Intrepid colleagues from Yorkshire Building Society, including teams from Accord and YBS Commercial Mortgages are taking to the famed moors of Ilkley to raise money for the mutual’s charity partner, FareShare.
Colleagues, including ‘the Pied Pipers’, a team of five from Accord, and 15 from YBS Commercial Mortgages, 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 across Accord and Yorkshire Building Society have signed up to take part in the event which is due to take place on 25 July.
The teams’ fundraising efforts will be promoted via the Accord and YBS Commercial Mortgages social media channels on Social Media Giving day on 15 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, colleagues across Yorkshire Building Society, Accord and YBS Commercial Mortgages are 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.
Jeremy Duncombe, Director of Intermediary Distribution at Accord said: “I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s incredible effort in supporting our charity partner, FareShare. Taking on a challenge in one of Yorkshire’s most iconic locations is a fantastic way to raise both funds and awareness.”
Angela Norman, Managing Director of YBS Commercial Mortgages, added: “It’s inspiring to see so many of our colleagues lacing up their walking boots for the demanding 10-mile and 10-kilometre routes—and even more so to see the brave few taking on the zipline from the Cow and Calf rocks!
“The money raised will go towards our ambitious £1m fundraising target which will help lift 2,500 people out of financial hardship.”
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 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.
