Nearly 150 staff at regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming have started a virtual challenge to travel 40,000 miles – the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe.
The firm, which has an office in Bath, launched the challenge as part of its Back:Better campaign as it looks towards the end of the coronavirus restrictions and returning to normal operations. 
With nearly 40% of its workforce forming Team BF on the virtual starting line, the aim is now to grow this by signing up more staff along with friends, family, contacts and clients.
The firm is already planning hikes, fun runs, cycle rides, beach cleans and a half marathon for later in the year as part of the challenge.
The challenge will launch from Bishop Fleming’s new flagship Bristol base – the largest of its seven offices – and then virtually head east through Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America and Africa before returning to Bristol.
The route will ‘take’ participants through 31 countries on six continents – a total of 40,000 miles. The firm is using an innovative online platform to aggregate the activities and plot their journey in real-time.
The challenge has been designed to foster employee engagement as well as promote health and wellbeing and provide vital fundraising opportunities as part of the firm’s approach to corporate social responsibility. 
Bishop Fleming managing partner Andrew Sandiford, pictured, said: “After an unprecedented 18 months of being distanced from each other, this challenge is a great initiative to bring us back closer together whilst having some much-needed fun.
“We are an innovative, relationship-led business and that is why we’re launching our Round the World challenge – we want as many of our people, their families and our clients to join us in the attempt.”
Marketing director and challenge leader Paul Seymour added: “The flexibility of our challenge is what makes it so inclusive.
“Any activity that can be measured can be included, such as walking, hiking, running, cycling, swimming, rowing or even stand-up paddle boarding, meaning it will appeal to people of all abilities. Literally every step will count.”
