Business, Clients and Suppliers Unite for UK Wide Charity Challenge in 2026

A UK wide Vertas Group leadership and engagement initiative launching in 2026 will see senior leaders, colleagues, clients and suppliers come together to strengthen partnerships while raising funds for Cancer Research.

The programme, titled Exec Experiences: Race Around the UK, launched on World Cancer Day 2026 to colleagues, takes inspiration from the popular television series Race Around the World and is designed to move relationships beyond the boardroom through shared challenge, collaboration and community impact.

Running between June and July 2026, the initiative will involve six teams racing across different regions of the UK as part of a two day challenge that combines physical endurance, strategic decision making and teamwork. Each team will be led by an Executive Director and will include a mix of colleagues, clients and supplier partners.

Participants will travel a total of 52 miles over two days, using a combination of transport methods and managing all travel and additional food costs from a shared team budget. Final destinations will remain secret until the start of each event, encouraging teams to adapt, collaborate and problem solve together in real time.

At the heart of Exec Experiences 2026 is a strong commitment to charity and social value. Every participant will raise a minimum of £250 for Cancer Research, ensuring that the challenge delivers meaningful, measurable impact beyond the experience itself. Teams will also engage with local communities along their route, sourcing and promoting local items as part of the wider storytelling of each journey.

The programme has been intentionally designed to deepen existing relationships and strengthen long term partnerships by bringing people together in a shared, purpose driven environment. By removing traditional hierarchies and placing participants on equal footing, the experience encourages trust, openness and collaboration in a way that conventional business settings rarely allow.

Commenting on the launch, Ian Surtees MBA, FIoD, Group Chief Executive Officer, at Vertas Group, said: “Exec Experiences 2026 is about more than the challenge itself. It’s about bringing our people, clients and suppliers together in a way that reflects our shared values, strengthens our partnerships and allows us to give back to communities nationwide. By working side by side and supporting Cancer Research, we’re demonstrating how collaboration can create positive impact far beyond our organisation.”

The six experiences will start from key office and client locations across the UK, including sites in Cornwall, the South, East of England, the Midlands, the North and Scotland, with each team camping overnight and operating as a self sufficient unit. Safety measures will be in place throughout, including trained first aiders and mandatory rest periods.

The winning team will be recognised at its annual awards event, where the collective fundraising total will be presented to Cancer Research on behalf of everyone involved in the programme. Exec Experiences: Race Around the UK represents a new approach to leadership engagement, combining partnership, social responsibility and shared experience to deliver lasting value for individuals, organisations and the communities they serve.

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