FAQs

What is Crusaid’s Walk for Life?
It’s a 10km sponsored walk through central London, to raise money for people affected by HIV & AIDS living in poverty in the UK and internationally. It’s a great day out too, and a fantastic opportunity to take in the iconic sights of London, keep fit and raise money for a good cause. Oh, and it’s also Europe’s largest fundraising walk for HIV & AIDS and this year is our 21st birthday!

When is it?
Sunday 6th June, 2010. Tell your friends and family, tell everyone! Put the date in your diary and prepare yourself for a great day out.

Where is it?
Potters Fields Park (that big bit of park between Tower Bridge and City Hall - you can’t miss it). Find out more about how to get there here.

Who can take part?
Everyone can. And when we say everyone, we mean EVERYONE. The walk is wheelchair, pushchair and even pet friendly. Age is no barrier, so you can bring your whole family. Or you can come on your own and make friends on the day.

How many people take part?
Last year, it was over 2300. This year, we want more!

What’s the deadline for registering?
We’ll close online and telephone registrations on Monday 31st May – but don’t worry, you can come along and register on the day of the walk. Arrive early though – when we’re full, we’re full!

Please note that there is a £15 on-the-day registration fee that will be charged to walkers who register at the event village on the day of the event.

How much does it cost to take part?
This year we are asking anyone who registers in advance of the event for a £10 entry fee. As the event has grown so have the regulations we need to comply with. Your entry fee helps cover the cost of the event, meaning that as much of your sponsorship as possible goes where you want it to - our vital work for people affected by HIV and AIDS living in poverty.

We’ll also have a limited number of on the day places with an entry fee of £15. Whichever of these you decide to do you’ll receive a limited edition Crusaid Walk for Life sash, medal and a goody bag on the day!

How can I find out my Walker ID number?
We will include your Walker ID number on any letters we send to you in the post, but if you don’t have these to hand and need to know your Walker ID urgently, just give us a call and we’ll let you have it.

How do I collect my free goodie bag?
You’ll get your Crusaid Walk for Life sash when you check in on the day of the walk, and we’ll give you a goodie bag as you cross the finish line. Please wear your sash as you walk the route, to help raise awareness of both Crusaid and our Walk for Life.

Do I have to come in fancy dress?
We hope that people will get into the sprit of our fancy dress theme and let their imaginations run wild but the most important thing is that you are comfortable and able to walk the 10k route in what you are wearing.

Can I organise a team?
Absolutely! If you're the leadership type, just create a team as part of the registration process. If you've already registered as an individual but decide you want to join or create a team, just log in and follow the instructions to set up a team. Then let your family, friends and colleagues know that your team is ready for them to join. Once your team is set up, you can motivate each other to get the fundraising rolling in. You can even theme your fancy dress!

Find out more about how teams work in general here.

Find out about organising a charity team, which means 75% of your fundraising will go to that charity, here.

What happens on the day of the Walk?
We’ve kept it nice and simple. The walk starts and finishes in Potters Fields Park (nearest tube stations are London Bridge and Tower Hill) and you can check in from 10am. We cut the ribbon at 12pm, and then you’re off. The route will be well marshalled, so you’ll be free to concentrate on taking in the sights, enjoying the atmosphere and making the most of the day.

Whether you’re striding, toddling, ambling, rolling or strolling, the walk should take you around two or three hours. We do however suggest that you aim to cross the line by 3.00pm, as that’s when our 21st Birthday after-party begins – and you won’t want to miss it.

Isn’t 10km quite a long way?
For someone like you? Never! It probably sounds like a bit of a hike, but once you’re on your way, you’ll realise that it’s anything but. Think of it as a hearty weekend stroll, rather than a physical challenge. Most people find that two or three hours is plenty of time for the walk.

What happens when I’ve finished?
The walk goes in a big circle, so you’ll end up back at Potters Fields Park. When you cross the line, we’ll shower you with gratitude, a goody bag and even a medal. Then you can sit back, cool down, enjoy the after-party and entertainment and relax in the knowledge that you’ve just done a very, very good thing.

Should I bring the money I’ve raised offline with me on the day of the walk?
No – please send it to us afterwards. We don’t have the facilities to store or process it on the day of the walk.

How do I send Crusaid the sponsorship money I’ve raised?
If you’ve raised money online, then you don’t have to do a thing – it will come through to us automatically. One of the reasons we encourage people to fundraise online is that it’s just so easy.

If you’ve raised money offline, then please don’t bring it with you on the day of the walk – send it to us afterwards instead. Just count your cash and cheques, then write a cheque (payable to Walk for Life) for the equivalent amount and send it together with your completed sponsorship forms to:

‘Crusaid, FREEPOST SW5453, London, EC2B 2BR’

When you send us your sponsorship money:

• Make sure that all cheques are made payable to ‘Walk for Life’
• Write your walker ID on the back of every cheque you’ve received from family and friends so that we know it is your sponsorship!
• Write a cheque for the total amount of cash you’ve collected (and write your walker ID on the back of this too)
• Don’t forget to enclose a copy of your sponsorship forms, including the address details of your sponsors, so that we can claim back the Gift Aid.

Applying Gift Aid to your sponsorship makes it so much more valuable to us so please, please get everyone who is eligible to tick the Gift Aid box and return your sponsorship forms with your money.

What is Gift Aid?
If your sponsors are UK taxpayers, the Government will pay Crusaid an additional 28p for every £1 they give (including all future donations) if they tick the Gift Aid box when sponsoring you and fill in their name, residential address and postcode. Their residential address is a requirement for a valid Gift Aid claim, so please encourage your sponsors to provide this. For further information please click here

Will I have to raise a minimum amount?
No you won’t. Every contribution we receive is hugely appreciated, so just try to raise as much as you can. But if you want to give yourself something to work towards, the average amount each walker raised last year was £150. And if you feel like really going for it, you can aim for one of our very special top fundraising prizes. You’ll get rewards for reaching the £150, £350 and £1,000 mark.

Can I count Gift Aid towards my fundraising total?
We don’t include Gift Aid when calculating fundraising totals. So in order to claim a fundraising prize, you will have to have raised £200, £500 or £1,000 before Gift Aid is added.

Do the prizes for raising £150, £300 and £1,000 apply to teams as well as individual walkers?
Individual walkers will receive a prize if they raise £150, another prize for reaching £350 and if you raise over £1000 you’ll be entered into the golden ticket prize draw for a very special prize indeed. We do like to show our appreciation for all your hard work.

Please note that prizes are not given to teams as a whole. So, for example, if a team of three people raises £150 in total, made up of each team member raising £50 each, you won’t be eligible for a prize. Sorry to be strict, but there is a limited number of prizes to share round.

When will I get my fundraising prizes?
Walkers who've managed to raise £150 or £350 will be able to collect their prizes on the day of the walk, from Potters Fields Park. Please bring along proof of your fundraising total - so a print-out of your fundraising page (if you have been using an online fundraising page), and/or a copy of your sponsorship form(s).

If you reach any of these fundraising targets after the day of the walk, contact us and we'll send you your prize, subject to availability.

'Star fundraisers,' those amazing people who manage to raise £1,000 or more, will be entered into our golden ticket draw for a very special VIP prize. We close online fundraising pages on 6th September 2010. Any money you send in after 6th September will be gratefully received, but unfortunately we won't be able to count it towards your fundraising total.

What if it’s the day of the walk and I haven’t raised any money yet?
Please still come along and fundraise after the event or make a personal donation on the day. We know fundraising can seem tough but if every walker can just raise or donate whatever they are able to it really adds up.

Who organises Crusaid’s Walk for Life?
Crusaid does, working in close partnership with a number of experienced organisations who know how to put on an event of this size with style.

Is this the first Walk for Life?
No, it’s our 21st Birthday celebration! And, with your help, this year’s will be the biggest and best yet. We want to see some amazing costumes for the walk and for all of you to join us for 21st Birthday after-party afterwards.

Will my online fundraising page get listed on search engines?
Search engines sweep all the information, including fundraising pages, on Crusaid’s Walk for Life website, so your page could be listed.

We hope this has answered your questions. If not, just give Crusaid’s ever-eager Walk for Life Team a call on 0207 539 3895 or walk@walkforlife.co.uk they’ll be happy to help.