Retailers and manufacturers unite in charity trek

By Rod Addy

- Last updated on GMT

The 14-strong team included representatives from Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Booker
The 14-strong team included representatives from Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Booker
Grocery retailers and processors united to raise £238k for charity through a sponsored six-day trek across Uganda, with Charles Reed, group md of Food Manufacture publisher William Reed among them.

The 14-strong team also included representatives from companies as diverse as Tesco, Oscar Mayer and Moy Park (see below for the total list of participants).

The project was run by Farm Africa, an organisation supporting agricultural development in Africa, for the benefit of the continent and its young farmers.

Sweet potatoes project

Ahead of the trip, in the Teso sub-region of Uganda, the team visited Farm Africa’s Sweet Potatoes for Prosperity project. They met local farmers who Farm Africa is helping to earn more from their agricultural efforts through improved production, post-harvest handling and marketing of vitamin A-rich orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.

The journey involved the team reaching heights of more than 4,000m above sea level and crossing terrains such as Afromontane forest and Mount Elgon’s caldera.

After completing the route, the team visited Farm Africa’s Growing Futures project in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. Funded by Aldi UK, the project supports young farmers to develop profitable horticultural businesses, and with the help of the funds raised by the trekkers will reach even more farmers in western Kenya.

Full team

  • Adam Braithwaite, Dairy Crest
  • Toby Brinsmead, Vitacress
  • Danny Everett, Farm Africa
  • Mark Given, Sainsbury’s
  • Keith Irvine, Moy Park
  • Alan Gibson, Devenish
  • Richard Macdonald, Farm Africa
  • Julian Marks, Barfoots of Botley
  • Jonathan Neale, Aldi UK
  • Charles Reed, William Reed Business Media
  • Mike Saxton, Farm Africa
  • Tim Smith, Tesco
  • Andrew Thompson, Booker
  • Alan Wotton, Oscar Mayer

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