It turns out that being the boss comes with responsibilities. On 9 June, those responsibilities included sitting very still while colleagues approached with custard, beans, flour and whipped cream.
Pie Day Payback brought colleagues from across The Underfloor Heating Store together for a lively charity challenge in support of Basildon Mind. For one afternoon, our senior leadership team were the targets, and the rest of the business were more than happy to help.
Event: Pie Day Payback
Date: 9 June
Cause: Basildon Mind
Ingredients: Custard, beans, flour and whipped cream
What was Pie Day Payback?
Pie Day Payback was our chance to make the senior leadership team pay the price for being in charge, all while raising money for an important local cause.
Dan, Alex, Luke Lee and DJ took their places in a row of chairs and prepared for what was coming. Colleagues from sales, tech, customer services and the warehouse then took turns pouring and splatting the chosen ingredients over them.
Custard and beans made an immediate impact. Whipped cream added the finishing touches, while the flour made sure that nothing stayed tidy for long. Some pours were carefully aimed. Others were delivered with considerably more enthusiasm.
There was no complicated scoring system. The messier our senior leadership team became, the better the event was going.
Different departments, one very messy plan
One of the best parts of Pie Day Payback was seeing people from across the business come together. Sales, tech, customer services and warehouse colleagues all joined in, creating plenty of laughter and a little healthy competition over who could deliver the most memorable splat.
Our senior leaders took everything in good humour, even when the combination of custard, beans, flour and whipped cream became as uncomfortable as it sounds. It may not have been the usual way to spend a working day, but their willingness to get involved helped make the fundraiser possible.
The event was deliberately light-hearted, but the reason behind it mattered to everyone taking part. Each donation helped turn a very messy afternoon into meaningful support for our local community.
Why we raised money for Basildon Mind
Basildon Mind is an independent local mental health charity supporting people across Basildon, Billericay and Wickford. Through counselling, wellbeing activities and other local services, the charity helps people find support within their own community.
As our Charity of the Year, Basildon Mind is a cause close to home. Mental health can affect anyone, including our colleagues, customers, friends and families. Supporting accessible local services is one practical way we can help ensure that people do not have to face mental health difficulties alone.
Every contribution made through Pie Day Payback added to our ongoing fundraising for Basildon Mind. The laughs came from the challenge, while the purpose remained firmly focused on supporting the charity’s work.
Thank you to everyone who got involved
A big thank you goes to every colleague who donated, took part or cheered the event on. Bringing together teams from several departments made Pie Day Payback feel like a genuinely shared effort.
Special thanks must also go to Dan, Alex, Luke Lee and DJ. Sitting in a row while your colleagues approach with open tins of beans and bowls of custard requires a particular kind of commitment to charity.
Pie Day Payback delivered plenty of mess, plenty of laughter and, most importantly, more support for Basildon Mind. Whether the senior leadership team will agree to a rematch remains to be seen. We will let the custard settle before asking.
Support our fundraising for Basildon Mind
You can help us continue supporting local mental health services by contributing through our Charity of the Year fundraising page.
To learn more about the charity and the support available locally, visit the Basildon Mind website.
