4 May 2023
How to organise a charity walk to raise money
Tips on setting up a successful fundraising walk
Why organise a fundraising walk?
Whether you’re looking for fundraising ideas for kids or want to start something to rally your local community, there are a range of reasons why a fundraising walk can be the ideal solution:
- They aren’t as physically demanding as runs, so can be entered by more people.
- It's not just for adults - children, babies in prams and even dogs can take part.
- They’re a great way to enjoy the great British outdoors.
- They allow you to meet new people as you chat along the way.
- They’re simple and don’t need extra equipment or an indoor venue.
- They give you the opportunity to engage the community as you walk.
Tips for organising a fundraising walk
Give yourself time to fundraise and prepare
Any fundraising event should be planned well in advance. Although it can be tempting to jump straight into an adventure, giving yourself the proper time to prepare, advertise and fundraise will mean you’re more likely to be successful. It’s wise to give yourself a few months minimum, although planning the event a year ahead can be a great way to ensure you maximise its potential.
Offering some advice on why planning is so important, Parent Teacher Association+ explain: “A well-planned event will anticipate safety issues, thus avoiding any disasters on the day. If you expect large numbers, notify relevant authorities beforehand, and ensure that you have sufficient volunteers/staff to cope. Check that your public liability insurance cover is up to date.”
READ MORE: How to fundraise
Pick a sensible location and route
The location will be crucial in getting more people involved if you’re looking for a range of participants. It needs to be somewhere that’s easy to access, somewhere people will actually want to spend time walking through and somewhere that doesn’t have too challenging terrain (unless you are planning an advanced hikers/climbers walk, of course). It's a great idea to find a route that is accessible for wheelchair users too, such as checking there is a level path and it's not too steep.
Once you’ve decided on a rough location, pinning down a route is essential. You need something that offers a genuine challenge to encourage more donations, but that’s also achievable. Considering the skill level of the participant you want to attract is useful – do you want it to be open to anyone, or something that’s more suited to fitness enthusiasts looking for a challenge?
Remember, your route might have to change on the day as you never know what’s going to happen, so be sure that you know the area well in case you do need to take a diversion.
READ MORE: Top 10 fundraising tips you need to know
Be vigilant with the date you choose
The date you choose can make or break your event. Get it right, and you’ll open up the event to a wide range of people. By not thinking about the date and what else may be happening on that day you risk excluding people who may want to be involved. Check what other events are happening on the day you’re considering – think locally, regionally and even nationally (if it’s Wimbledon’s final day, do you really want to choose that?)
Walk England talks more about this in their guide on organising a walking event: “Getting the timing right can be the key to success. Obviously, the summer months are less likely to be affected by poor weather and give you longer days, but you are likely to be competing with an already busy event season; therefore, it’s worth considering spring and autumn which can also provide very pleasant walking conditions.”
They continue: “Once you’ve narrowed down the time of year, you’ll need to find out what other events are planned around the same time. As well as walking events you should consider other things that may compete for the same audience. In an ideal world, you should pick a date that doesn’t clash with any significant competitor. Always check for any major sporting fixtures or large events which people will be watching on TV.”
Consider reaching out to local businesses
Getting local support on board in more than just the form of volunteers can be a great way to accelerate your event, taking it from a small walk into a community-backed project. A wonderful way to do this is to talk to local businesses. They can offer support in a range of ways, from advertising your event in their store and on their social media to sponsoring the event in exchange for advertising space. They might even want to send their own team to join the event.
When reaching out to local businesses, make sure that you are only contacting those who share similar values to your event; those who will be passionate about your cause.
Advertise online for participants and donations
Social media will be your best friend in the run-up to your event, not only helping you drum up donations from friends and family but finding participants and more. As well as creating your own social media profiles to promote your walk and share details about how to enter or support, look at local groups, ask local businesses who are getting involved to promote and more.
People will also be able to share images, videos and updates after the event, which, if you’re planning to run it annually (or just more than once) can be a good way to encourage future sign-ups and donations.
Raise money for World Vision
Why not organise your event as a Global 6K Walk for Water? Invite your friends, family and neighbours to walk six kilometres which is the average distance that children - often girls - walk every single day to fetch water for their community. Your fundraising will help us bring clean water to children and their communities living in some of the toughest places on earth. You will help to bring a future full of hope to children around the world.
If you want to support World Vision through any fundraising event, whether a charity walk or something different, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Our fundraising pack is filled with ideas, and you can contact our team by email at fundraising@worldvision.org.uk, or talk to us directly on 01908 244417.
