HRC chats to Craig Prentice, founder of hospitality recruitment specialist mum, about the fifth year of Walk for Wellbeing in aid of Hospitality Action. 

Tell us what Walk for Wellbeing is and what led to the launch?

Walk for Wellbeing is a grassroots movement created to help promote self-care and wellbeing within the hospitality industry, and encourage good employment practices, whilst raising awareness and supporting the vital work of Hospitality Action.

Hospitality Action continues to support individuals and their families in the hospitality sector who are facing challenging times and I believe their work is more important than ever.

The idea for the walk came at the beginning of the first UK lockdown. It was a time of separation, stress and anxiety for so many and Hospitality Action at that time, was focusing on supporting people in need through their services, such as its employee assistance program, helpline and grant support. I remember thinking there was an opportunity to bring people together to raise awareness and promote wellbeing for those in our industry whilst also supporting the work of Hospitality Action. After some discussions with key figures and volunteers, we launched our first walk in 2020.

Now in its fifth year, the event is getting bigger with eight hosted 20km walks taking place across the UK on Sunday 13 October in London, Oxford, Bath, Cardiff, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow.

The event is also flexible, meaning those who can’t join us on the day can do the ‘Walk it your Way’ option with friends, family or teammates at a location of choice, walking their chosen distance, at any time between World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10 October and Sunday 27 October.

Who takes part?

Walk for Wellbeing is for everyone in the hospitality industry and beyond.

As community is at the core of hospitality, the walk is a way to connect people, raise awareness, educate, unite, nurture and empower our strong community. We invite everyone to join this movement across the UK, by putting on their walking shoes and coming together for this special event.

Why is Hospitality Action a valuable charity to support?

Hospitality Action is a vital charity for the hospitality industry and provides essential support, relief and security to those experiencing times of crisis.

From mental health support and counselling to funding grants and clearing arrears for those in severe financial difficulties, every penny helps people get back on their feet. Half of those who contact Hospitality Action for support cite mental health issues, so this is naturally the perfect charity partner for Walk for Wellbeing.

How has the walk grown since its first edition?

The walk started in 2020 with a small group of people strolling together in London and has now evolved into a nationwide event. It unites hundreds of hospitality companies and thousands of walkers from across the country each taking proactive steps to improve their wellbeing and support that of their colleagues.

Last year was the most successful year so far with almost 900 people registered for the hosted walks and Walk it Your Way walks, raising over £90,000 in funds. This year, the walk is becoming bigger with three more UK cities taking part: Oxford, Cardiff and Liverpool, taking the number of host cities to eight.  We encourage hoteliers from across the UK to take part and make a positive difference in our industry whilst supporting their teams to get out in their local communities and Walk for Wellbeing.   

How can hospitality professionals get involved or find out more?

With now eight walks across the UK, we are encouraging all hoteliers to get involved, with solo sign-ups, as well as teams. The walk is a fun day and a great teambuilding initiative. Families and friends are also welcome to join in.

We appreciate that walking is not for everyone, but support can also be done through social media, sponsorship or inviting guests and customers to make a small donation as part of their billing process, similar to the Invisible Chips campaign.

The initiative also allows industry leaders to make some changes internally, and we encourage hoteliers to champion wellbeing in the workplace, by introducing more outdoor activities, such as walking meetings for example, which is a fun and creative way to boost wellbeing.

All information on how to register and help is on the website: www.walkforwellbeing.org.