Sodexo staff raise over £19,000 for Armed Forces charity

More than 800 employees at Sodexo, a leading FM services provider, spent one day cycling a combined distance of 14,012 miles on exercise bikes, to help raise nearly £20,000 for charity. An enormous achievement with most of the teams starting at 7am and all cycling more than 100 miles each, this event was carried out by Sodexo’s Defence division in support of Sodexo’s global initiative to tackle hunger and malnutrition in the local communities where it operates – STOP Hunger, and military charity, SSAFA (Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association). SSAFA provides life long support to the Armed Forces, offering practical, emotional, and financial support to any individual who is serving, has served and to their families. Meanwhile, launched in 1996, Sodexo’s global STOP Hunger initiative aims to tackle hunger and malnutrition in the local communities where the company operates. In the UK and Ireland, the Sodexo Foundation (a registered charity) is the driving force behind the STOP Hunger initiative. Andy Leach, managing director, Sodexo Defence, said: “I am very proud of the teams’ achievements and for raising £19,385 through sheer effort and determination. Sodexo prides itself on working with local communities, both military and civilian, and this is a prime example of this in practice. My thanks to the organisers, those who donated and especially to those who took part, both our own Sodexo employees and military personnel.” The team who cycled the furthest distance are based at Albemarle Barracks in Newcastle Upon Tyne, where Sodexo provides catering, waste management and cleaning services, who pedalled an impressive 773 miles, while employees from Wellington Barracks in London were most successful with their fundraising, collecting over £1,700.