The Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust, like so many charities across the UK, 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 world’s biggest one day annual fundraising event, which raised £66.4 million for charities in 2019. The challenge will last for a week.
From Sunday 26 April 2020, we’re asking you to dream up an activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and fundraise by donating on the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust 2.6 Challenge fundraising page on our home page https://www.gkcct.org/2.6challenge
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.
“The 2.6 Challenge can be anything that works for you,” says Nick Rusling, Co-Chair of the Mass Participation Sports Organisers group (MSO) and CEO of Human Race. “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, juggle for 2.6 minutes, do a 26 minute exercise class or get 26 people on a video call and do a 26 minute workout – anything you like. We want people to get active, have fun and raise money to help Save the UK’s Charities by giving money or raising funds for the charity close to your heart.”
“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 40th 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..”
Dr Jennifer Kelly, Director from the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust said “here at the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust we are proud to be involved with the 2.6 challenge. An opportunity for all UK charities to support each other in such a hard time. We would love for as many people to get involved and to support us in doing a challenge or fundraising event based around 2.6 (or 26 or 206…). You can really use your imagination and be as creative as you want to be, all that we ask is that you must of course follow the Government guidelines on exercise and social distancing and remember to keep local and stay safe.
You could run 26 miles over 26 days, you could skip for 26 minutes, be silent for 26 minutes or 26 hours, the ideas are endless and you can do this at your own pace and in your own house or garden – so the challenge is open to everyone. All that we would ask is that to support the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust is that you try to get sponsored or make a small donation to support the work that we do.”