INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Report’s inaugural Great Travel Retail Educathlon, held late last month, has proved a resounding success, with funds raised stretching to well over US$385,000 with much more to come.
The Great Travel Retail Educathlon was the 2013 follow-up to the hugely successful Moodie Multi-National Marathons of the past two years. This year industry athletes could complete the required 7k by any means at all – including walking, running, cycling, swimming, flying, ballooning, rowing, surfing, triathloning or other activities – the more creative the better. All funds raised go to a variety of educational charities, including five* chosen by leading travel retailers, and/or other local causes.
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(Left) DFS Chairman and CEO Philippe Schaus and (right) Chief Operating Officer Michael Schriver turn up the pace | |
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Banned after the run: Well they’re called Band on the Run actually, led by King Power Group HK’s Sunil Tuli (sixth from left, the first industry executive to announce his support for the event). The team has raised an impressive US$25,000 to date, running, walking, swimming, crawling and ladder stepping in Singapore, the UK, Ireland and the Dominican Republic |
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Easy Rider: Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin supported The Great Travel Retail Educathlon in inimitable style |
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Dubai Duty Free Senior Vice President – IT and Logistics Ramesh Cidambi with intrepid members of the retailer’s Travel Retail Educathlon team. Note the specially made T-shirts provided by Dubai Duty Free for all participants |
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(Right) Dubai Duty Free Vice President – Marketing Sinead El Sibai completes her run at the K Club in Dublin where the retailer was preparing for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Saturday; (Left) Dubai Duty Free Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Salah Tahlak hits the road with the famous Burj Al Arab hotel in the background | |
Late last month Dubai Duty Free kicked off proceedings in marvellous fashion, with nearly 3,000 management and staff completing the distance at the Dubai Aerodrome (see pictures below), raising over US$42,000 to date.
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Up the creek with a paddle: (Left to right) Team Moodie’s Rebecca Mann, Helen Pawson, Matt Willey, Rahul Odedra and Joanna Puckett, part of the ‘Moodie Marines’ who hit the waterways of West London (below) |
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Meanwhile Team Moodie (above), wearing sunglasses from official sports sponsor Oakley, completed the 7k by katakanu, rowing from Brentford Locks outside Moodie International’s UK headquarters 3.5km upstream, and finishing the downstream, downwind section in style after a short half-time refreshment break at the Fox pub.
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(Left to right) Philippe Schaus, Michael Schriver, Francis Ngai (CEO and Founder of Playtao – DFS Group’s local education partner in Hong Kong) and Benjamin Vuchot |
Last Friday it was DFS Group’s turn (above and below). In Hong Kong, the company’s headquarters, the retailer took over Happy Valley racetrack in another amazing show of commitment and support. 1040 employees, management and business partners turned up, raising over US$194,000, while in Singapore a similarly committed effort saw a further S$127,000 (US$100,000) raised. Much more is coming in from around the DFS global network. We’ll update readers next week.
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900 thoroughbreds: A magnificent show of support for The Great Travel Retail Educathlon from DFS Group and many of its business partners at the famous Happy Valley racetrack in Hong Kong |
The Nuance Group Turkey entered four groups, each made up of 12 participants from different departments, who walked the Lycian Way, an ancient long-distance footpath – “a place of natural beauty and green rolling hills, which meet the blue of the Turkish sea”.
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(Above) The Nuance Group Turkey teams walked the Lycian Way, an ancient long-distance footpath – “a place of natural beauty and green rolling hills, which meet the blue of the Turkish sea” |
In Sri Lanka a 26-strong team from Autogrill Lanka Limited (World Duty Free Group – Sri Lanka) hosted a unique bi-Educathlon at beautiful Kitulgala, (90k from Colombo), comprising a 7k combined nature trail walk and whitewater rafting adventure.
Members of the “˜Band on the Run’ team (pictured top) led by King Power Group (HK) Managing Director Travel Retail and Duty Free Sunil Tuli also completed the run in Singapore. The team has raised over US$25,000 to date. Team member David Spillane completed his 7km in surely the event’s quirkiest manner – climbing up and down an Irish ladder until he had attained the distance (images are awaited to confirm the feat).
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World Duty Free Group Sri Lanka’s 26-strong team started their fundraising efforts with a 7km trail walk in Kitugala… |
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….before taking to the river for a thrilling ride through white water rapids. |
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Kenny (Young Jin) Kim, JDC Duty Free Shop Senior Manager Sales Dept Duty Free Business Division and family on the picturesque Jeju Olle Trail No. 8 |
Members of Women in Travel (WiT) have raised US$2,277 so far, running or walking the 7k in a variety of local locations, including Penvins (Brittany) and Miami beaches.
In the Middle East, Aer Rianta International-Middle East, led by regional boss Phil Eckles (below) on a cycle, have generated over US$16,200.
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Pedal power: Aer Rianta International-Middle East CEO Philip Eckles gets ready to show he’s the wheel deal |
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Dubai Duty Free Vice President – Operations Sean Staunton kayaks the distance at Palm Island |
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(Above) Dubai Duty Free President George Horan addresses the spectacular turn-out (below) by staff and management of the Middle East travel retailer |
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One of the most innovative efforts came from The Skin and Blister(ed) Band (below), representing UK company Appleyard Communications, a leading communications and PR agency. Team members Avril Appleyard (ex-Alpha Retail), Mark Appleyard and Rosie Scott completed the 7km via a combination of walking, cycling, rowing and busking along the way at iconic historical spots in the Windsor area outside London. All busking proceeds went to the Educathlon.
We’ll bring you more details and pictures as they come to hand.
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(Left) Sarah Branquinho and Kate Teagle, part of the WiT global team, complete their walk in brilliant sunshine at Virginia Water Lake in Windsor Great Park; (Right) Essence Corp Vice President Patricia Bona and President Jean-Jacques Bona, who did the 7k in Miami | |
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Well-known industry communications consultant Avril Appleyard (second left) and her Skin & Blister band on a musical tour close to London |
*NOTE: Instead of just one beneficiary, funds raised will be split between the charities or schools below nominated by some of the world’s leading travel retailers and industry bodies:
ALIA PRIMARY SCHOOL – Nominated by Aer Rianta International-Middle East
HAND IN HAND FOR HAITI – Nominated by DFS
KARATAS VILLAGE SCHOOL – Nominated by The Nuance Group
THE LOTUS FLOWER TRUST – Nominated by WDFG and WiT
SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES – Nominated by Dufry
For further information on these charities and the event please please visit www.moodieeducathlon.com
