30 Oct 2017
Last week over 180 AccorHotels employees from corporate office and hotels alike successfully completed a grueling four day adventure challenge on the Gold Coast, which saw them raise over $640,000 for the AccorHotels Community Fund.
AccorHotels' bi-annual charity event Race to Survive, saw participants put through their paces with tough daily activities designed to push them both physically and mentally. This years' activities included a 25km trek through the hills of Numinbah Valley, blindfold canoeing, orienteering and an adventure course.
The activities culminated on Friday at Surfers Paradise Beach in conjunction with Surf Life Saving Queensland. Surf Life Saving Queensland, the Surfers Paradise Surf Club and Ironman champion Trevor Hendy put together a series of challenging drills with included a spinal board carry relay, wade relay, an iconic flag race and a final mile dash that marked the end of their four day adventure.
Watch a recap of the full adventure HERE.
AccorHotels successfully raised over $640,000 through Race to Survive fundraising events which included trivia nights, raffles, bake-offs, boot sales and more. All funds raised have gone towards the AccorHotels Community Fund and its four founding partners: Kokoda Youth Foundation, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Lifeline and AIME Mentoring.
Simon McGrath, Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Pacific said that AccorHotels is committed to supporting Australian communities and that this flagship event plays a vital role.
“Race to Survive is our flagship charity event which is held bi-annually and brings together employees from all over Australia and corporate office to compete in a 4-day adventure challenge. This is the second consecutive time we have held Race to Survive on the Gold Coast and it has become our favourite base thanks to the people, the energy and the diverse landscape which allows our employees to really get back to nature and push their boundaries.
“The beauty of hosting Race to Survive on the Gold Coast means we can connect with local businesses and organisations and we are excited to be working with Surf Lifesaving Queensland and thrilled that Ironman champion Trevor Hendy will be helping put our employees through their paces on Surfers Paradise beach on the last day of the race.
“AccorHotels is aiming to raise $850,000 by the end of 2017 through Race to Survive fundraising events and I am incredibly proud of what the teams have been able to achieve to date. The money raised goes directly to our Community Fund and our four founding partners, Kokoda Youth Foundation, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Lifeline and AIME Mentoring. We established this fund in 2016 to help raise awareness of three key focus areas; youth, health and wellbeing, and diversity; and the money raised will go directly to special projects that will deliver considerable impact.”
To support the AccorHotels Community Fund or to find out more visit: https://donate.good2give.ngo/accorhotels
For more information about AccorHotels, visit: www.accorhotels.com
ENDS
ABOUT COMMUNITY FUND
The AccorHotels Community Fund is a unified identity and money raised through national fundraising initiatives are committed to building healthy families. The three focus areas for the fund are Youth, Health & Wellbeing and Diversity, delivered through the four foundation partners.
AccorHotels has committed to a three-year agreement with the Community Fund foundation partners to ensure long-term support for their program implementations.
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research will be directing Community Fund money into Rare and Neglected Cancer Research Programs
- Lifeline will use the funds for their Text Crisis Support Project
- AIME Mentoring will focus funds on their program expansion
- Kokoda Youth Foundation will direct funds to their On the Right Track Program, a program that targets Year 9 students with learning, behavioral or social challenges which detract from educational outcomes.
ABOUT GARVAN:
Garvan Institute of Medical Research is a multi-disciplinary facility with more than 600 scientists and PhD students working across six major research divisions: Bone Biology, Cancer, Diabetes and Metabolism, Genomics and Epigenetics, Immunology, Neuroscience.
ABOUT LIFELINE:
Suicide is becoming increasingly prevalent in Australia. Lifefine are raising the awareness of suicide prevention, reducing the stigma attached to suicide and increasing the options for all Australians to receive help.
ABOUT KOKODA YOUTH FOUNDATION
Kokoda Youth Foundation creates experiences that have the potential to reshape character, reset personal limits, reconnect people with each other and nature, and help them discover the true meaning of courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice.
ABOUT AIME:
AIME supports Indigenous students through high school and into university, employment or further education at the same rate as all Australian students.
AccorHotels is a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,200 hotels, resorts and residences, as well as in over 10,000 of the finest private homes around the globe. Benefiting from dual expertise as an investor and operator, AccorHotels operates in 95 countries. Its portfolio comprises internationally acclaimed luxury brands including Raffles, Sofitel Legend, SO Sofitel, Sofitel, Fairmont, onefinestay, MGallery by Sofitel, Pullman, and Swissôtel; as well as the popular midscale and boutique brands of 25hours, Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter and Adagio; the much-prized economy brands including JO&JOE, ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and the regional brands Grand Mercure, The Sebel and hotelF1. AccorHotels provides innovative end-to-end services across the entire traveler experience, notably through the recent acquisition of John Paul, world leader in concierge services.
With an unmatched collection of brands and rich history spanning close to five decades, AccorHotels, along with its global team of more than 250,000 dedicated women and men, has a purposeful and heartfelt mission: to make every guest Feel Welcome. Guests enjoy access to one of the world's most rewarding hotel loyalty programs - Le Club AccorHotels.
AccorHotels is active in its local communities and committed to sustainable development and solidarity through PLANET 21, a comprehensive program that brings together employees, guests and partners to drive sustainable growth.
Accor SA is publicly listed with shares trading on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY) in the United States.
For more information and reservations visit accorhotels.group or accorhotels.com.
