Young People and Education
At Hilton we know that it is our team members who convey the true spirit of hospitality. With so many young people joining in our training schemes we believe it is time to extend the concept of hospitality and service beyond the walls of our hotels into the local communities. We are investing in all our futures by concentrating on the vital areas of education and social responsibility to help the young people of today.
Hospitality and Leisure Causes
From the financing of apprentice schemes to helping mothers return to full time employment, the Foundation provides funds for employment related schemes to help those people who want to work or return to work in the hospitality and leisure sector.
Disaster Relief
Hilton International operates over 400 hotels worldwide. The Foundation aims to provide help and expertise for disaster relief and environmental protection in the communities in which we have hotels.
The Foundation currently supports an array of causes, including:
The Outward Bound Trust
The Outward Bound Trust offers personal development courses to enable young people to develop crucial skills like leadership and teamwork. The Foundation, in providing assistance for young people in this way, is very aware that those least able to afford a course are often those who benefit the most.
The National Police Community Trust
The National Police Community Trust supports youth and community groups to enhance life skills and promote social inclusion. The Foundation has helped fund a variety of drugs, tobacco and alcohol awareness programmes throughout the UK & Ireland, aimed at some of the nation's most deprived youngsters.
The British Olympic Foundation
The Foundation is helping to fund British Olympic Youth Camps, giving 9-11 year olds from across the UK access to a wide range of facilities and training techniques.
St. Augustine's Secondary School, Maida Vale, London
In partnership with St. Augustines School, Westminster Kingsway College and Westminster Community Partnerships, the Foundation is helping fund a course in Food Technology for 15 year old students. The students are one of the first groups in the UK to follow a more practical and vocational pre-16 GCSE course in catering. Hilton in the Communication Foundation invested £125,000 to build a fully equipped training kitchen for the school.The kitchen was opened in September 2002.The school has developed links with local employers who will provide mentors with the requisite skills to support the students on the course. The best practice model established will be disseminated across the U.K. where schools, colleges and Hilton hotels are in close proximity.
Queen Elizabeth Foundation - Promoting Equality for Disabled People
The Foundation is helping to fund the Travel Services/Marketing course at Queen Elizabeth's Foundation Training College. Disabled people who are unemployed learn new skills at the College in order to find a job and enjoy the satisfaction ofbecoming self-sufficient. The course is ideal for those seeking employment in the leisure and travel industry.
The Academy of Food and Wine Service
The Foundation is supporting the enhancement and development of the Academy's On The Job training and local college support. This focuses on giving young service staff food, wine and bar experienceand long-term career prospects in the hospitality industry.
With characteristic enthusiasm, Hilton team members have embraced the Hilton in the Community Foundation and organised a host of events to raise funds.
Hilton teamed up with Saracens Rugby Club for a nation-wide relay race involving different players and coaches transporting a vintage bottle of champagne around all 77 Hilton hotels in the UK and Ireland. Different modes of transport were used to move the champagne from one hotel to another, including a helicopter and a luxury motor yacht. After 80 days and 3,000 miles, the bottle of Taittinger champagne finally arrived at the Hilton London Metropole after the entire Saracens rugby squad had run the bottle the final two miles from the London Hilton on Park Lane. By year end, the efforts of all 15,000 Hilton team members involved in the 'Champagne Run' had raised a total of £32,200 for the Foundation.
In conjunction with a worldwide General Managers conference in London during September 2001, Hilton organised the 'Triple 7 Challenge' to raise funds for the Foundation. The day before the conference began, teams of General Managers from around the globe competed in three challenges: solving 7 clues, walking 7 miles and discovering 7 London landmarks. Everyone involved entered the spirit of the occasion, with some wearing fancy dress, including a team of German General Managers who walked the entire 7 miles in full Lederhosen. Through the generous sponsorship of team members, customers, friends and families, a total of £21,400 had been received by the end of the year.
On a summer Friday in July a group of keen bikers, comprising Hilton team members and suppliers, met at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole for a weekend of motorbiking events in aid of the Foundation. Events kicked off with a series of competitions and quizzes, including an obstacle course on monkey bikes in the hotel's car park. On Saturday morning, under the auspices of the Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists who kindly donated their time and a route plan, the participants rode out, finally arriving at Donnington Park for four laps of the circuit. On Saturday evening, partners and friends joined the team for a dinner and raffle, tickets for which had been sold in all Hilton hotels across the UK. The weekend culminated in a Sunday brunch and prize-giving. All in all, the weekend raised a total of £11,600 for the Foundation.
Three gala balls were held during the first year for the Foundation, raising a total of £84,900. The season started with the Hilton Glasgow Ball in March 2001, followed by the Hilton Norwich May Ball and The Midsummer's Ball at the London Hilton, organised in conjunction with the Guild of Freemen of the City of London.
In 2002, three spectacular Foundation Balls were held to raise money in Glasgow, Birmingham and London.
In addition to the above, a raft of other fundraising initiatives took place, including an 'Illuminations Switch Off' party at the Hilton Blackpool, a London to Brighton cycle ride from the Hilton Kensington, a Summer barbecue organised by head office, and no end of raffles, quiz nights, party nights, talent nights, marathons, sponsored swims and family fun days.
Fundraising Opportunities
Whilst events are central to our fundraising efforts in terms of money raised and publicity for the charity, the Foundation will focus on the full range of income generation - Gift Aid donations, Give As You Earn, trusts, legacies and trading.
Brand Definition 
Supporting the needs of local communities throughout the world where Hilton International operates.
The Future?
The emphasis is on expanding our fundraising around the world and five collection points have already been established in Europe. Hilton International will continue to support the Foundation by funding the administrative costs of the organisation.
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