Why ViMove is much more than a campaign for me.

On the 22nd of June 2020, the Viessmann Vimove For Climate Campaign began. The campaign encouraged Viessmann Family Members to run 1 km/cycle 3km and Viessmann would plant a Tree.

12 months on, 3,506km Run, 1,639 Trees planted. I would like to share my personal story of how Vimove has been much more than a campaign to make the world a greener place for me.

How everything began

I started my Vimove journey on the back foot, two days late due to a football injury. My first activity was the first time I had ever ran a full continual kilometer, completing my 6km run in 42 minutes.

Due to Covid-19, I have gone from commuting weekly between Huddersfield (UK) & Allendorf (DE), to working from home. During the uncertain, scary full lockdown, my Vimove activities were the only opportunity for me to leave the house daily. This mentally felt like driving at 100mph, to doing an emergency stop.

When I started this journey to help Viessmann plant trees and remain true to our purpose ‘We create living spaces for generations to come’ I didn’t envision how much this would help me mentally deal with working from home and the daily restrictions of Covid-19.

Help others

From here, running became my daily exercise and on most days this was the only reason I would leave the house. Into the winter months, I started pushing myself to run 10km’s a day. As the days begin getting shorter, darker & colder, closer to the festive season (The Time For Giving) this got me thinking, how can I help others who have been deeply affected by covid & could be struggling to even survive in these times, let alone enjoy the festive period.

After lots of brainstorming (whistle running). On the 30th of November 2020, I started a fundraising campaign, to raise money for my local food bank ‘Slaithwaite Mutual Aid’. The challenge was to run 10km’s for the 25 days of Christmas (25 Days of Christmas, Santa Dash), dressed as Santa with Christmas light and a bluetooth speaker playing festive music, under my Santa suit.

The support I received from the local community and my local gym ‘AVL Fitness Gym’ was unbelievable. I even participated in an interview on BBC Radio Leeds. With blistered feet and an aching body on Christmas Eve, the final day of the fundraising, I walked the 10km route pushing a shopping trolley collecting food donations from people who were unable to make it to the food bank. Throughout the fundraiser, running everyday for 25 days in the rain, wind, snow (Winter Conditions). I raised ￡3,500 and collected 9 shopping trolleys full of food donations. 

Not enough: more help needed 

Unfortunately, in January 2021 the UK was back in lockdown, with Gyms having to close. As my local GYM had supported me so much throughout the Santa Dash campaign, I wanted to do something to give back, whilst also helping the mental health of its members. On the 4th of January, the Vimove Campaign started it’s next round. With the owner of the GYM, we created a Facebook group, where gym members could get involved in Vimove and provide them with a platform to share their activities, achievements and stay connected. By the end of the campaign after submitting over 1,000 activities the GYM contributed 11,082 Trees!

I would have never imagined that, when I took the steps to complete my first ever 1km, all this would have been achievable. It just goes to show, when you have a purpose, anything is possible and great things can be achieved.

I would personally like to Thank Viessmann for giving me a purpose to get out and complete my first km. Running is now a daily part of my life, I have gone from the challenge of completing 1km to now running 10km’s a day.

The campaign has not only helped me mentally through these covid-19 times, it’s helped me and of course, helped others around me!

If you haven’t joined the Vimove For Climate Campaign already, follow the link below:

https://www.viessmann.family/en/how-we-co-create/our-responsibility/vimove/join-in

At #Viessmann #ViMoveTogether #VimoveForClimate #ViSucceed #ViTeam #ViMove

Yours James