This December can you commit to walking 25 miles?
We are asking you to step out and walk 25 miles over the month of December. Will you join us and commit to the challenge? Not only will you be fundraising but we hope that your Winter Walk will give you some time and space to focus on your own wellbeing. Especially now the days are getting shorter.
Here at Sands, we want to ensure that everyone affected by the loss of a baby gets the support they need and deserve when facing the toughest of time. We want to campaign for change and support research so that fewer babies die and so that fewer families experience the pain of losing a baby. By taking part in Sands Winter Walk you can help make this change possible.
Sign up by joining the Facebook group
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Resources
Digital tracker - download a digital tracker to record your steps here (there's one in your pack also!)
Badges - download badges to share your progress with friends and family.
Sponsorship form - download this form to collect cash donations. You can then pay these onto your Facebook fundraiser and send us a photo/scan of the form to allow us to claim Gift Aid.
Scavenger hunt - wrap up warm and go on a hunt when you are out walking this December. Can you find everything on the list? Download it here.
You may have questions about the challenge. If you need to speak to a member of our team, you can email walk@sands.org.uk – but we’re quite busy to it may take us a couple of days to get back to you. In the meantime, you can read our FAQs below.
FAQs:
How do I sign up?
To sign up to the challenge, join the Winter Walk Facebook group.
Once you’re in the group, you can register for your t-shirt & snood, set up your Facebook Fundraiser, get tips, be inspired and find out anything you want to know about the challenge!
I don’t have Facebook but want to take part. How do I do this?
No problem! Simply fill out the registration form.
We will send you a fundraising pack, t-shirt and snood and you can set up an Sands online fundraiser or a JustGiving Page.
Is there an entry fee?
There is no entry fee for this challenge but we do however ask you to fundraise as part of your challenge. You can set up a Facebook Fundraiser in a few seconds. And then it’s really easy to share the page with your friends and family.
Is there a fundraising target?
We have no minimum or maximum amount that we would like you to raise. From our point of view, no matter how much money you raise, it will go towards supporting bereaved families across the UK.
How do I raise money?
You can set up a Facebook Fundraiser or a JustGiving page in a few seconds. And then it's really easy to share the page with your friends and family.
Can I just raise money offline with a sponsorship form?
Absolutely. You can collect sponsorship in any way you like. We simply recommend using a Facebook Fundraiser for this challenge, but if you’d like a sponsorship form, you can download one here.
How do I get my free snood?
We'll send you a Sands snood and t-shirt after you put your address in here and set up your Facebook Fundraiser.
When will I get my fundraising pack and snood?
You should receive your pack within 10 working days of signing up. If you don't, please email walk@sands.org.uk and we can look into this for you.
Please make sure you add your email address when registering as you will receive a notification from notifications@partridgesuk.com to confirm when your pack has been dispatched and is on its way to you.
What is in my fundraising pack?
A welcome letter, free Sands t-shirt & snood, miles tracker and scavenger hunt document.
My family want to do the challenge with me. Can they have snoods?
No problem! Simply ask them to fill out the registration form here and we will send them fundraising packs and snoods.
If they're not fundraising, you can buy additional t-shirts and snoods here.
How do I keep track of how many miles I've done?
The Health app on iPhone or Google Fit app on Android both keep track of how many miles you do each day. There’s other apps available so do pick whichever works best for you.
If you have a pedometer, sports watch, Apple Watch or FitBit, these can usually keep track of your miles too.
Once you're done for the day, mark off your miles on your paper tracker, included in your pack.
Do I have to walk my miles, or can I jog, run, climb or dance?
It’s up to you! We think most people will walk the miles, but if you want to complete them a different way, then go for it! Just be sure to post your progress and updates on your fundraising page so friends and family can cheer you on and we can see how you’re doing too!
Do my daily miles around the house count? Does a football game count? Can I do my miles on a treadmill?
There are people of all levels of fitness doing this challenge. The important thing is that you're doing something that challenges you. This will vary from person to person, so tailor the challenge however you like. It should be tough, but doable. You should feel satisfied when you finish it! And we appreciate every single step you do to help save babies’ lives.
What if I don't complete the challenge?
The only thing that matters is that you challenge yourself. Do as much as you can. Every mile helps.
Are there any other ways for friends and family to donate for my challenge?
If your friends and family are not able to donate online using your Facebook Fundraiser. We suggest asking them to transfer you the money, and you pay it into your Facebook Fundraiser yourself. You could also donate via our website: www.sands.org.uk/donate and adding the challenge name ‘Winter Walk' and the name of the person you are sponsoring. Please also email walk@sands.org.uk to let us know about this donation.
How do I pay in my fundraising?
If you’ve collected offline fundraising, the easiest way to pay this to Sands if by donating it to your Facebook Fundraiser.
If you don't have one, you can also donate on our website. You can do this here. Make sure to say that your money is for your Winter walk so that we can make sure it is added to your total.
Make sure you email your sponsorship form to walk@sands.org.uk after donating so we can claim valuable gift aid.
If you’re not able to donate this way, then drop us an email to walk@sands.org.uk and we can discuss other ways of getting the donation to us.
Can I fundraise as part of a group with my friends and family?
Yes you can! You can do a joint Facebook Fundraiser with your friends and family. The best way to do this is to nominate one person to create a Facebook Fundraiser. Please email walk@sands.org.uk to let us know that you are fundraising as part of a team.
Tip: Edit the ‘Title’ and ‘About’ section on your page to add your team's name and all your team member names.
How do I send you my sponsorship form?
If you’ve collected cash donations and have a completed sponsorship form, do scan and email this to us at walk@sands.org.uk so we claim any gift aid. If you’re not able to scan or send us a clear photograph, drop us an email anyway and we can let you know where to send your form via post. Don’t worry about filling in the serial number, we will fill that in for you.
Someone/I accidentally donated to my Facebook fundraiser. Can you issue them a refund?
Unfortunately we can’t issue refunds - Facebook must do this. People can request a refund themselves from Facebook by following the below steps:
Send them this link: https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/162031714239823
Select — I donated to a fundraiser on Facebook
Select — I want a refund for my donation(s)
Select — I made a donation by accident. Find their donation in the dropdown and request the refund.
I’ve created multiple fundraising pages - can I combine them?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to merge fundraising pages. What we suggest is to focus on sharing and updating one of the pages and set the end date to the other page for the next day. Both of your online pages will be included in your final total.
What if I get an injury?
We advise you take every precaution to keep fit and healthy and not undertake any activity that you don't feel comfortable with or that might cause you to hurt yourself. If in doubt, please check with your GP. If you do get injured during the challenge, we encourage you to postpone completing it until you get fit and healthy again - we'll still be here to support you whenever that might be.
How do I stay safe in the Facebook group?
Whilst this group is Private, anyone on Facebook can join and view the content. Please take care not to share personal information, including maps sharing your location, and avoid meeting up with or messaging others outside of this group, without taking appropriate precautions.
Do I have to prove I’ve completed the challenge?
You don’t need to prove you’ve completed the miles – we trust you! You can post videos, pictures and updates on your fundraising page and in the group though, so we can see and congratulate you on your progress. Sharing updates is also a great way to show those who have sponsored you that you’re committed to completing the challenge.
Will I get a medal?
Everyone who raises over £150 will get a medal and certificate after the challenge ends. You don't need to do anything to get this. If we need any extra details from you, we'll be in touch.
If you move house, please let us know by emailing walk@sands.org.uk.
Can I use Strava?
Yes of course!
The link to the Winter Walk Strava site is - here.