and physically, but with an unflinching team spirit we carried on. “The commitment and dedication of the team to complete this incredibly tough challenge and raise an outstanding amount of money for our industry charity is truly amazing and I was very proud to be a part of it.” More sponsorship money is expected over the coming weeks to bump up the total raised for Hospitality Action, a charity which used over £400,000 to help more than 1,500 people in 2012. Established in 1837, Hospitality Action use funds they raise to support people such as those suffering from life altering illness, poverty or domestic violence. In particular they focus on retired hospitality workers who may feel isolated or in need of help. Other members who took part in this cycling event included Danny Pecorelli, managing director at Exclusive Hotels and Ashley Palmer-Watts, executive head chef of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Ashley has recently finished another fundraising activity, leading a team of chefs who completed their ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro.

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.