Challenge Events

What is a challenge event ?

Basically it's a way of individuals or teams raising money, whilst at the same time having the "experience of a lifetime" themselves.

The extremes are individuals who choose to climb Everest whilst raising funds for charity, but many people running the big Marathons, like the London Marathon , will be donating their sponsorship to a local or national charity - in fact, it's increasingly becoming part of the spirit of these events .

For example, popular activitities include:-

• running a marathon
• parachute jumps
• mountain climbing
• canoeing
• mountain biking
• paintballing contest
• long distance walking
• off-roading competition
• jungle trekkiing
• abseiling
• triathlons

and so much more ... the only limit is your imagination !

In fact, a whole industry has been created to help handle the demand for exciting adventures, charity treks and overseas trips .

So, if you fancy some adventure whilst helping a worthy cause, this could be the way forward for you.

As an individual, you can either approach your chosen charity, if they're national, they're likely to already have some events that you can take part in.  Otherwise, contact one of the many companies that organizes challenge events to find out what they can offer and how you can donate the money raised to where it's most needed.

As a charity, you can be allocated spaces at key events that you then offer to individuals in return for a minimum "donation" from their sponsorship .

Do also talk with your chosen charity about how payment is made for the event, by both yourself and your sponsors, to ensure that you donors or sponsors giving can done in the be most tax effective way .

So whether you fancy something gruelling like the Jungfrau Marathon, where simply completing the race is an achievement in itself, or would like to get started with a 10k run, start checking out what's out there and then sign up. 

Do something good for your health, mind and your community !

Resources

Charity Challenge - ideas for life-changing overseas expeditions and team-building challenges that also help to raise money for charity

Earth Watch - more useful information on how to raise money through a sponsored challenge event, where to start and what to do, as well as some ideas of what events you can enter for