FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions about the Big Lent Walk? You’re in the right place! Whether you’re after tracking trivia or distance deliberations look no further than the answer below.
ABOUT THE BIG LENT WALK
What is the Big Lent Walk?
The Big Lent Walk is a challenge where we ask you to walk 200 miles over the 40 days of Lent and get sponsored to raise money to help people fighting extreme poverty globally. You can walk alone, with friends or your school-friends.
How do I get involved?
Visit the homepage to sign up now!
You’ll get your very own fundraising page, and we’ll send you a welcome pack.
Do I need to join a team?
Some families, clubs, schools, and parishes have teamed up for the Big Lent Walk so that they can track their distance and fundraising milestones together. You don’t have to join a team, but it can add to the fun!
If you want to join a team, or create a team page, you can do this when you set up your fundraising page!
If you’ve already set up your page and want to join a team, click the 'edit page' button on your fundraising page and 'Team'. Then you can search for a team to join or create your own team!
Can I start the challenge after Ash Wednesday?
Yes, you can start your challenge after Ash Wednesday. Most of our walkers are aiming to do 5k a day for 40 days in Lent, but if you start later you can either finish later, or do some extra kilometres on certain days during Lent to finish before Easter!
Can I take part if I’m under 18?
Yes, you can. Unfortunately, you can't sign up and create a fundraising page if you are under 18, but find a grown up to sign up with, or ask your school to take part and you can definitely join in!
I want to take part, but walking isn’t an option for me
Every metre you travel to fight poverty counts. Getting up to make tea, gardening and walking to the shops all means you are going the distance. And you don’t have to be limited to walking or stepping – you can roll, cycle, dance or jump!
If you’d prefer a less physical challenge altogether, you can still help us raise essential funds to fight poverty.
Remember to let us know how you’re going the distance @CAFOD, using #biglentwalk
SCHOOLS, PARISHES AND COMMUNITIES
How do I sign up as a school?
If you have trouble finding your school, we advise searching by postcode.
If your school is not on the list, please sign up by entering 'My School is not listed'.
If you are having other problems registering, please get in touch with JustGiving at help@justgiving.com.
TRACKING YOUR DISTANCE
How do I track my distance?
You can use Strava, which links up with your fundraising page, or download another distance tracking app and add your distance to your fundraising page yourself. Simply look for the ‘Log fitness’ button and enter your distance. This feature won't be available until Lent!
If you don’t want to use a distance tracker, you can also clock up 5k with:
- a 45-60 minute walk
- a 15 minute cycle
- a 35 minute exercise class.
Can I change my distance target?
You can! If you’d like to set a different distance target to 200km, please click 'edit page' and you should see a box where you can change the target.
Please email events@cafod.org.uk if you are having any problems.
Can I add the distance I've walked before Lent?
Unfortunately not, only the distance you walk from Ash Wednesday onwards count towards the challenge
The good news is that you can link up with Strava or use the add an activity button on your page to easily add your distance once Lent begins, and it will display on your page.
Do I need to do 5k a day on top of my usual activity?
It's up to you!
You are probably already doing 2-3k a day already as part of your normal daily activity so you can top this up to 5k, or commit to an extra 5k walk each day.
It's also absolutely fine to do over 5k one day, and less than 5k another, to reach a daily average of 5k if that is more convenient for you!
Do I have to do 5k all in one go?
If you want to do that, you can. However, you could also space it out over a day.
Or you could share the load with friends, family, your school or your parish. This event is for you to get creative with!
NEED HELP?
My Strava link has stopped working!
If you are continuing the Big Lent Walk after Easter, you'll go past the end date in the Strava app.
But don't worry, you can still add your daily distance manually to your fundraising page until you finish the challenge.
How do I contact JustGiving for help with my page?
The best place to start is the JustGiving help page.
You can also email JustGiving Support help@justgiving.com
I'm struggling to sign up or log in to my page
Make sure you are logged out of your JustGiving account on all browsers, then try to log in or sign up again.
FUNDRAISING
How will CAFOD collect the money I raise?
Money donated through your fundraising page comes to us automatically, so you can focus on signing up those sponsors and we'll handle the rest.
Can I use an offline sponsorship form?
How do I add funds raised offline to my page?
You can add offline funds when you edit your fundraising page – look for the add offline donation button underneath your sponsorship target.
How will CAFOD spend the money I raise?
The sponsorship you raise will go to help families and communities overseas fight poverty.
Our global network of local experts work alongside communities to deliver what those communities tell us they need, such as emergency food and shelter, access to clean water, or tools to fight the climate crisis.
£10 can provide nutritious warm meals and shelter to refugees who have fled their homes due to conflict.
£25 can give a child a school uniform, stationary and a school bag – simple, everyday items needed to attend lessons
£50 can provide a family with emergency food following a disaster caused by climate change
£200 can provide a life-changing loan – the first step in helping someone start their own business, or buy farming supplies
£750 can help a remote community to establish their own supply of clean, safe water
Do my sponsors need to add a Tip for JustGiving?
When people make a donation to your page they will be asked to add a 'tip' to JustGiving. This tip means JustGiving are able to offer charities their services without a platform fee. If you wish to avoid this, you can. There is a piece of text that says, 'Enter Custom Amount' underneath the sliding bar. If you click that, you can set it to zero.
If you have made a tip to JustGiving and you didn't want to, you can ask for a refund by contacting help@justgiving.com.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
What are the terms and conditions for the Big Lent Walk?
Welcome to the Big Lent Walk! Your participation in this event is subject to the following terms and conditions:
1. CAFOD organises the Big Lent Walk in England and Wales. This is CAFOD’s privacy notice.
2. The challenge and this microsite are hosted by JustGiving. This is JustGiving’s privacy policy.
3. You will receive emails containing updates, information and fundraising tips from JustGiving on behalf of CAFOD during this challenge.
4. We will not share your data for marketing with any other organisation.
5. In signing up for this challenge, you understand that it is an event to raise sponsorship towards CAFOD’s vital work. CAFOD will therefore encourage you to raise sponsorship and support you towards this aim, as well as completing the physical challenge.
6. If you sign up for the walk, you will receive emails from CAFOD to support you with the challenge and encourage you to raise sponsorship, in addition to the JustGiving emails.
7. If you are signing up as an individual, you will receive a Big Lent Walk welcome pack, including your pin badge on sign up, even if you have opted out of post with either charity previously.
8. If you are signing up as a school or parish, you won’t receive a pin badge automatically, but your welcome pack will be sent to you.
9. You can update your communication preferences during the challenge directly with CAFOD.
10. The sponsorship you raise will be spent on fighting global poverty by CAFOD. CAFOD will receive the income from JustGiving along with participant data.
11. You agree to use this microsite only for lawful purposes, and in a manner which does not infringe the rights, or restrict, or inhibit the use and enjoyment of the site by any third party.
12. This microsite and the information, names, images, pictures, logos regarding or relating to CAFOD are provided "as is" without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied. In no event will CAFOD be liable for any damages including, without limitation, indirect or consequential damages, or any damages whatsoever arising from the use or in connection with such use or loss of use of the site, whether in contract or in negligence.
13. We will try to ensure that this microsite, hosted by JustGiving, is up-to-date and functioning well. However, we do not warrant that the functions and the material contained in this site will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or bugs or represents the full functionality, accuracy and reliability of the materials.
14. CAFOD reserves the right to change these Terms and Conditions at any time by posting changes online. Your continued use of this site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of this agreement as modified.
15. If these Terms and Conditions are not accepted in full, the use of this site and your participation in this challenge must be terminated immediately.