Businesses urged to take on virtual Coast to Coast challenge for charity
A team of brave individuals gathered on St Bees beach yesterday morning, braving the icy rain, to launch an appeal for businesses to participate in a Coast to Coast challenge. The challenge aims to raise money for Cumbrian people and communities in need.
Thankfully, businesses can take part in the 171-mile challenge from the comfort of their own homes, offices, or gyms, without having to face the unpredictable weather of Cumbria. The challenge, called the Virtual Coast to Coast Corporate Challenge, is organized by the Cumbria Community Foundation.
Caroline Adams, a relationships officer with the Foundation, was one of the trio who launched the challenge at St Bees. Despite the harsh weather conditions, she remained optimistic about the cause, saying, “The weather was awful – it was like we were being sprayed in the face constantly with icy water, but it’s all for a good cause. With a bit of luck, we will have dried out by the weekend.”
The main goal of this challenge is to raise funds for Cumbrians in need, including disadvantaged children and families, older vulnerable individuals, and fragile communities. The challenge is being held as part of the Cumbria Community Foundation’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
Chief Executive of the Cumbria Community Foundation, Andy Beeforth, expressed his excitement about the challenge, stating, “This is a brilliant way for businesses and our corporate supporters to raise money for local causes. For 25 years, the Foundation, through generous donors, has had a positive impact on thousands of lives. This challenge will help us to continue to do so. We also hope it will be a fun way for businesses and their staff to join together and give back to their community.”
The Foundation is inviting all Cumbrian businesses and organizations to join in the fun. Each business can register via a team captain, and each team and team member will have their own fundraising page. The funds raised from this challenge will go towards the Cumbria Community Foundation’s vital Cumbria Fund, which supports Cumbrian people and communities in need, or to the business’s own charitable fund if they have one with the Foundation.
The inspiration behind this challenge is the famous Coast to Coast Walk, created by Alfred Wainwright. The walk covers a distance of 171 miles from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay. Participants can virtually cover the same distance by walking, running, swimming, using a static bike, or even a treadmill. The only method not allowed is cycling. Any steps taken each day during the challenge will count towards the total mileage, whether it’s walking the dog, cleaning the house, or doing the weekly shop.
Teams will have six weeks to complete the 171 miles, or as much as they can manage, between Monday 20th May and Monday 1st July. This is an average of four miles per day. Every mile completed and pound collected will go towards supporting Cumbrian good causes. The mileage covered each day can be captured by Strava or logged manually on the fundraising page, and each team member’s supporters can donate directly through their page. The fundraising page also tracks each participant, showing how far along the route they are.
Rory Black, Director at Designworks in Kendal, expressed his excitement about participating in the challenge, saying, “The Virtual Coast to Coast Challenge is a great way to get people active whilst supporting a fantastic cause. The team at Designworks decided to take on the challenge because it is accessible and can be completed by walking, running, swimming, static exercise bike, and rowing machine, so it has something for everyone. We are looking forward to getting involved and raising funds for individuals and community groups in Cumbria.”
If you are a Cumbrian business and would like to take part in the Virtual Coast to Coast Corporate Challenge, you can find out more on the Cumbria Community Foundation’s website. To register, please visit the registration page. For those interested in becoming a Corporate Member of the Foundation, more information can be found on their website as well. Let’s all come together and support this great cause.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.