Bristol hoteliers have the feel-good factor after their Walk for Wellbeing raised thousands of pounds for the Hospitality Action charity.
Disappointing weather did nothing to dampen the spirits of some 60 walkers who completed a 20km walk which showcased some of central Bristol’s most scenic sights.
This was the sixth year that Walk for Wellbeing events have taken place all over the country, but it was the first time that a Bristol-specific one, hosted by the Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) has taken place. With some money still to come in, the current total raised by the Bristol event is £3,600.
Every penny raised by the 12 hosted walks across the UK will be used by Hospitality Action to support people who work in the sector who are facing challenging times and mental health issues.
Most of the walkers represented a dozen different hotels but they were also joined by representatives from a number of partner organisations, including VisitWest and Bristol BID.
Ahad Vahabzadeh, from the BHA, said: “The weather was not the best on Sunday 19 October, but our first Bristol-only Walk for Wellbeing was very successful, and we would like to thank all the walkers who took part and everyone else who supported their effort. We will definitely be doing another stand-alone Bristol walk next year and are hoping it will be even bigger and better.”
The walk started, and finished, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol City Centre and took in Queen Square and the city centre itself before following the river out to beneath the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge and returning on the opposite side of the historic Harbourside.
Since 2020, the Walk for Wellbeing initiative has raised more than £340,000 for Hospitality Action, which has enabled it to support sector workers who have mental health issues, through in-person and telephone counselling, and the provision of emergency grants for those struggling financially.
To find out more about the Bristol Hoteliers Association, visit: www.bristol-hoteliers.co.uk
