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Travels so far as ACT goes on tour

Over 2026, ACT is popping up in exhibition form across the Group and around the world. ACT : On Tour is a travelling, curated showcase of just some of the stories, causes and examples of impact of the Trust's nine-year history.

In the UK and Ireland, this exhibition has been housed on a very special Ardonagh-green double-decker bus to bring ACT direct to colleagues like never before.

Three weeks ago, the bus set off on its journey, which will see it pull in at locations across Everywhen, Ardonagh Analytics Lab and Arachas. 

Having begun in Dorchester the end of the third week saw the ACT bus arrive in Manchester, perfectly timed for the annual BIBA event. So, let's catch up with ACT : On Tour.

Catching up with the ACT bus

After three weeks on the road, ACT's double-decker has stopped off at seven locations: Dorchester; Southampton; Northampton; Stevenage; Norwich; Leicester; and Manchester.

In Dorchester with RiskSTOP Group
Ice cream weather in Dorset
In Southampton with the Everywhen team
The tour continued to Everywhen in Northampton
Pulling in at Stevenage
The Stevenage team
Next up, Norwich
And on to Leicester
Ending the week in Manchester

At each stop, colleagues have had the opportunity to step on board to explore a host of objects, media, music, and more that represent just some of the stories behind the 1,000+ causes ACT has got behind since 2017 – all connected to Ardonagh colleagues.

From Bright Future Prize to tree planting, and from charting the efforts to build Daisy Lodge to mental health, the exhibition brings ACT to life like never before.

As well as learning what, together, ACT and our people have achieved to date, colleagues can also learn more about how to use ACT's funding programmes over their time in the Group, ranging from Community Grants to match funding. 

Along the route, ACT is thanking each office hosting the bus with a donation to a chosen cause. So far, some amazing charities have been supported:

Remembering ACT's origin story in Manchester

The bus's arrival in Manchester was a particularly pertinent stop, with the city being at the heart of ACT's origin story when the Trust was first established in 2017.

ACT's opening chapter connects to a moment of tragedy and everlasting change for a family and a community. In May 2017 a moment shook the UK – and the world – when the Manchester Arena bombing led to the loss of 22 innocent people and thousands more impacted.

This loss included a passionate pipe player, a member of a small island community, and a 14-year-old girl – Eilidh – who came from the Isle of Barra in Scotland and was the niece of an Ardonagh colleague.

At this time, Ardonagh was yet to be launched, but the leadership team felt compelled to act and the decision was made to temporarily pause the creation of the business to establish a platform to respond to the tragedy and to give back into the future.

And so, ACT was born – a charity accessible to all Ardonagh people worldwide. ACT has grown and evolved hugely over the past nine years, but our beginnings will never be forgotten.

Marking ACT's beginnings at BIBA and in the city

We were delighted to join Everywhen at the annual BIBA drinks event, hosted at 20 Stories. Looking out over Manchester's skyline, it was a fitting venue for ACT to display a capsule collection of stories demonstrating the power of doing good.

Paying homage to ACT's connection to the city, we also related the story of Barra, with the display next to a beautiful outlook across Manchester.

ACT making appearance at Everywhen's BIBA event
Overlooking Manchester, which lies at ACT's beginnings

The next day, the ACT : On Tour double decker pulled up on Cathedral Approach, just next to the Glade of Light memorial which remembers those lost in the Manchester Bombings. 

Over the day colleagues from Everywhen and passers-by were welcomed to hop on the bus to learn more about ACT and the special bond between the Trust and the city.

ACT’s global tour continues

At the very start of 2026, the ACT : On Tour exhibition visited London and Liverpool in the UK – displaying a capsule collection at Price Forbes and the annual Bravo Network’s Conference event respectively.

Following the bus, ACT : On Tour will then head over to Europe, before MDS Group and Envest Group later in the year – offering the chance to as many colleagues worldwide to get to know ACT better than ever before.

Culminating the grand exhibition will be the ever-anticipated Give Back event as we celebrate ACT and the power of giving through our annual Group-wide fundraising day.

For now, we look forward to the exhibition tour continuing!

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