A fundraising challenge set up by the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland and Crerar Hotels has raised £17,000 via a gruelling 450-mile cycle around Scotland.
Crerar Hotels chief executive officer and HIT Trustee, Chris Wayne-Wills, partnered with HIT chief executive David Cochrane to create the ‘HIT the Crerar450 Challenge’, which encouraged participants to undertake sponsored journeys based around the Scottish hotel group’s Crerar450 road trip.
Chris himself then cycled more than 450 miles in less than a week alongside Glenn Woodage, assistant director of F&B at Virgin Hotels, Edinburgh, and member of HIT Future Group. Commencing on 17th September from the Balmoral Arms in Ballater, they cycled to Thainstone House Hotel in Inverurie, the Golf View Hotel in Nairn, The Glencoe Inn, the Oban Bay Hotel, the Isle of Mull Hotel, the Loch Fyne Hotel in Inveraray, and sister hotel Dunkeld House Hotel in Perthshire, before returning back to Ballater.
David and other hospitality advocates joined this core due on several legs of the challenge, whilst other teams took part virtually, cycling, walking or running the designated 450 miles.
In total, Chris, Glenn and the virtual participants clocked up an impressive 2,825 miles over the course of the challenge, and the whopping £17,000 they raised smashed the original target of £5,000.
All of that cash will now go towards providing empowering inspirational development to those studying or working in the hospitality industry in Scotland.
Chris said: “Cycling the Crerar450 was the experience of a lifetime, to say the least. I’m a keen cyclist, but this really pushed me to my limit, tackling almost every season Scotland had to throw at us along the way. However, I had the wonderful support of HIT Scotland, my Crerar Hotels family and many partners and hospitality professionals.
“I’m incredibly proud of everyone who took part in the challenge, we’ve raised a fantastic amount for the hospitality industry, these funds are incredibly valuable, especially at a time like this.”
David added: “This challenge was incredibly demanding, but the sheer amount of support we received has made it worth it. It just shows how wonderful this industry is, that we can all come together to support a great cause.
“The £17,000 we’ve raised will help fund HIT’s inspirational scholarship programme, and I want to personally thank everyone who took part and donated, even those who cheered us on – it helped everyone clock in those miles.”
To donate, visit https://justgiving.com/campaign/crerar450
