Treasury team takes up charity challenge

The Benevolent chairman Dan Townsend has invited the trade to raise funds for this charity by joining a Treasury Wine Estates team on the “Thames Path Challenge”.

More than 30 employees of TWE have signed up for the initiative on 12 September, which will see participants walk or run either 25km, 50km or 100km along the River Thames footpath, starting at Putney Bridge in west London and finishing at either Hampton, Runnymede or Henley.

Townsend, who is general manager for the UK, Ireland and Western Europe at TWE, took over as The Benevolent chairman in January, following the two year tenure of Chris Porter from JF Hillebrand.

His major fundraising bid for 2015 aims to build on the success of Porter’s sponsored car-free tour of all 91 league football grounds in the UK, which raised just under £30,000.

Announcing the initiative, Townsend said: “I am delighted so many of my team at TWE are joining me in raising money for a cause that is so dear to all of us. We hope to raise many thousands of pounds for the charity.”

As for his own participation in the challenge, Townsend confirmed: “I am going to put my flat feet and dodgy knees through 50km – this is unchartered territory for me and my team so the support we receive through donations from the trade will really spur us on.”

He set a personal target “to make it back in time for Match of the Day – hopefully the Saturday night version rather than the Sunday morning repeat! ”

Encouraging the trade to support this cause, which offers financial, practical and emotional help to members of the drinks trade in need, Townsend remarked: “The Benevolent is a great charity doing great work. For those of us that are lucky enough to work in this wonderful industry, supporting The Benevolent is a way of giving a little back to those that really need it. I would strongly encourage others in the industry to join us in the challenge!”

David Cox, The Benevolent’s chief executive, hailed the “exceptional” support from TWE staff for this initiative, saying: “The Benevolent is already benefitting from Dan Townsend’s impressive leadership as chairman of our charity but this fundraising event is a fantastic example of how the trade can come together to support those from our drinks industry that are less fortunate and who need some kind of help.”

Those wishing to make a donation should visit Dan’s fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/dan-townsend1

Anyone keen to join the TWE team in the Thames Path Challenge should visit: http://www.thebenevolent.org.uk/partnership/the-chairmans-thames-path-challenge/