Corporate teams are gearing up to take part in the Oxfam Trailwalker

After raising millions for charity and endless hours of training, teams are ready to take on the daunting Oxfam Trailwalker, writes Rachel Jacqueline

http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1353500/corporate-teams-are-gearing-take-part-oxfam-trailwalker

Teamwork and sheer will are mandatory for the 4,500 runners descending on the MacLehose Trail  this weekend for the annual Oxfam Trailwalker, a gruelling 100-kilometre charity foot race completed in teams of four with a 48-hour time limit.

But the quartets are usually not alone in their journey to the finish line; the teams are often formed among colleagues and supported – physically, emotionally and financially –  by fellow employees.

Corporate participation represents the largest and fastest-growing sector of the Trailwalker, says Kanie Siu Mei-kuen, director of fundraising and communications for Oxfam Hong Kong.

In 1986, the first year the event was open to the public, just 100 teams took part and raised HK$208,000; last year 1,179 teams raised HK$28 million. Almost HK$400 million has been raised in the past 27 years for Oxfam, a non-profit organisation focused on helping the poor.

More than 3,000 volunteers, 45,000 donors and 4,000 support team members are in action during the event. Over 40 key sponsors donate services and contribute vital manpower.

“The corporate community support helps us provide utilities, hiking gear, food and beverages to all participants and supporters, which helps them before and during the event,” Siu says.

For example, CLP Power has been providing the energy and infrastructure for the event since 1986. Each year, CLP lays more than 112,000 metres of cable, hangs over 42,000 light bulbs and high-beam lights, and supplies more than 9,800 power socket outlets.

Then, of course, there  are those who coax their bodies over the 100-kilometre journey.

The majority of teams represent their organisation or corporate sponsors across 15 “industry categories” designed to encourage “a bit of positive competition for the finishing time and donations raised between various corporations among the industries”, says Siu.

Each year, about 300 teams are classified as “special” by raising at least HK$30,000 each (the minimum is HK$6,800). These teams are then given priority for registration the following year. Siu says they are usually corporate teams. This year there are 459 special teams, up from 397 last year.

Financial services provider State Street, the event’s primary sponsor, also gets physically involved. “We’re not just a sponsor – over the years we’ve had hundreds of State Street employees join Trailwalker, not only as participants but also as volunteers to support Oxfam’s important work,” says Natalie Wu, the company’s vice-president of corporate citizenship for Asia-Pacific. 

There are also added benefits for participants in the event. “It’s all about teamwork and is a great opportunity for team building,” Siu says. “It’s also a fun way to develop team spirit within the corporate community,” 

“Workplace involvement in the Oxfam Trailwalker is a unique way to support employees and strengthen relationships with clients and suppliers. It can also help promote a healthy workforce … and increase an organisation’s charitable profile.”