It’s safe to say that hospitality is nestled within everybody’s hearts, playing an important role in one way or another. Whether it’s through the fond memories of celebrating a birthday, heading to the local pub to reconnect with old friends or whether it’s where you learnt the true value of tip money for those all-important cocktails that weekend.
As the Spanish bean of the team, I have known from close experience what hospitality means and what it brings to our everyday life. Spain receives every summer millions of tourists from abroad who are welcomed with open arms and who we take care of the very best way possible, providing them with one of the best food and drink experiences available.
What a hell of a year we have all had, the ups & downs, the isolation and the lockdowns. We have all suffered in one way or another. Hospitality took a big hit during the lockdowns, with the closures, tier systems and curfews being introduced, making it harder for them to do what they do best.
When anyone entered my Nana’s house she would always ask them three questions. Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Are you warm enough? For those of us lucky enough to have known her, they will concur that this dedication to great hospitality was just one of the reasons she was so loved. Any answer in the affirmative was followed by mountains of scones, toast, pots of tea and fruit cake arriving on hastily arranged occasional tables. Keeping people well fed and watered has always been, and will always be one of the most fundamental ways to care for the wellbeing of those around you, and that sense of satisfaction lives long in the memory.
Having spent quite a few years of my life working in pubs and restaurants, the hospitality industry is one I hold close to my heart. The past year and a half has been hard for many of us including the hospitality industry so hearing about Hospitality Action’s 2021 To Hell and Back challenge, I along with many others from the jellybean team decided it was time to give back and pledge a few miles to help raise money for the hospitality industry.
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.
There’s no question that the hospitality industry has had it tough this past year. From lockdown closures to re-opening with restrictions and social distancing considerations, the hospitality industry has constantly had to re-think their business strategies in order to survive.
The last year has been a struggle for everyone. Not being able to go out and socialise with family and friends in a pub or restaurant, staying at home eating and drinking too much, trying to keep yourself sane and keep yourself from putting on the weight whilst binge watching series on TV. With all this in mind, to hear that Hospitality Action are setting a challenge for 2021 called ‘To Hell and Back’ to raise funds for the hospitality industry, I was more than excited to get involved.
That’s the first thought I had when Fiona asked us to put into words why we’re rising to the challenge of Hospitality Action’s fundraising initiative, ‘To Hell and Back’.
No-one needs reminding of the hellhole that was 2020 and whilst recovery is still very much in its infancy, it does at last feel as though we may be heading towards some form of normality.
I’m sure like most of us you have upped your ‘step’ game during lockdown, with not much else to do other than go for a stroll as a way of socialising or for a change of scenery. You’ve possibly also joined the ‘fitbit’ gang, with most of us setting ourselves the 10,000 steps a day goal. I’m now putting this new habit to good use by supporting Hospitality Action’s 2021 initiative ‘To Hell and back’ to raise funds for the hospitality industry, alongside my fellow beans.
It has been one hell of a year for the hospitality industry (excuse the pun) so when I found out about Hospitality Action’s 2021 ‘To Hell and Back’ challenge to raise funds for the hospitality industry, I was more than happy to get involved!
Anyone who knows jellybean knows that when it comes to a physical challenge – sometimes even a reckless endeavour – we love to step up to the plate. Whether it’s climbing mountains, long distance cycling, running, golf, competitive baking, or simply having five fully grown humans stand on your shoulders in the freezing cold and rain as they try to scale a treacherously wet and slippery wall (my back’s not been the same since Tough Mudder), we’ve taken it on with aplomb and raised cash for some amazing causes into the bargain.
Slowly but surely the hospitality industry is restarting after the pandemic. Like everyone, especially those whose livelihoods directly depend on the sector, we hope the easing of restrictions will be permanent.
Having supported Hospitality Action as part of the legendary bean team for nearly twenty years, not to mention having recently become a Hospitality Action Ambassador, their latest fund raising initiative Hell & Back offered up the perfect opportunity for me to do my bit. Not to mention the fact that jellybean is proud to be an official sponsor, no less!
As I’m fairly new to the ‘bean team’ and learning about the amazing work that Hospitality Action continuously do, I’ve been eager to dive head first into their 2021 initiative ‘To Hell and Back’ to raise funds for the industry that means so much to us all. Together with 16 of my teammates, we are committed to travelling 535 miles to contribute toward HA’s immense 30,000-mile total between 10th – 18th June, through walking/running and cycling (though I think by June 18th, quite a few of us will be crawling toward that G&T at the finishing line).
It never ceases to amaze me that the guys at jellybean are always up for a new challenge. No matter how busy they are juggling workload with a hectic home life, even if it eats into their personal time and requires them to go outside their comfort zone. Whether it’s a 100-mile bike ride, running a marathon, completing the moonwalk, taking on the 3 peaks challenge, or devoting time or expertise to a charity initiative – the beans will rise to the occasion with enthusiasm, commitment and determination. All whilst having fun as a team and enjoying the banter and camaraderie along the way.
