A fundraising initiative spanning four weeks has sparked a charitable hike across the Oxfordshire countryside.
Wine merchant North South Wines, based in Bicester, is behind the 25-kilometre trek scheduled for March 26, which will generate donations for Oxford-based mental health organisation Restore alongside sector support charity The Drinks Trust.
The journey will guide participants from Bicester Motion to Restore’s offices on Manzil Way in Oxford, travelling via Morton and Beckley en route.
Kim Wilson, managing director at North South Wines, stated that bringing the team together for another charitable endeavour was tremendously exciting. The company was backing two remarkable organisations: Restore carries out essential mental health work within their local area, while The Drinks Trust assists individuals throughout their industry. Engaging in outdoor activity with colleagues while gathering support for causes close to their hearts made this undertaking feel particularly meaningful.
The trek constitutes the concluding stage of the company’s NSW 5000 initiative, a thirty-day push during which employees nationwide strived to collectively travel 5,090 kilometres through walking, cycling, and other human-powered pursuits. By March 25, participants had already covered 4,750 kilometres, with the charity walk anticipated to push them beyond their goal.
The cumulative distance mirrors a hypothetical trip from North South Wines’ Bicester base to its investor operations in Germany, Belgium, and Italy before returning, with each individual contributing approximately 150 kilometres throughout the month.
Restore operates as an Oxfordshire-based charity assisting adults managing mental health conditions through peer support networks, educational programmes, and vocational guidance.
Beth Hendry, chief executive of Restore, noted that the organisation was deeply thankful to North South Wines for their generosity, enthusiasm, and dedication to both fundraising and highlighting Restore’s mission. During a period marked by economic instability, escalating expenses, and growing pressure on services, this assistance enables them to connect more individuals with essential mental health support, creating genuine and enduring improvements for people throughout their community.
The Drinks Trust functions as an industry charity providing emotional, financial, and professional assistance to workers across the beverages sector.
Nicky Burston, chief executive of The Drinks Trust, mentioned that the organisation was tremendously grateful to the North South Wines team for selecting them as beneficiaries of such a motivating challenge. The contributions generated would make genuine and lasting improvements for countless industry colleagues experiencing difficulty. Their sincere appreciation went out to all involved for their tremendous backing.
North South Wines, established in 2014, maintains ownership stakes from three overseas wineries and achieved B Corp accreditation in 2023, marking the first time a wine distributor secured this certification.