The past year has certainly been a bit different, to say the least! I think everyone at one point or another has experienced some degree of personal ‘hell’, whether that be malfunctioning Zoom calls, not being able to see family, queues at the grocery store, or not being able to buy loo roll.

For Hospitality, it has certainly been a bumpy ride. With multiple lockdowns, changes in tiers, curfews, and the ongoing indoor/outdoor seating fiasco, the hospitality industry has had a hard time keeping up, and unfortunately not all businesses have managed to survive.

Being an avid lover of food, drink, and dining out, the impact coronavirus has had on the industry has been tragic. I’ve been doing what I can to support my locals throughout the pandemic – ordering takeaways on the nights when I’d usually go out, and booking in tables as soon as our pubs and restaurants re-opened.

But there is still more that can be done, which is why I’m proud to join our Jellybean team #ItsBeanEmotional to support Hospitality Action’s ‘To Hell and Back’ fundraising initiative.

Hospitality Action is the industry charity who offer vital assistance to all those who work, or have worked, in the hospitality industry. Their ‘To Hell and Back’ fundraiser, which Jellybean is proud to be a sponsor of, is encouraging supporters to walk, run or cycle a total of 30,000 miles – the distance needed to virtually visit four ‘Hells on Earth’ in America and Norway – and back again – to raise essential funds for our industry in need.

Our Jellybean team has pledged a total of 535 miles between us, which we’ve turned into a virtual pub crawl starting at Jellybean HQ in Leatherhead, going all the way to The Bean Inn on far coast of Cornwall, and back again.

From the 10th to the 18th June, we’ll collectively be walking, running and cycling to hit our targets and raise crucial funds for Hospitality Action.

If you’d like to help us on our way and support our team and the industry charity, you can donate via the following link: umbali.org/challenge/its-bean-emotional

Or, if you’d like to help me reach my personal target, you can donate via: umbali.org/challenge/onfQabAwd7dhjutjH/its-bean-emotional

Thanks for the support!