Charity: Virgin Unite
Fast Track's chosen charity is Virgin Unite, and,
to date, Fast Track entrepreneurs have generously donated over £2m.
Virgin Unite is the not-for-profit entrepreneurial foundation of the Virgin Group, which focuses on solving social and environmental problems ranging from the Disease Control Hub to combat the spread of disease in Sub-Saharan Africa, to economic empowerment and education initiatives.
Fast Track's charity fundraising goes towards Virgin Unite's Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship in South Africa.
Watch the video about the trip below:
Piers Linney, co-CEO of Outsourcery.
"If someone has the opportunity to come on a Virgin Unite Connection Trip, screw it, just do it. I didn’t really know what to expect but the trip has exceeded all my expectations, massively. In terms of the access, the people, the places."
Boyd Kershaw, Paul Wandless and Jason
Luckhurst, co-founders of Practicus.
"It was a life changing trip. Inspirational, heart warming and very very humbling. The school was full of enthusiastic believers who really want to make a difference and stop the cycle of poverty."
Peter Cullum, founder of Towergate insurance.
"We were humbled by the inspirational people we had the good fortune to meet and without doubt found the whole experience uplifting and life changing.".
Mike Parsons, founder of Barchester Healthcare.
"The trip opened my eyes. I met some of the most motivated and hard-working students you could imagine. South Africa requires more entrepreneurs and leaders backed by education and capital."
To read about Mike's subsequent funding of five underprivileged South African scholars a year to Stowe School, UK, click here (page opens in new window).
Tom Bloxham MBE, co-founder of Urban Splash Group
Leo Caplan, founder and MD of Morgan Brookes
Robert Bensoussan, former CEO of Jimmy Choo
Mike Parsons, founder and CEO of Barchester Healthcare
Perry Wilson, co-founder of InsureandGo
James Richardson, co-founder of InsureandGo
Peter Cullum, founder of Towergate Partnership
Lawrence Tomlinson, founder of LNT Construction
Sean Phelan, co-founder of Multimap
Mark Christophers, co-founder of West Cornwall Pasty Co
Martin Ainscough, founder of Ainscough Group
Matthew Riley, founder and CEO of Daisy Communications
Jason Luckhurst, co-founder and MD of Practicus
Boyd Kershaw, co-founder and HR director of Practicus
James Benamor, managing director of Richmond Group
Danny Chaney, managing director of BLU 3(UK)
Dean Hoyle, chairman of Card Factory
Iain MacGregor, director of Global Energy Group
Tony Banks, founder and chairman of Balhousie Care Group
Paul Caplan, president of GO Outdoors
Nick Jenkins, founder and chairman of Moonpig.com
Tristram Mayhew, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Go Ape
Rebecca Mayhew, co-founder of Go Ape
Greg Seeker, founder of Knowledge To Action
Heather Frankham, founder and chairman of Lifetime
Stephen Haines, founder and chairman of Carte Blanche Greetings
John Graham, CEO of GO Outdoors
Andy Lennard, founder and director of Texel Finance
Piers Linney, co-CEO of Outsourcery.
Mike Tomkins & Oliver Ragg, co-founders of TopCashback
Jim Lewcock, founder & MD of The Specialist Works
Stuart & Zoe Conroy, founder & MD of Activ8 Distribution
Steve & Sarah Bennett, co-founders of The Genuine Gemstone Company
Virgin Unite is the not-for-profit entrepreneurial foundation of the Virgin Group, which focuses on solving social and environmental problems ranging from the Disease Control Hub to combat the spread of disease in Sub-Saharan Africa, to economic empowerment and education initiatives.
Fast Track's charity fundraising goes towards Virgin Unite's Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship in South Africa.
The Branson Centre of
Entrepreneurship in Johannesburg provides
training, incubation and seed funding to support young underprivileged
entrepreneurs in South Africa. The school helps them follow their dreams
of owning and managing successful businesses. With the right encouragement,
these young entrepreneurs can make a huge difference
not only to their immediate communities, but ultimately to the whole of
South Africa.
not only to their immediate communities, but ultimately to the whole of
South Africa.
How to get involved
Guests at our Fast Track 100 awards dinner have the opportunity of bidding to travel to South Africa with Sir Richard Branson to see the benefit of the programmes.South African Connection Trip charity auction
The "life changing" trip includes:- Two nights at Richard's luxury game reserve, Ulusaba, all inclusive
- Two nights in Jo'burg to visit the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship
- Two Upper Class return flights on Virgin Atlantic from London to Jo'burg
Stories from some of Fast Track's winning bidders
Piers Linney, co-CEO of Outsourcery."If someone has the opportunity to come on a Virgin Unite Connection Trip, screw it, just do it. I didn’t really know what to expect but the trip has exceeded all my expectations, massively. In terms of the access, the people, the places."
Boyd Kershaw, Paul Wandless and Jason
Luckhurst, co-founders of Practicus."It was a life changing trip. Inspirational, heart warming and very very humbling. The school was full of enthusiastic believers who really want to make a difference and stop the cycle of poverty."
Peter Cullum, founder of Towergate insurance."We were humbled by the inspirational people we had the good fortune to meet and without doubt found the whole experience uplifting and life changing.".
Mike Parsons, founder of Barchester Healthcare."The trip opened my eyes. I met some of the most motivated and hard-working students you could imagine. South Africa requires more entrepreneurs and leaders backed by education and capital."
To read about Mike's subsequent funding of five underprivileged South African scholars a year to Stowe School, UK, click here (page opens in new window).
Fast Track entrepreneurs who have donated to date
The following have generously donated over £2m to Virgin Unite at the Fast Track 100 awards dinner charity auction in the last eight years to accompany Richard on the Connection Trip to South Africa:Tom Bloxham MBE, co-founder of Urban Splash Group
Leo Caplan, founder and MD of Morgan Brookes
Robert Bensoussan, former CEO of Jimmy Choo
Mike Parsons, founder and CEO of Barchester Healthcare
Perry Wilson, co-founder of InsureandGo
James Richardson, co-founder of InsureandGo
Peter Cullum, founder of Towergate Partnership
Lawrence Tomlinson, founder of LNT Construction
Sean Phelan, co-founder of Multimap
Mark Christophers, co-founder of West Cornwall Pasty Co
Martin Ainscough, founder of Ainscough Group
Matthew Riley, founder and CEO of Daisy Communications
Jason Luckhurst, co-founder and MD of Practicus
Boyd Kershaw, co-founder and HR director of Practicus
James Benamor, managing director of Richmond Group
Danny Chaney, managing director of BLU 3(UK)
Dean Hoyle, chairman of Card Factory
Iain MacGregor, director of Global Energy Group
Tony Banks, founder and chairman of Balhousie Care Group
Paul Caplan, president of GO Outdoors
Nick Jenkins, founder and chairman of Moonpig.com
Tristram Mayhew, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Go Ape
Rebecca Mayhew, co-founder of Go Ape
Greg Seeker, founder of Knowledge To Action
Heather Frankham, founder and chairman of Lifetime
Stephen Haines, founder and chairman of Carte Blanche Greetings
John Graham, CEO of GO Outdoors
Andy Lennard, founder and director of Texel Finance
Piers Linney, co-CEO of Outsourcery.
Mike Tomkins & Oliver Ragg, co-founders of TopCashback
Jim Lewcock, founder & MD of The Specialist Works
Stuart & Zoe Conroy, founder & MD of Activ8 Distribution
Steve & Sarah Bennett, co-founders of The Genuine Gemstone Company
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