Dozens of businesses in Cumbria are gearing up for an unprecedented fundraising campaign – the Virtual Coast to Coast Corporate Challenge. The challenge, organized by the Cumbria Community Foundation, will kick off on Monday, May 20th, 2024 with the aim of raising funds for local charitable causes.
Instead of physically walking the famous 171-mile route from St Bees Head to Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire, participants will complete the distance through various forms of exercise, such as walking, running, swimming, or using exercise equipment at home or in the office. The six-week challenge allows for flexibility and inclusivity, as participants can fit in their mileage according to their daily schedule.
To showcase the challenge and encourage more businesses to get involved, employees from the Foundation visited the test track at M-Sport, Dovenby Hall, where they tried out a rowing machine and exercise bike.
Dr. Jenny Benson, Director of Programmes and Partnerships at the Foundation, stated, “Doing the challenge virtually means everybody can take part. You don’t need to book a fortnight off work and battle with the elements from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay – you can clock up the miles in your lunchbreak, taking the dog for a walk, or even in front of the TV if you have an exercise bike or rowing machine. Having six weeks to complete the challenge makes it much more inclusive. You can take your time and fit it in around your everyday life.”
The Foundation staff themselves are taking part in the challenge and plan to walk together during their lunch breaks and after work. Jackie Blacklock, Development Assistant, shared her motivation for participating, saying, “Working for the Foundation, I get to hear about all the amazing projects and community groups that we fund and I thought this was a great way for me to give something back.”
Among the businesses taking part are WCF, Armstrong Watson, and the Centre for Leadership Performance in Cockermouth. Rhianna Smith, Project Lead at the Centre for Leadership Performance, expressed her excitement for supporting the cause, saying, “To be honest I’m not very prepared. But I walk my dog every day and she’ll be delighted she gets a few longer walks. It’s incredible the work that Cumbria Community Foundation does. It supports so many different people, so many different communities. We’re really delighted to support them.”
The Foundation launched this challenge to commemorate its 25th anniversary. While participants can sign up at any point, they must complete the challenge by July 1st. All funds raised will go towards the Cumbria Fund, which supports a variety of charities and community groups, or to the participants’ corporate fund with the Foundation, if their company has one.
Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of the Foundation, believes that this challenge is a fantastic way for businesses and corporate supporters to give back to their community. He said, “This is a brilliant way for businesses and our corporate supporters to raise money for local causes. We also hope it will be a fun way for companies and their staff to join together and give back to their community.”
Businesses interested in participating can register online at: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/vc2c.
