The annual Colliers Bristol TRYathlon will this year be supporting the food redistribution charity FareShare South West.
Funds raised by competitors swimming, cycling and running at the TRYathlon on Friday May 29 will help the work of the charity, which last year provided enough food for over a million meals for vulnerable individuals.
Jo Edwards, head of the South West and South Wales office of Colliers International, said: “The work of FareShare South West makes a real difference to people’s lives, and we’re very pleased to be assisting such a deserving cause through this year’s TRYathlon.
“Members of staff will also be providing practical support to FareShare in various ways throughout the year. This will include volunteering during the summer holidays, when the charity is very busy as a result of holiday projects to make sure children who had been receiving free school meals do not go hungry.”
The Colliers Bristol TRYathlon takes place at Tockington Manor School near Bristol, and involves competitors swimming 400m, cycling 16km, and running 5km, either as individuals or as part of a team of three.
Ms Edwards visited the FareShare South West premises in central Bristol to discover more about their work, accompanied by Nick Williams, director in the South West and South Wales office of Colliers, who is organising the TRYathlon.
Mr Williams said: “FareShare South West tackles food poverty, and also addresses the issue of food waste. All the food they supply is of good quality, but would have gone to landfill because of issues such as a barcode error on packaging, or minor damage to a section of a pallet of produce.”
Every year, FareShare South West supplies over 530 tonnes of surplus food annually to over 250 organisations in the South West, including children’s breakfast clubs; social groups for elderly people; homeless shelters; domestic violence refuges; and drug and alcohol rehabilitation units. It is the largest food distribution charity in the South West, and part of the national charity FareShare.
Phoebe Ruxton, Fundraising Manager for FareShare South West, said: “In the past 12 months we have provided food for over 400,000 children’s meals alone, and the support of the South West and South Wales office of Colliers International will be invaluable in helping us continue to feed the vast number of people that we help.
“We very much appreciate that they will be raising funds for us through the TRYathlon, and will also be helping in practical ways including volunteering during the summer, when we have to deal with the additional challenge of preventing ‘holiday hunger’ among the 11,000 children in the Bristol area who receive free school meals.”
Entry to the Colliers Bristol TRYathlon costs £40 for individuals and £90 for teams of three, and includes a barbeque lunch and race t-shirt. All money from entries will be donated to FareShare South West. To register and for further information, click here
