HQ Hop raises thousands for LionHeart
A summer virtual fundraiser involving more than 200 surveyors from all over the UK has come to an end, having raised thousands of pounds for LionHeart.
The HQ Hop challenge, organised and led by our corporate partners SDL Surveying, ran throughout June, with teams of up to 10 covering the virtual distance between RICS headquarters in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast, along with LionHeart’s office in Birmingham.
There were 234 participants in 32 teams, who walked, ran or cycled an incredible combined 20,098 miles throughout the month. The challenge is expected to raise over £15,000 through individual donations and sponsorship, some match funding from firms and Gift Aid.
The annual fundraiser began as a fun head-to-head challenge between trainee surveyors at SDL and Countrywide Surveying Services in June 2022 but has grown to involve more and more firms and individuals each year, this year including sole traders, small firms, students and support staff - with some company from kids and dogs along the way!
Thanking participants, Adrian Drummond MRICS, head of academy services at SDL Surveying and one of the main organisers, said: “Your energy, enthusiasm and commitment made a real difference - raising vital funds, driving awareness for a great cause, and giving back to your profession. Thank you!”
LionHeart’s corporate partnerships and fundraising executive Lucy Wright said: “Once again, we’ve been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic commitment to this challenge and have loved seeing all the posts, pictures and videos on social media - even on the very hottest of days!
“We’re so grateful to everyone who got involved, particularly to our long-time supporters at SDL Surveying for being the driving force behind it. It really is a special collective effort from the surveying community to support their own.
“Although we’ve celebrated the ‘winners’ in each category, the real winner is LionHeart and the people we’re here to support, so our heartfelt thanks to all concerned!”
Some firms had multiple teams enter, including Connells, which had 9 separate teams and contributed more than £4,000 of total raised, and Quantem, which had teams competing against each other in different categories and scooped first team to target distance in both walking and cycling leagues.
Our roll call of fame:
