Run to the Moon Challenge
To mark St Mungo’s 50th anniversary year we are challenging our supporters to do 50 things to help us end homelessness. We have seen everything from dog hiking to art exhibitions as part of our 50@50 campaign Now it is time for us to join together for our biggest 50@50 challenge yet. We need the help of our staff, supporters, volunteers and clients more than ever as St Mungo’s challenges you to Run To The Moon. One Small Step One small step for man 50 years ago on 20 July 1969 marked one giant leap for mankind. In that same year a group of volunteers decided to do something to help homeless people, forming St Mungo’s and marking one small step towards ending homelessness in the UK. Fifty years on and the technology revolution is accelerating at a rapid rate whilst the gravity of issues surrounding homelessness shows little sign of relenting. ? The Challenge The distance to the moon is 238,855 miles. Over the course of 164 days (July 20 to Dec 31) we need to run a combined average of 1,455 miles per day. To do this you will need to link up with Strava or RunKeeper and get as many comrades running as possible. There is no fundraising obligation or minimum distance for this challenge. We want to unite staff, clients, volunteers and supporters to remember those who have been involved with St Mungo’s in the past and to consider those who need our help now. You are welcome to clock up the miles by walking, running, handcycling, via wheelchair, or any other way that the required fitness tracker will allow you. Every person who joins the challenge will appear on the shared event page with a combined total counter for miles travelled and a leader board for those who have contributed the most. Virtual Events It might sound like a new series of Black Mirror but virtual events are no longer something of the future – they are taking over the world of fundraising. We understand that you might want to support a cause, but getting to a specific place at a specific time and raising a set amount before a deadline just doesn’t always work out. That’s why more and more people are getting on board with virtual events – they fit around your lifestyle. We have teamed up with the fundraising platform GivePenny to develop a challenge that uses their ability to integrate with the fitness tracking apps you might already use, like Strava and Runkeeper, so you can challenge yourself and raise money as and when it suits you. How To Sign Up Follow the small steps below and sign up to St Mungo’s Race To The Moon challenge: 1. Sign up by following the ‘Join Campaign’ link on our GivePenny event page 2. Download the fitness tracking apps Strava or RunKeeper. If you already use a different fitness tracking device you should be able to sync it with Strava. 3. Get running. 4. Share your page and encourage others to join the challenge. Have some fun and challenge your friends, family or colleagues to join us as we launch St Mungo’s into outer space. If you have been inspired to get involved or set-up your own 50@50 challenge, get in touch with our dedicated events team at events@mungos.org.
Tokio Marine sponsor Ben Nevis
After conquering Scafell Pike last year, Team Mungo’s are back for another challenge. This year, staff, clients, volunteers, supporters and our sponsor Tokio Marine take on Ben Nevis. We caught up with Alice from Tokio Marine to tell us why they decided to join this year’s hike. Hello, Alice. Tell us a bit about yourself I’ve been working for Tokio Marine HCC (TMHCC) since March 2017 where I joined as an Underwriting Assistant. I live in Kent with my family and two cocker spaniels, Sonny and Ralph. Whilst at school I was actively involved in fundraising and charity work, working closely with local charity MCCH and as member of Rotary. Why did TMHCC decide to partner up with St Mungo’s? We have a long-standing partnership with St Mungo’s and we wanted to maintain this relationship because our employees believe homelessness is a worthwhile cause. Homelessness is sadly something we all see commuting into London and it is particularly unavoidable in the city. St Mungo’s not only educates our staff about the ways in which we can help prevent and support homelessness, but also assists us with planning exciting fundraising initiatives to maximise our company’s support. Why did you decide to sponsor our Ben Nevis challenge this year? We saw the challenge as a great opportunity to allow employees to hear about the work of St Mungo’s first hand from their clients. It’s also a great way of boosting physical and mental health by escaping from the busy corporate world. It is important for TMHCC that staff engage with our partner charities and we think this challenge is the perfect opportunity for some of our employees to really understand the impact that St Mungo’s can have on those in need. Why did you personally decide to join the challenge? I wanted to take part in the challenge to meet people who have experienced homeless and hear about how St Mungo’s has influenced their lives. There is also the added bonus of the beautiful backdrop of Ben Nevis! Have you done much training? Zilch! I’m hoping that miles of dog walking will hold me in good stead, although I have begun planning some routes in and around Kent. I’m going to attempt to do a 10 mile walk every fortnight to push myself physically and mentally, while also breaking in my new walking boots. We’re also doing some team training walks in August and can’t wait to see everyone come together. What are you hoping to get out of the trip? I’m really looking forward to meeting some of the St Mungo’s clients and hearing their personal stories, while finding out more about the impact St Mungo’s has had on their lives. Find out more about our Ben Nevis challenge and how you can support it.
Meet our youngest fundraisers
The annual London Marathon is the UK’s biggest fundraising event of the year. Ahead of the 2019 race, we caught up with two of the smallest fundraisers of the year, Alex (6) and Nicholas (8), who are taking on the London Marathon course by walking it with their dad the day before the official race. Why have you decided to walk the London Marathon? Whose idea was it? Nicholas wanted to fundraise for St Mungo’s so Dad suggested we walk the London Marathon course. Have you managed to go on many training walks? Lots. We started back in November. What are you looking forward to most about the walk? Seeing all the sights in London: the Cutty Sark, London Eye, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Tower of London, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Where is your favourite place to walk? N: By a river as it is peaceful. A: Near flowers so I can smell them. We have heard Alex and Nicholas like to collect objects whilst walking. What is your favourite thing you have collected so far?N: Sticks and golf balls. N: Sticks and golf balls. A: A coconut shell. Why did you choose to fundraise for St Mungo’s? We have chosen to fundraise for St Mungo’s because we have seen homeless people struggling on the streets and want to help them. Do you think homelessness is a big problem in the area that you live? There are a few homeless people where we live and we see a lot more in bigger towns like High Wycombe. What do you hope St Mungo’s will be able to do with the money you raise? Pay for shelters and food, as well as for training people so they are better able to get jobs. Have you got a message to our London Marathon runners who will be running the day after? A: Keep going especially when it is hard. N: Even if you are small, you can achieve great things. Alex and Nicholas will start the course with their dad, Tom, at 7am on Saturday 27 April and aim to complete it by 7pm the same day. They have their own Twitter page and have already exceeded their £1,000 fundraising target on their JustGiving page. The 2019 London Marathon is set to exceed £1 billion in donations raised for good causes during Race Week. Every year we are blown away by the commitment of our supporters to raise money whilst training for the race of a lifetime, and we wish everyone (big or small) the best of luck for this weekend! Get inspired, get involved Check out our current challenge events or get in touch with Will at events@mungos.org to receive a free fundraising pack and find out more about how you can plan your own fundraising event.
Out of London; Down to Paris
“It is fatal to look hungry. It makes people want to kick you” is a quote from George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London. You may not have wanted to kick someone for sleeping out but how many times have you walked by, getting on with your busy life, not caring to think about what the needs are of someone sleeping rough? I have never been in the position of not having a roof over my head or wanting to know when I will get my next meal. It is not something I want to experience and do not think others should have to experience it either. But they do. There is a housing crisis; people are not able to afford to buy or rent and there are increasing numbers of people sleeping rough as well as hidden homeless. ‘Supporting people through times to rebuild their lives’ As someone who works for a company providing housing, Network Homes, I and 19 of my colleagues signed up to ride London to Paris to raise money for St Mungo’s. We believe in the value of services they provide to end homelessness and supporting people through some tough times to rebuild their lives. The Network Homes’ team is of mixed ability. When we decided to sign up for this in February 2017, some had not had the wind (or rain) in their faces since childhood! The thing that bonds us is the desire to get to Paris and raise as much as we can for St Mungo’s. Over £63,000 raised We have raised over £63,000 through donations and sponsorship. Our L2P jersey and bib shorts are adorned with logos from our sponsors, topped and tailed with our company branding. For me, as a regular cyclist, it has given me more of an excuse to get out during the long spring and summer days to get my training in. After riding Ride London 100 at the end of July, in the St Mungo’s colours, my training continued with an increase in the number long rides on consecutive days and now I am excited about setting off from Crystal Palace. On the 13 September it will be ‘au revoir London’ and 300 miles and four days later it will be ‘hello Paris’. James Dean Network Homes Why we fundraise for St Mungo’s I will put my hands up and say, I am not cycling to Paris. But what I am doing is supporting the fantastic team of 20 get from Crystal Palace to the Eiffel Tower and encouraging them every step of the way for the fantastic work and effort they have been putting into this momentous challenge. I have been championing fundraising at Network Homes since 2015, and since 2016 St Mungo’s has been our charitable cause. Chosen by staff, St Mungo’s and Network Homes share common values and passions for challenging the housing crisis and helping those in need. This cycle is the culmination of efforts from every single member of our staff. While only 20 will be cycling, our staff have attended tea parties, baked cakes and donated household items – and even played in football tournaments, all to help the St Mungo’s cause. I am immensely proud of our cyclists and of all the staff at Network Homes who have contributed to our fantastic achievement. It is a true story of how one good idea can become a tremendous force for change, and we hope that every single penny raised will help the homeless and generate real change in their lives. On to Paris! Rebecca Bicocchi Network Homes
We came. We saw. We conquered.
St Mungo’s client and volunteer, Mandy, has shown incredible strength in her journey to conquer homelessness. Having now also conquered Mount Snowdon, Mandy shares with us her inspirational challenge and her ongoing determination to help others on their road to recovery from homelessness. From the streets to the mountain top In June I took on one of the biggest challenges of my life. Along with my friend Claire, also a client at St Mungo’s, we successfully led a team of other clients and staff to the top of Mount Snowdon. Snowdon is the tallest mountain in Wales at 1,085m above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside of Scotland. We were keen to do this for a couple of reasons; to celebrate how we had conquered homelessness and to raise funds and awareness to help give others the same chance. Your support helped us to the summit, thank you. Having spent months meticulously planning, we arrived at Snowdon the day before full of excitement and couldn’t wait for challenge day! The team set out first thing in the morning in great spirits. We could all feel exactly how much the challenge meant to us, and we were so determined to complete it. We were totally overwhelmed by the number of people who supported us with generous donations and lovely good luck messages in the lead up to the big day. This kept us motivated all the way to the top, we really wanted to do everyone proud. We came. We saw. We conquered. We made some truly special memories along the walk which we’ll never forget. Touching the summit of Snowdon was a dream come true. It was a proud and emotional moment for all of us, who had never imagined we could do something like this. In memory of those who have died while sleeping rough At the top of Snowdon we dedicated our challenge to those who have died while homeless or sleeping rough. We all knew that could easily have been us. It was a particularly emotional moment for me as I took the chance to reflect on how far I had come along my journey to recovery. Just two years ago, I was sleeping rough. Today I have a place to call home and have had the chance to rebuild my life. I’ve seen myself grow so much, and I know this wouldn’t have been possible without St Mungo’s and their supporters. Let’s help everyone conquer homelessness At the heart of our challenge was our determination to help others who are homeless. Along with the rest of St Mungo’s, we believe that everybody should have a place to call home and can fulfil their hopes and ambitions. I’ve experienced first-hand how dangerous rough sleeping is and how it can affect mental health. At St Mungo’s having a place to stay, therapy and learning new skills all helped me to recover. We desperately want to give other homeless people the same chance. It would mean the world to so many people if you could give a gift to help us save and change the lives of others. We cannot thank people enough for supporting us Thank you so much for your support. Without it, this walk would have been literally that; only a walk. Your support has made it a life changing experience not only for us, but for the homeless people we’re now able to help. I hope that our challenge will inspire others to think that if Mandy and Claire can climb a mountain, then they can do anything they put their mind to. We’d love to think that someone sleeping rough today could hear about our achievement, feel inspired to conquer their own challenge and make a positive difference to their life or the lives of others. Thank you all so much for making this possible and supporting us every step of the way.
