Blog. Bennett Hay’s Big Year of Giving Back.
May 01, 2026 | Author Giuliana Vittiglio
Marking a milestone 15th year, Bennett Hay is celebrating by giving back in a big way. We caught up with Managing Director Zoë Watts to hear how the team is turning a standout year for the business into an opportunity to support causes close to their hearts, including Hospitality Action.
Why was it important for you to support charity partners as part of your 15 year anniversary celebrations?
This year is a real celebration of our milestone anniversary and everything our founders Robin and Anthony have built. It’s also been our most successful year to date, with some fantastic milestones along the way, from 100% client retention to new contract wins, a strong number of partnership extensions, and growing to over 300 colleagues.
With that growth comes both the capacity and the appetite to give something back. It felt like the right moment to do something meaningful as a team. Hospitality Action, Arts for All and Drive Forward Foundation are all causes that mean a lot to our colleagues, so the decision to support them was an easy and unanimous one.
Covering over 80 miles and visiting 45 client sites is no small feat, what were some of the standout moments from the day?
Considering I hadn’t been on a bike for about a year, it probably wasn’t my wisest decision, but I really did enjoy it… eventually.
I started at Ocado in Hertfordshire and made my way to Slough via Uxbridge, mostly along the Grand Union Canal. The scenery was a real bonus and definitely helped distract me from the increasingly loud complaints from my legs.
Cycling through London on the Saturday was a real highlight. We set off from Waterloo at 7am, and crossing a quiet Westminster Bridge with the sun shining on Big Ben felt very special. Passing Buckingham Palace shortly after, then heading through Victoria Park and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, made it a memorable route, and showed just how easy it is to get around London by bike now.
That said, the standout moment was definitely the finish line, closely followed by the excellent food our chefs had waiting for us. Priorities.
How important is it for you as a business to create opportunities like this for your team to connect and give back?
These initiatives are really valuable to us as a business; they make us what we are and what we represent, and this was recognised recently with our BCorp™️ certification.
We bring people together throughout the year, but when it’s for a charitable cause, community or wellbeing, it feels different. There’s a stronger sense of purpose, and people really get behind it.
To have over 70 colleagues, along with clients, friends and family, give up their weekends to take part says everything. It’s something I’m very proud of. The feedback from The Big Hike has been brilliant, and the main question we keep getting is, “When are we doing it again?” which is a good problem to have.
The fundraising continues until September, what else do you have planned and why was it important to make this more than just a one-day effort?
Fifteen years is a big milestone, so we wanted to make a proper year of it rather than just a one-day celebration. Spreading the fundraising across the year means we can raise more, and more importantly, give everyone the chance to get involved in their own way.
We’ve already had some great efforts, including bake sales across a few sites, and there’s more in the pipeline. The Institute of Hospitality London committee has also kindly agreed to support us at their upcoming event in May.
Our teams are full of ideas, and there’s always a bit of healthy competition between sites, which really helps. With a shared goal of reaching £15,000, I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with next.
As Bennett Hay continues its anniversary year, the team’s commitment to giving back shows no signs of slowing down. Many thanks to everyone involved in raising funds for our life-changing work, if you can make a donation, not matter how large or small, please click here.
And if you'd like to nominate us as your charity of the year, please get in touch. #wevegotyou