Stepping up to support the Great Green Wall
Staff fundraising for Tree Aid with Blue Skies 21st July 2021
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Superstar staff at Blue Skies showed their support for Tree Aid by taking part in the Great Green Walk challenge.
The team worked together to walk, cycle, run and swim 8,000km which is the proposed length of the Great Green Wall, across the entire width of Africa. Through their impressive teamwork, they raised funds for the Future Forest appeal which were matched by the UK government, meaning they had double the impact.
Who are Blue Skies?
Blue Skies - a leading manufacturer of fresh cut fruit, juice and vegan ice cream – are passionate about adding value at the source of their produce. They work closely with communities in countries including Ghana and Senegal to support local projects and inspire a new generation of farmers. And through all of their work they are committed to protecting biodiversity around their sites.
That’s why, when they heard about the Great Green Wall initiative to regreen land across Africa, they knew they had to do their bit to help make this ambitious movement a reality. Blue Skies were drawn to support Tree Aid’s contribution towards the Great Green Wall because of our shared passions for protecting vital landscapes and working with local communities.
Why 8,000km?
The close-knit team at Blue Skies are no strangers to health and fitness. The team challenged themselves to run, walk, cycle and swim a distance of 8,000km in eight weeks to reflect the proposed length of the Great Green Wall.
This African-led initiative envisages a mosaic of degraded land across the Sahel region of Africa being brought back to life. By restoring biodiverse landscapes and growing trees and vegetation, the Great Green Wall will also provide nutritious food and create green jobs for millions of people living along its path.
How Blue Skies went above and beyond
Walkers, swimmers, cyclists and runners from across the organisation got to work, doing their part to contribute towards their ambitious goal. In fact, their incredible team went above and beyond their target, and covered an astonishing 31,000km!
Blue Skies Head of Sustainable Development, Simon Derrick, told us how proud the team was to have smashed their target, and raised funds to help Tree Aid grow the Great Green Wall across Africa.
He said, “We have really enjoyed taking part in the Great Green Walk for Tree Aid! At Blue Skies, we’re dedicated to protecting biodiversity and working in partnership local communities. Supporting the Great Green Wall movement through Tree Aid is a perfect fit for our company ethos. The fundraising activity was a fantastic way for our teams to stay active, whilst raising money for an important cause.” 
You can congratulate the Blue Skies team on their incredible achievement with a donation today. Donations will support Tree Aid's work across the Sahel and help to contribute to the Great Green Wall Movement.