Accumulator Challenge

Graf UK and the Accumulator Challenge

Graf UK have taken part in the Accumulator Challenge three times, and in that time, they have raised a staggering £48,166 and won six awards! They have used some very creative techniques to raise vital funds for the hospice and to become the ultimate accumulators two years in a row, stealing the crown from Dematic.

The staff at the Banbury-based firm support the hospice as the charity is very close to the hearts of the people at Graf UK.

A number of employees have had family and close friends receive excellent care from the hospice team and this is the motivation that has driven the team to excel in the challenge over the years. In 2019/20 they scooped the Most Creative Fundraising Award after organising a road trip around Europe.

In 2019, they kicked off the challenge by holding a pub quiz for the staff, family and friends, and during December, they held a German Christmas Market at their Banbury office. With proceeds from the first two events, the team then had enough funds to launch the Great Graf Expedition!

The expedition was a Top Gear/Grand Tour style event in which two employees, Jack and James, travelled to every Graf location in Europe (eight in total) in a 1994 VW golf. The car cost £350 and the tour took 12 days, where Jack and James visited Graf offices in Scotland, Ireland, Poland, Germany, France and Spain, to name but a few.

The drivers raised funds through donations and business sponsorship on the car. The Golden EcoBloc maxx crate, which sat on top of the car throughout the tour, still sits in the Graf UK Banbury reception as a memento of their epic trip and fundraising triumph.

In 2023/24, they were determined to steal the Ultimate Accumulator crown from Dematic, who raised £12,206 in 2019/20. The team at GRAF held a 24-hour rowing challenge, which entailed staff, friends, family and clients rowing 344 miles from the Banbury to Glasgow offices, and through sponsorship and support from clients, suppliers and other businesses, the team raised more than £12,000! It was a gruelling 24 hours, but with every hour the donations kept coming in and each row was getting closer to the ultimate reward!

With their extra fundraising prior to the event, they raised £15,503 and bagged themsleves the Ultimate Accumulator Award.

“The best thing about the Accumulator Challenge is allowing people to think of creative ways to raise money for Katharine House. We could have done easy events or common fundraising activities, but we had the freedom to think differently and came up with the Christmas Market, the expedition, rowing challenge and triathlon.” Callum Vallance-Poole

Bigger and better

However, in 2024/25 the gang wanted to go bigger and better than ever and after a solid start to the challenge, raising money through ‘Movember’ and a Christmas quiz they set their sights on their extreme challenge! In January 2025, they set off on the GRAF UK triathlon and ran, cycled and kayaked their way from their Glasgow office all the way to Banbury.

A team of 12 took on the cold winter weather; wind and rain and the gruelling terrain over 400 miles, passing iconic landmarks such as the Kingston Bridge and historic dockyards. They completed the challenge over five days and ended the trek at Lock29 in Banbury, where they were joined by family, friends and colleagues for celebrations. That year, GRAF UK raised £25,416 and took home three awards: Most Money Raised by a Business, the Ultimate Accumulator and the inaugural GRAF UK Extreme Challenge Award.

Taking part in the challenge helped to bring the company together to achieve a common goal and the whole team were all aligned to raise as much money as possible. Callum reaffirmed how the staff embraced the challenge: “the Accumulator Challenge is a great way to bring your team together and unite the whole business, whilst doing a great thing for a great local charity. Sign up now, you won’t regret it!”

So has GRAF’s story inspired you?! Taking part in the Accumulator Challenge is about teamwork, creativity and collaboration, plus supporting your local hospice. Whether you raised £1,000 or £25,000, it’s taking part that counts and we would love to have you join us for the 2025/26 challenge!