mum meets: mark lewis, chief executive of hospitality action.

mum is involved and invested in our industry. In this series, we hear from the people behind our charity and not-for-profit partners, who share our mission to make hospitality a better place to be.

First up: we talk to Mark Lewis, Chief Executive of Hospitality Action – a charity that’s been taking strides to support as many hospitality people as possible since 1837 (and for which our founder Craig is a Patron). Read on to find out their proudest achievements, and hear their motivational message for the whole industry… 

why does hospitality action exist?

Hospitality Action (HA) is UK hospitality’s safety net. We offer lifelines to people who work, or have worked, in hospitality and hit a bump in the road. We help people through physical and mental health issues, poverty, addiction, relationship breakdown, domestic abuse, bereavement, and all the other challenges that can affect us all at some time in our lives.

what made you want to work for hospitality action?

For ten of the fourteen years I worked at the Caterer, I was a Trustee at HA. The two organisations boast more than 300 years of heritage between them and they’ve been closely aligned for many years. 

Being a Trustee brought to life the amazing work HA does to support people in difficulty or crisis, and Amanda Afiya and I launched several editorial initiatives in support of the charity. I was also a phone friend to Dora, one of the many elderly people who’ve been supported by HA’s brilliant Golden Friends retiree outreach programme – we spoke once every week or so for ten years, until she died in 2021. 

In short, I love HA and everything it stands for, and I jumped at the chance to move across when Penny Moore, the previous CEO, retired.

what does your role involve and how did you get where you are today?

My career path is an unorthodox one. It’s taken me from teaching English as a foreign language in Southeast Asia, to writing Rough Guides guidebooks to Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam; from contributing travel articles to the Mail on Sunday and the Times, to working on a trade magazine called Computer Weekly; and from running the Caterer to heading up HA.

My role is far-reaching. I get involved in all facets of the charity, so on any given day I could be working with the fundraising team on a forthcoming event, liaising with the Employee Assistance Programme team to support current clients or speak to new prospects, or making decisions on awarding grants. I also carry out a lot of ambassadorial work.

what are hospitality action’s proudest achievements?

Without wishing to be glib, every day is a proud day. Every day we award grants to hospitality households in crisis, provide practical and emotional support to some of the 200,000 lives supported by our Employee Assistance Programme, and reach out to Golden Friends to keep loneliness and isolation at bay.

what is hospitality action’s vision for the future?

To keep the hospitality workforce happy, healthy, and productive. And to keep innovating, whether that’s in how we raise funds, or in the services we offer the sector we serve. Invisible Chips are an example of the former; and our move into advocacy around finances, accommodation and benefits is an example of the latter.

how can our community support hospitality action?

Get involved! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Vimeo. Drop us a note at fundraising@hospitalityaction.org.uk. Or participate in Walk for Wellbeing or another of our many brilliant fundraising programmes.

what does hospitality mean to you?

A smiley face, an arm round the shoulder, a shared experience, going the extra mile.

what motivational message would you like to share with fellow hospitalitarians?

From an HA perspective, I take any opportunity that presents itself to reiterate our strapline: “we’ve got you.” It embodies all that we stand for, and all that we do.

Find out more about Hospitality Action. Get involved in Walk for Wellbeing – the annual fundraising event our founder Craig launched on behalf of Hospitality Action. Or discover the other ways we give back at mum.