Olympic legend hails CPI Mortars’ record-breaking STEPtember

CPI Mortars’ STEPtember Challenge raised a staggering £18,500 – a new record for its annual pavement-pounding charity campaign that drew support from Olympic champion Sally Gunnell.

During the month-long challenge, 161 CPI colleagues collectively walked a blistering 24,668 miles, equivalent to almost circling the globe.

Sally, a 400-metre gold medal winner at the 1992 Olympics, hailed CPI’s ‘amazing’ performance in a video message specifically curated for the company.

She was speaking in her role as UK Ambassador for Cancer Support, CPI’s charity partner.

Pen Le Kelly, Communication and Engagement Manager for CPI Mortars. said: “Sally’s video was a testament to our colleagues’ commitment during STEPtember and their fundraising efforts throughout the year. We’re all so incredibly proud of their achievements. Their record-breaking results will make a meaningful difference to the charities supported.”

CPI donated 75p to charity for each mile covered during STEPtember. The funds will support 14 UK charities nominated by company sites nationwide.

Site champions

Site awards recognised outstanding collective efforts across the business during STEPtember. The Beaconsfield team was named ‘Top Stepping Site’, with 18 colleagues taking part and amassing more than 6.6 million steps. Its Southampton site achieved the Best Average Steps per Person, recording 12,712 steps per participant, per day.

In a separate STEPtember challenge, CPI’s Senior Leadership Team raised £3,000 for charity partner Cancer Support UK. This amount is in addition to the £9,000 collected through CPI’s Big Challenge in April, with teams walking, running and cycling more than 12,000 miles.

Pen Le Kelly continued: “STEPtember is a fundraising highlight and part of our wider commitment to colleague wellbeing and community engagement. It shows how teamwork, wellbeing, and community support can make a positive impact when people unite around a shared goal. Bring on next year’s STEPtember challenge.”