Nationwide movement Walk for Wellbeing has reached an incredible milestone this year, raising over half a million pounds for UK charity Hospitality Action since its launch in 2020.
This remarkable achievement celebrates the collective spirit of the hospitality community, who have come together in their thousands each year to help fund vital mental health and wellbeing support for individuals and families across the industry.
Walk for Wellbeing has become a highlight in Manchester’s hospitality calendar, uniting teams, friends, and families across the city to raise vital funds that support the mental health and wellbeing of people working in the industry.
This October saw more than 1,400 people from across the industry – the most to date – unite for this year’s Walk for Wellbeing, raising an outstanding £165,000. In the past year alone, the funds from the initiative have been applied to support hospitality households with clearing priority debts, preventing homelessness, and helping with mental health support.
Vicky Marshman, General Manager at The Lowry Hotel, said: “Taking part and leading this year’s Walk for Wellbeing in Manchester was truly inspiring. It was our biggest turnout yet from The Lowry Hotel team, and the energy on the day was incredible. Seeing so many colleagues, friends, and local businesses come together for such an important cause showed how special the Manchester hospitality community is. We’re proud to have raised £3,359 as a hotel and contributed to the £7,157 raised across the city for Hospitality Action. Despite the Manchester weather, spirits were high – a day full of smiles, connection, and purpose. We’re already looking forward to next year’s walk!”
Powered by hospitality talent and recruitment partner mum in partnership with Caterer.com, Imperial London Hotels, and Sona, this year’s event saw Cornwall, Edinburgh, Newcastle, and York join the growing grassroots movement, bringing the total number of host cities to twelve, including Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Manchester.
Participants gathered to take part in 20km hosted walks across the UK, from city streets to scenic parks and waterfronts, which not only offered an enjoyable challenge but also created a sense of community and togetherness, highlighting the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the industry. In addition, hundreds of people also chose to ‘Walk It Your Way’ between World Mental Health Day on 10 October and 26 October, raising even more awareness and vital funds for this worthy cause.
Mark Lewis, CEO of Hospitality Action, said, “Walk for Wellbeing is about so much more than walking – it’s about the hospitality community coming together to look after its own. The funds raised have a real, lasting impact, helping prevent homelessness, ease financial pressures and support mental health for our colleagues and their families. Since 2020, Hospitality Action has awarded over £5 million in grants, and initiatives like Walk for Wellbeing play a vital role in sustaining this support and ensuring it reaches those who need it most.”
The seventh annual Walk for Wellbeing will return in October 2026, with hosted walks planned across the UK. For more information, please email fundraising@hospitalityaction.org.uk.
