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UM Group creates app to support Great Molasses Challenge

Posted on 4 May, 2024

Colleagues across UM Group have been throwing themselves into the Great Molasses Challenge with gusto.

Alongside the set-piece events such as the full and half marathons and organised cycle rides, colleagues have been busy clocking up miles in their own time, whether that’s a stroll at lunchtime, a dog walk in the evening or a weekend hike.

To help collate everyone’s activity, our Group Business Intelligence Developer Adam Pierce has created a fantastic app.

Many colleagues have already downloaded the app and we would encourage others to do so – it really is impressive!

Adam, who is based at our UM Terminals head office in Regent Road, Liverpool, said: “I was approached by my colleague Simon Markham towards the end of last year to see if I might be able to create an app to support the Great Molasses Challenge.

“The intention was to add a bit of wow factor and to encourage buy-in from colleagues around the Group. The fact that colleagues are based in different locations across the UK and Europe meant it would be a good way of bringing everyone together.

“Using the tools available in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Power Apps, creating the app became a bit of a labour of love and was mainly done outside of work.

“Before launching the app, we did various testing, tweaking and debugging and since we launched it, the feedback from across the Group has been great.

“Lots of colleagues are actively using it now to collate their miles and it would be great to get even more people using it.

“This is just one example of how we are building and using bespoke apps in the business. We’re also using app capability in other key areas such as asset management.”

The Great Molasses Challenge is UM Group’s major fundraising campaign on behalf of charity Farm Africa.

The unique challenge involves UM colleagues covering the distance of the first ever UM molasses shipment in 1912 – a total of 4820 miles (7712km) from the Dominican Republic to Hull.

The Challenge will finish in Hull on June 9th when a number of colleagues will be taking part in the Hull 10K.

Farm Africa is working to reduce poverty by helping farmers in eastern Africa to grow more, sell more and sell for more. Thanks to the work of the charity and its supporters, rural families are growing their incomes while also protecting their local environment for future generations.

You can donate to the Great Molasses Challenge via the following links:

www.justgiving.com/page/molasses-gb

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