The UK’s charities need help. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic effect with the cancellation of thousands of events and the loss of billions in income through fundraising events.
The region’s hospices for children and young adults, Naomi House & Jacksplace, have cancelled events, closed shops and are facing a massive fundraising shortfall. At the same time, staff at the hospices are working as hard as ever, and have taken in patients from local hospitals to free-up NHS beds in the fight against Covid-19.
The Virgin Money London Marathon alone, which should have taken place on Sunday 26 April, is the world’s biggest one-day fundraising event, which raised more than £66.4 million for thousands of charities in 2019. But, like so many charities across the UK, Naomi House & Jacksplace has been hugely impacted by the cancellation of thousands of fundraising events due to COVID-19.
In response, the organisers of the biggest mass participation sports events across the country have come together to create a new campaign to raise vital funds to help our fundraising and save the UK’s charities.
The campaign, The 2.6 Challenge, will launch on Sunday 26 April 2020 – what should have been the date of the 40th London Marathon.
The challenge will last for a week. The 2.6 Challenge is open to anyone of any age – the only requirement is that the activity must follow the Government guidelines on exercise and social distancing and remember to stay local.
From Sunday 26 April 2020, Naomi House & Jacksplace are asking the public to dream up an activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and fundraise via www.twopointsixchallenge.justgiving.com having selected Naomi House.
Keith Wilson, Head of Marketing at the hospice charity, said: “The 2.6 Challenge is a brilliant national campaign, and by supporting Naomi House & Jacksplace, people can make a huge difference to the lives of life limited children and young adults, as well as helping us while we support our friends and colleagues in the NHS. You can run or walk 2.6 miles, 2.6km or for 26 minutes. You could do the same in your home or garden, go up and down the stairs 26 times, and juggle for 2.6 minutes, anything you like. I really hope lots of people choose to get involved. We need help now more than ever.”
“For many of the UK’s charities, the day of the London Marathon is the biggest fundraising day of the year,” said Hugh Brasher, Co-Chair of MSO and Event Director of London Marathon Events. “One of the founding pillars of the London Marathon was ‘to show how the family of mankind can be united’. We hope that The 2.6 Challenge, which starts on the day our 40 th Race should have taken place, will embody that spirit and inspire people, families and communities to fundraise for their chosen charity to help Save the UK’s Charities. Right now, our vulnerable members of society need the help of charities more than ever before.”
Naomi House & Jacksplace care for hundreds of the most medically vulnerable children and young adults from across Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, the Isle of Wight and beyond. The charity needs to raise £9.2 million each year to deliver a comprehensive service to those that need it.
The mass-participation events organisers behind The 2.6 Challenge are: Human Race, parkrun, The Great Run Company, Run 4 Wales, Grounded Events, London Landmarks, Virgin Sport, Limelight Sports, Threshold Sports, Running High and London Marathon Events. The design and website has been created by Studio Republic and the social media campaign by LiveWire Sport. Both agencies are working pro bono. The campaign is supported by the Charities Aid Foundation, the Institute of Fundraising, the Small Charities Coalition, the Office for Civil Society, Sport England, Let’s Do This, Virgin Money Giving and JustGiving.
For more information on The 2.6 Challenge, visit www.naomihouse.org.uk/events/16-the-26-challenge
