Colleagues from across the UM Group came together this week to celebrate the end of a hugely successful Great Molasses Challenge.

Our CEO Ben Macer revealed that, thanks to the remarkable efforts of colleagues £17,222 was raised via the Challenge’s Just Giving pages with a further £16,222 being provided in match-funding by our holding company W&R Barnett making for a grand total of £33,444.

The Challenge was the flagship fundraiser of UM Group’s Global Wellbeing Initiative in 2024.

Since the Challenge started towards the end of April, colleagues have been running, walking, playing football, cycling, rowing, swimming and going on dog walks, all with the aim of clocking up as many miles as possible.

Every single contribution, big or small, got us closer to our target distance of 4820 miles (7712km) which represents the distance of the first ever UM molasses shipment in 1912 from the Dominican Republic to Hull.

In fact, by the end of the Challenge, we had not only covered the distance of the first ever shipment, we had also done the distance back and a further halfway back again! The final mileage achieved was 12,468 miles (20,065km).

All money raised from the Challenge is going to Farm Africa, our chosen charity, which works tirelessly 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.

Joining us to celebrate the success of the Challenge was Anissa Msallem, Head of Partnerships at Farm Africa, who told us: “It is amazing what you have all achieved over the last few weeks.

“To give you some idea, the money you have raised could fund a store house for vegetables grown by our farmers. Storing their produce is so important to ensure better quality, reduce waste, sell for more money which, in turn, increases the incomes of those farmers and gives them a better quality of life.”

Ben told colleagues: “I just want to say a huge thank you to all colleagues who got involved in this remarkable Challenge. It was a truly incredible sum of money that was raised and then very generously match-funded by W&R Barnett.

“I would also like to thank the committee in London who drove the project along with various champions across the business. It was a fantastic team effort.”

The get-together also provided the opportunity to celebrate those who had contributed the most mileage during the Challenge with the top ten being:

1^st: Judie Ko – Business Admin Manager – GB - 415 miles

2^nd: Laszio Radocz – Technical Director – Argos Feeds, Hungary – 362.11

3^rd: Sean Cassia – Trading Director – UM Trading, London – 299.81

4^th: Felipe Del Pozo – Finance Manager, UM Espana – 275

5^th: Lewis Chambers, Supervisor, UM Terminals, Gladstone – 271

6^th: Geoff Groom, Supervisor, UM Terminals, NAD – 267

7^th: Benjamin Waldhoff – Director – France Melasses, Arras – 246.87

8^th: Elodie Leclerq – Assistant – France Melasses - Arras 241.11

9^TH: Rebecca Lee – EHS Manager, UM Terminals – 237.22

10^th: Niall O’Donnell – Manager – United Molasses Ireland – 225

The top 10 all received a £100 voucher.

A further competition saw everyone who completed 26 miles being entered into a prize draw for a set of ear pods. The winner was Sara Mingiardi – Commercial, Quality & Logistics – UM Italia.

UM Group is now committed to building on the momentum of the Challenge with a Wellbeing Month being held in September with a series of events, presentations and exercises planned.

Ben added: “We have had lots of positive feedback that the Challenge has made a real difference to many colleagues’ lives, making them feel better.

“We’ve had lapsed runners getting their trainers out again and others taking up an activity for the first time. We want this to be the long-term legacy of the Challenge and the Wellbeing Month that we are holding in a few weeks.

“We are keen to keep the momentum going. It doesn’t have to be official runs or events – perhaps a quarterly walk with your team, a weekend park run or if you are based in Merseyside why not join our newly created 5-a-side football team!”

UM Group is also planning to create a photobook as a lasting memory of this great and memorable fundraiser and provide a copy in all offices and terminals.