Is your business currently choosing a Charity of the Year for 2020? Not sure how to get your team involved in, and excited about fundraising? SWBC partner charity, the South West Coast Path Association have the answers!
We would love it if you’d make your cause the South West Coast Path. Our region’s unique National Trail is on the front line when it comes to the growing threats from climate change, and costs to care for it are growing exponentially. The South West Coast Path Association is a small charity of just 10 staff and supporting volunteers, so your support would make a real impact on our work, as well as on the 9 million people who use the Trail every year to support their well-being and connect with nature.
The best thing about having the South West Coast Path Association as your partner charity for 2020, is that you’ll have a ready-made fundraising activity to get your teeth into – a team hike on the Coast Path! Take a day out of your workplace and spend it walking on the Trail together to see for yourselves why this world class natural asset is worth protecting – trust us, you’ll love it.
Earlier this year, we decided to ‘walk the talk’, and do our own staff fundraising hike for the Trail. Here’s 7 things we learnt as we walked 16km from our office in Plymouth, to Whistand Bay in Cornwall:
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We talked more because we were walking.
This is something we hear from Trail-users all the time – when you get into the rhythm of walking and are side by side with someone, rather than face to face, conversation seem to flow more easily. We found we were opening-up and getting to know colleagues that we don’t often see whilst encouraging each other on towards our common goal.
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Pot luck picnics are really fun and easy.
For lunch we each brought a sandwich for ourselves and then an item to share with the group. Safe to say there was A LOT of food! We shared dips, olives, home-baked cakes, strawberries and even grapes from the lovely Emily’s garden! A picnic with a view – it doesn’t get better than that.
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It was a super cheap team bonding activity.
With no need for an organised activity or restaurant lunch, the whole day only cost around £12 per person. That’s £4 return per person on the Cremyll ferry, £4 per person on the bus (we took the bus back to pick up the Cremyll ferry afterwards), and a few pounds each on picnic items.
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People are really generous.
We work for a charity, so we did know this one already, but the whole experience of turning things on their head and becoming the fundraisers ourselves just brought it home even more. We were so touched to be sponsored on our fundraising page by suppliers, donors, members, trustees and own friends and family. If we can do it – so can you! We raised over £500 from this walk alone.
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It worked for colleagues of all abilities.
Just like any staff team, we have a range of abilities in our group. The route chosen worked perfectly, as we were able to give people the option to join half way by meeting us at the car parks we passed at Kingsand, Cawsand and Rame Head. If you are planning an all-day team walk – we recommend finding a stretch of the Trail that allows you to offer these kinds of options so everyone feels included. Find the right walk for you on our website.
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We all felt energised and motivated afterwards.
The next time we were all in the office there was a definite buzz as we re-lived the funniest moments and shared photos from the hike. Everyone felt more energised from a day out in the fresh air and motivated to do their best after being gifted the time out of the office.
…Oh and 7. ice lollies taste amazing after a 10 mile hike in summer!
If you have been convinced to pick the South West Coast Path Association as your 2020 Charity of the Year or would like to know more, please don’t hesitate to contact me (Genevieve, Fundraising Manager), I would be delighted to hear from you on [email protected].
