Sponsored walk aims to raise £10,000 for The Drinks Trust

By James Lawrence

Published: 16 May, 2025

A new fundraising initiative spearheaded by Ali Mann of Emma Wellings PR will see members of the trade tackle a 22km Thames walk this September.

Entitled 'Walk It Together', the event hopes to raise £10,000 for the charity, while also paying tribute to the late Dan Townsend, former chair of The Drinks Trust.

This formidable hike will take place on 12 September, beginning at Fuller’s Griffin Brewery in Chiswick and finishing at Tower Bridge, following the Thames riverside path through central London.

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“I’ve known The Drinks Trust and the amazing work they do for a long time. I’m also a big fan of river walks, and I knew I wanted to do something to help hit the charity’s £1 million target for 2025. This walk felt like the right way to contribute,” said Mann.

This year marks 10 years since Townsend led the original Chair’s Challenge walk in 2015, making the event especially poignant.

She added: “It’s a tribute to Dan, and our goal is to raise £10,000 to mark 10 years since his challenge. The industry has faced tough times, and you never know when you might need support from a charity like The Drinks Trust. So let’s Walk It Together.”

Vinarchy, TWE Global, Mentzendorff, Decanter and Australian Vintage have already pledged their financial support, while Fuller’s will host the starting point at its historic riverside brewery.

The Drinks Trust CEO Nicky Burston commented: “We are deeply grateful to the participating companies, sponsors and walkers for championing our work through this incredible initiative. A heartfelt thank you goes especially to Ali Mann for both conceiving the idea and for her longstanding generous support. This walk holds special significance for our team and many of the participants, as it serves as a tribute to our late chair, Dan Townsend, and the lasting legacy he leaves behind in both our charity and the wider drinks industry.”

The walk is open to industry colleagues and supporters, with more details to be released in the coming weeks.

The Drinks Trust is the industry’s leading charity, providing financial assistance, well-being services, and educational support to people across the sector.

It describes its core mission as “ensuring that everyone working in the drinks trade knows that help is available when they need it most”.

Donations to the walk can be made here.

And if anyone is interested in a place on the walk, please contact walkittogether25@gmail.com where these will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

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