Walk on the wild side: Top UK food leaders complete punishing charity trek in Tanzania Highlands

07 October 2013

A team of 13 senior executives from the UK food industry has completed a gruelling 150 kilometre charity trek through one of Africa’s harshest and most untamed landscapes - the Great Rift Valley in the Tanzania Highlands.

The trekkers arrived exhausted but elated on the shores of Tanzania’s Lake Natron at around 14.10 local time on Saturday 5 October. It was the sixth day of a physically punishing trek that required the team to walk in blistering heat across low arid woodlands, soda lakes and grass plains as well as climbing up high mountains to volcanic craters.

Much of the trek took place at over 2,500 metres above sea level with team members each climbing over 4,500 metres in total over six arduous days. The team followed a route specially designed for them and which previously had only been walked by local Masai tribesmen and wildlife.

Fundraising adds to £428,000 raised by food and hospitality industries for Farm Africa

All the money raised by the trekkers has contributed to a hugely impressive total of £428,000 raised this year for Farm Africa by Food for Good, an initiative set up by the UK’s food and hospitality sectors to help tackle one of the world’s most pressing challenges: hunger.

Reflecting on the team’s achievement, former NFU Director-General and Farm Africa Chairman Richard Macdonald said:

Physically it's probably the toughest thing I've ever done, including Kilimanjaro.

Food for Good has raised an amazing £427,000. We have all worked incredibly hard to merit the support of all our sponsors! A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us. The money donated will make a real and long term difference to many people in eastern Africa.”

The Tanzania Highland Challenge team:

Tony Baines, Managing Director Buying, Aldi

Richard Brasher, Chief Executive Officer, Pick ‘n’ Pay

Andrew Cracknell, Commercial Director, Anglo Beef Processors

Nigel Dunlop, Chief Executive Officer, Moy Park

Steve Ellwood, Non-Executive Director, AH Worth, EFFP

Robert Lasseter, Chairman, NFU South West Regional Board

Richard Macdonald, Non-Executive Director, Moy Park, Dairy Crest

Julian Marks, Managing Director, Barfoots

Steve McLean, Head of Agriculture & Fisheries, Marks and Spencer

Keith Packer, Chief Executive Officer, Typhoo Tea

Charles Reed, Group Managing Director, William Reed Business Media

Andrew Thompson, Commercial Director, Booker

Mark Williamson, Commercial Director, Waitrose

Other Food for Good fundraising challenges in 2013 include: the Dig for Goodproject in May, where 14 senior women executives from the UK's food industry dug a huge fish pond in Kenya; the Chef’s Kilimanjaro Climbin August, which saw a team of four leading chefs and restaurateurs ascend to the highest point in Africa; a Summer Ball held by Barfoots of Botley and a whole range of fundraising activities carried out by field marketing agency, Cosine UK.

Ends

You can see all the action from the trek via ‘Tales from the Trail’, the team’s dedicated blog: http://www.farmafrica.org/tanzania-highland-challenge/tales-from-the-trail

Images from the trek are available via an online collection which is available here: http://resources.farmafrica.org/?c=347&k=a5a7ff06e3 Click on any images for download options.

For more information, and to arrange interviews with members of the trekking team, please contact the Farm Africa Press Office:

Matt Whitticase, 020 7067 1237 / mattheww@farmafrica.org

Laura Oakley,    020 7067 1252 /laurao@farmafrica.org

Notes to Editor:

About Farm Africa

Farm Africa supports farmers living at subsistence level, constantly at risk of crop failure, to build food and income security so that they can grow a better and reliable future for their families.

By focusing on ‘climate smart’ agricultural and forestry techniques, building market links and adding value to production, Farm Africa unleashes the entrepreneurial abilities of the farmers and rural communities they work with.

This is the time to turn challenge into opportunity for African farmers. Farm Africa believes passionately that smallholders can and will play a key role in achieving rural prosperity in Africa.

Food for Good

The Tanzania Highland Challenge is part of Food for Good, a Farm Africa initiative that is bringing together the food and hospitality industry to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing the world today: hunger. You can find out more about Food for Good here: www.farmafrica.org/foodforgood

In addition, Farm Africa is the chosen charity for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013, sponsored by San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.