Colleagues, including those from the Leeds and Bradford head offices, have the option of completing a 10 mile or 10 kilometre walk over the moors, and the more daring can opt to zipline from the iconic Cow and Calf rocks. Over 280 colleagues have signed up to take part in the event which is due to take place on 25 July.
FareShare is the UK’s leading food redistribution charity. The charity redistributes quality surplus food from the food industry - that would otherwise go to waste - to over 8,000 local charities across the UK, including lunch clubs for older people, community kitchens, breakfast and after school clubs, domestic violence refuges, and homeless shelters. Beyond providing food, these organisations bring people together, reduce isolation, promote psychological and physical wellbeing, and enhance employability, helping give people the skills and connections they need to thrive.
Yorkshire Building Society has partnered with FareShare until June 2026 to fund an employability programme that aims to help lift people out of financial hardship.
By taking on the challenge, the team is hoping to raise more than £35,000, as part of a £1million fundraising drive that will fund FareShare’s Building Skills for the Future programme, which will support, equip and prepare over 2,500 people for employment.
Jo Bottomley, Community Manager at Yorkshire Building Society said: “What better way to raise money for our charity partner, FareShare, than taking on a challenge in one of Yorkshire’s most iconic locations. We’re delighted to see so many colleagues pull on their walking boots to take on the challenging 10 mile and 10 kilometre walks – and applaud those daring enough to zipline from the Cow and Calf rocks!
“We’d like to thank everyone that has donated to our cause so far, as their generosity will help support FareShare’s Building Skills for the Future programme, which will, in turn, have a huge impact on its users’ lives.”
Gareth Batty, Director of Network at FareShare said: “We are hugely grateful to all the colleagues who are taking on the challenge of fundraising for FareShare through the Ilkley Cow and Calf challenge. We hope that as many people as possible will support this and help contribute towards the Building Skills for the Future programme.
“The partnership with Yorkshire Building Society makes an important contribution to our employability programmes and will help thousands of people seek long-term employment. The programmes are part of FareShare’s mission to strengthen communities and use surplus food to unlock opportunity”
The partnership between Yorkshire Building Society and FareShare is funding Building Skills for the Future, a unique employability programme facilitated by FareShare’s network partners at locations across the UK. The programme is designed to prepare people for employment through work experience, qualifications, and CV and interview skills workshops.
In addition, the partnership funds an outreach programme offering free, face-to-face sessions and workshops helping participants overcome financial hardship by supporting the building of important skills such as CV writing, job searching and improving financial wellbeing. It is hoped that the two programmes will help 2,500 people improve their employability and help them become more financially resilient.
For more information on the partnership between Yorkshire Building Society and FareShare please visit www.ybs.co.uk/fareshare.