Planning a charity walk can be as easy or as hard as you want to make it and it’s always good to make sure you give yourself as much time as you can when organising one.
The best thing about walking is that almost anyone can do it, and the pace and routes often mean that wheelchair users are also able to join in the fun. Whether joining an organised walk or doing your own thing, walking is a great way to keep fit and raising money for charity makes it all the more rewarding.
Organised charity walks are really popular events as everyone taking part is raising money for charity, often the same one. These range from short routes to much longer challenges, some of them even happen at night adding a bit of extra excitement and something completely different to what you’d normally take on alone. Planning to take on one of these events is as simple as signing up, raising money and turning up on the day.
If you want to go your own way, you’ll need to plan a bit more carefully. First work out the route you want to take. It could be local, or further afield, mountainous or low level, whatever suits your fitness level and ability. Get some OS maps to check out trails and bridleways if you’re not going to use a well known route. It’s a good idea to get up to speed on basic map reading skills if you are not familiar with the area and think about what you’ll need to take with you if you are going a long way.
Getting a group together is a great way to make the walk more fun, this could be as small or big as you like. If you’re taking on a local or extreme walking challenge, or with a big group, it’s worth contacting the local paper and radio station to see if you can get some coverage, with the aim of raising more money! Local businesses are often prepared to donate as well.
There are a few basic items to take with you including plenty of water to stay hydrated, enough food to keep you going and some emergency sweets for when energy levels are getting low. Maps are an absolute must if you’re going anywhere you might get lost, smartphones are great but not always accurate and they could of course lose power when you need it most. Comfortable walking shoes, and our top tip- a spare pair of socks can be one of the best items you pack! Finally plenty of layers to keep warm. Good luck on your charity walk.
