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King Power Group’s Sunil Tuli and Yamseng Sales Manager Jess Howells mask the effects of Singapore’s smog crisis to get in some last-minute training |
INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Report’s Great Travel Retail Educathlon got off to an early and spectacular start at the weekend as nearly 3,000 Dubai Duty Free staff plus senior managers took part in a 7k walk and run for charity at the Dubai Autodrome.
In its 30th anniversary year, Dubai Duty Free lived up to its reputation as a market leader by being the first company to finish the Educathlon, which others will be completing between 28 and 30 June.
Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin said: “On behalf of everyone at Dubai Duty Free, we are delighted to be a part of such a wonderful event by supporting The Moodie Report Great Travel Retail Educathlon and the various educational charities it supported. Well done to all our staff, they have had a great experience and I hope that they will continue to actively participate in good initiatives in the future.”
Vice President Sean Staunton said: “I am delighted to say that 2,820 Dubai Duty Free staff and managers took part in the Educathlon walk and run on 20th and 23rd June.
“The amount raised so far is AED153,000 (US$42,000) and still rising.”
The Educathlon is the 2013 follow-up to the hugely successful Moodie Multi-National Marathons of the past two years, and is raising funds for children’s education worldwide*.
Already this year’s event has raised over US$140,000 with the final amount set to rise much higher.
As with previous Moodie Multi-National Marathons, participants from the travel retail industry must complete 7k on any of the chosen days (28-30 June) in any location in the world.
But in a new twist, they can complete the distance by any means at all – including walking, running, cycling, swimming, flying, ballooning, rowing, surfing, triathloning – the more creative the better.
Colm McLoughlin also thanked the sponsors and volunteers for their generous contribution to the success of the two-day Educathlon.
This is not the first time that Dubai Duty Free’s employees have been involved in exciting Corporate Social Responsibility projects that are close to the operation’s heart, he noted. Each year Dubai Duty Free staff participate in the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon for the benefit of Sightsavers programme ‘Seeing is Believing’ and the ‘Terry Fox Run’ dedicated to the global fight against cancer. Through its Corporate Responsibility Department, Dubai Duty Free supports several worthy causes and is particularly keen to work with causes that benefit the lives of children.
Next week we’ll publish a round-up of the incredible and innovative efforts being mounted by other industry companies and individuals around the globe to complete the challenge and help the educational causes that underpin this year’s event*.
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(Above) Dubai Duty Free President George Horan addresses the spectacular turn-out by staff and management of the Middle East travel retailer (more pictures further down the page) |
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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. |
Educathlon contestants are clearly made of stern stuff as evidenced by the photo on this page of King Power Group Hong Kong’s ‘Band on the Run’ team members Sunil Tuli and Jess Howells battling through Singapore’s smog crisis to complete their last-minute training.
And in Bahrain, Aer Rianta International-Middle East CEO Philip Eckles informs us that he will be completing his 7K by cycle and judging by the photo below, he’s in top condition to meet the challenge.
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Pedal power: Aer Rianta International-Middle East CEO Philip Eckles gets ready to show he’s the wheel deal |
Meanwhile Team Moodie (pictured below), wearing sunglasses from official sports sponsor Oakley, today completed the 7k by kayaks, rowing from Brentford Locks outside Moodie International’s UK headquarters 3.5km upstream, stopping only for a refreshing pint at The Fox pub, and finishing the downstream, downwind section in style. To donate to Team Moodie please visit Please visit http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/joannapuckett to make a donation.
Again we’ll bring you a fuller report next week.
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*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
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PICTURE GALLERY: DUBAI DUTY FREE TAKES TO THE TRACK (DAY 1)…
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AND DAY 2…
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Day two of Dubai Duty Free’s Great Travel Retail Educathlon, held at the Dubai Autodrome |
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And they’re off… |
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Always a benevolent employer, Dubai Duty Free ensured there was plenty of water on hand |
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Lapping it up: Runners pour down the finishing strait |
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A job well done: Another runner reaches the finishing line |
… WHILE TEAM MOODIE TAKES TO THE WATERWAYS
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Up the creek with a paddle: (Left to right) Rebecca Mann, Helen Pawson, Matt Willey, Rahul Odedra, Joanna Puckett |
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(Right to left) The appropriately named Victoria Bowskill, Ying Wei, the even more appropriately named Ed Lake and Genevieve Knevitt make their way upstream under the watchful eye of the organiser’s river guide |
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Team Moodie gather for the challenge outside London HQ – ‘The Old Pumping Station’ |
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Taking a well-earned half-time break at The Fox pub by Hanwell Locks (see below) |
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