Announcing The Moodie Report Great Travel Retail EDUCATHLON

Click on the image to view the enlarged image

INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Report today announces The Great Travel Retail EDUCATHLON – the 2013 follow-up to its hugely successful Moodie Multi-National Marathons of the past two years, which have raised over US$650,000 across the worldwide travel retail community.

This year’s event takes on a new form. To be held between 28-30 June, the Great Travel Retail EDUCATHLON will raise funds for children’s education worldwide.

Participants from the travel retail industry must complete 7k on any of the chosen days in any location in the world. But in a new twist, they can complete the distance by any means at all – including walking, running, cycling, swimming, flying, ballooning, rowing, surfing, triathloning – the more creative the better.

Instead of just one beneficiary, participants can raise funds for a central group of local regional educational charities or schools nominated by some of the world’s leading travel retailers and industry bodies.

Details of our chosen charities can be found below (with one more, representing Europe, to be revealed next week). A fund-raising website will be launched in coming days, allowing participants to register individually or as teams. All monies raised via this site will be split between the nominated causes below after completion of the event.

The Moodie Report Found & Chairman Martin Moodie said: “We’re thrilled to be able to build on the success of our Moodie Multi-National Marathon through this new and fun concept and to support several excellent causes, all nominated by leading travel retailers. Education is an essential platform for the children of the world to advance in life but not all have the chance.

“All our chosen causes do magnificent work in helping society’s disadvantaged children.

“We’re hoping that all sectors of the travel retail community, from senior management to shop floor staff, will get involved in this great campaign and build on the memorable international participation of the past two Moodie Multi-National Marathons.”

SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES

Country: Brazil

Nominated by: Dufry

Comment: Dufry has supported this fantastic children’s charity since 2010. Dedicated to supporting disadvantaged Brazilian families, it provides children with counselling and basic education classes as well as medical care.

Website: www.sos-kinderdorf.ch

SOS Children’s Villages in Brazil, nominated by Dufry

ALIA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Country: Bahrain

Nominated by: Aer Rianta International-Middle East

Comment: This impressive school falls under the control of the Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioural and Communication Difficulties. It aims to promote opportunities for all children with such difficulties (and their families), allowing them to be fully participative and accepted members of the community.

Website: www.aliaschool.com

Alia Primary School nominated by Aer Rianta International-Middle East

LOTUS FLOWER TRUST

Country: India

Nominated by: World Duty Free Group

Comment: This charity is well-known to the travel retail community, largely through the sterling efforts of World Duty Free Group’s Sarah Branquinho and TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen who are both trustees, and Women in Travel (WiT). Lotus Flower Trust operates in some of India’s most impoverished rural communities, constructing schools, homes and skill centres.

Lotus Flower Trust has an ambitious target to build a series of kindergartens (Anganwadi) in some of the remotest villages in Ladakh, lying between the two highest mountain ranges in the world – the Himalayan Range to the south and the Karakoram Range to the north. Each costs around US$18,000.

Lotus Flower Trust hopes that funds raised through the Educathlon will allow many more small children to start lessons in a safe and caring environment near the top of the world.

Website: www.lotusflowertrust.org

Lotus Flower Trust in India, nominated by World Duty Free Group

LYCÉE JEAN BAPTISTE POINT DU SABLE

Country: Haiti

Nominated by: DFS

Comment: Uniquely, this school was not only built by the travel retail industry but continues to be funded and operated by it through a board that includes Ed Brennan, former DFS Group Chairman; Olivier Bottrie, President, Estée Lauder Travel Retailing Worldwide; and Martin Moodie, Chairman, The Moodie Report.

An amazing example of travel retail’s collective generosity and ability to make a difference, the school currently provides education for 152 children between 3 and 5 years of age, with a new class being built each year until full pre-school, primary and secondary educational facilities are in place and around 720 students accepted.

Website: www.HandinHandforhaiti.com

Lycée Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (Hand in Hand for Haiti), nominated by DFS Group

PLUS ONE FURTHER CHARITY TO BE NAMED SOON

A dedicated fund-raising website will be launched next week, allowing entrants to register and supporters to donate.

Prizes, including a trip to Haiti to visit Lycée Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, will be given for the best and most creative uniforms, most innovative means of participation, and most notable and picturesque venues.

Participants can join others by “˜like’ing our Facebook page and following us on Twitter to post updates and images throughout the event.

While there is still plenty of time to develop your idea, train and enter your place, The Moodie Report requests that everyone who has expressed an interest or intention to take part officially sign up as soon as the central website is unveiled.

For more information please contact Joanna.Puckett@TheMoodieReport.com

SCENES FROM PREVIOUS MOODIE MULTI-NATIONAL MARATHONS

Food & Beverage The Magazine eZine