FAQs

If you've got a question about taking part in The Great Family Walk, check out our frequently asked questions below. 

If we haven't answered your questions or you need something else, please do get in touch with us at facebookchallenge@gosh.org and we'd love to help! 

Getting started

What is The Great Family Walk?

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The Great Family Walk is a virtual challenge for families to take part in wherever and however they like. It challenges you, as a family, to walk 42 miles throughout the month of June – the same distance as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Everyone’s individual miles add up towards your family target of 42 miles.

How do I sign up?

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You can sign up here for free! 

Simply nominate a family team captain to fill out the quick, online form on behalf of the whole team.

They'll then be asked to add the names of other people joining from your family to make up your team. This means you can add everyone's miles completed individually, all adding up towards your 42-mile total.

How do I add family members to my team?

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When you register, you will be asked to list your family members who will be joining you for the challenge.

You won't be able to add them to your page at a later date, but if you do miss anyone off send us an email at facebookchallenge@gosh.org and we will be able to add them for you.

Is there a limit of family size? Does it have to be people that I live with?

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We know families come in all shapes and sizes and so there is no limit on team size. As it is a virtual challenge, people can take part from anywhere and so family members who don’t live with you can also take part in your team.

Alternatively, you could go head-to-head and encourage other households to sign up as their own team.

Taking part in The Great Family Walk

How do we track our miles?

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There are lots of fitness apps – like Strava, Fitbit or Garmin – that can track the distance you walk. Once your walk is complete, the family team captain (the person who has registered the team) can log into your teams The Great Family Walk dashboard and add everyone’s miles to your fundraising page.

You can also select which family members took part in each walk – their miles will be added to both their individual total and your team’s overall progress.

It’s simple and flexible way to keep track as you go.

Does everyone have to do 42 miles?

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No, each family member on the team isn't required to walk 42 miles.

With The Great Family Walk, everyone’s miles add up to your total throughout the month. So, if a family of 3 all go on a 1-mile walk together, it would add 3 miles to your total. This also means that some family members can do more walks and miles than others if that works for you!

Can people take part in a wheelchair? Can the children use buggies, bikes, scooters etc 

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Of course! Everyone is welcome to take part in a way that is fun, accessible, and suitable for them, your family and the children’s ages.

Do we have to walk? 

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It's your adventure, so you can take part your way!

If you’d prefer to take part in another way, then that’s ok! Just let people know how you’re completing the challenge when you’re asking for sponsorship.

Why is it 42 miles? I thought the climb was a different amount.

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There are several different routes you can take to complete the Mount Kilimanjaro climb. We have chosen the ‘Lemosho route’ as it is popular and has a high success rate!

Do we have to walk up lots of hills?

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No! You can walk wherever you would like to reach the 42 miles distance. Although if you want to take on some big hills, we’re sure it’d be a good way to get some extra donations.

My family is small so it is unlikely we will ever be on the leaderboard. 

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We understand families come in all shapes and sizes and larger families will potentially complete the miles more quickly. However, this isn’t a competitive event. We want it to be fun and family friendly – whether you reach the 42 miles or go above and beyond, every mile completed will make a difference for seriously ill children treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Your fundraising

Is there a fundraising target?

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There’s no minimum fundraising target for this event – so you’re welcome to take part no matter how much you raise.

When you sign up, we can choose your family's team target. We provide some suggestions to help guide your efforts, but you're welcome to set your own goal.

You can change this target at any time, depending on your goals and circumstances – it’s completely flexible.

To give you an idea of the impact your fundraising could have, £100 could help provide a table in the new Children’s Cancer Centre, giving families a space to eat together during long hospital stays.

We’ve also got some fantastic rewards to keep you motivated – including a fun activity pack when you raise £30, and a GOSH Charity branded t-shirt for every team member when you hit £150. It’s our way of saying thank you and celebrating everything you’re doing to support seriously ill children.

Will I have a fundraising page when I register?

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Yes! Once you’ve registered, you’ll have a fundraising page created for your family which you can share with friends and family for them to donate to. The page will also keep track of your distance progress too.

Can I fundraise offline too? 

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Yes, you can. There is a sponsorship form in the Resources tab of your fundraising dashboard. To pay in offline donations you can:

Pay it directly onto your fundraising page.

Pay online using our website form.

Call us on 020 3841 3131 to pay over the phone. Be sure to mention it is for The Great Family Walk.

I'm a Corporate Partner/I have a Brighter Future Fund/I have a Team GOSH fund. Can my fundraising go towards my specific target? 

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Yes, it can. Please email us at facebookchallenge@gosh.org with your details and a link to your fundraising page so we can arrange this for you.

Where will the money I raise go? 

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Cancer is the biggest killer of children aged one to 14 in the UK. But a child doesn’t have to die from cancer for it to take their life.

Living with cancer is different for every child. It can mean countless rounds of debilitating treatment. Not knowing when you’ll sleep in your own bed again. Missing out on parties and playdates and trips to the park.

It can mean missing the moments that make up a childhood.

But we won’t let it.

We won't let cancer steal childhoods.  

Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) already cares for children with the hardest to treat cancers. Now it needs a new home to help deliver breakthrough therapies. A world-class facility with children at its heart.

Join us to help build the Children’s Cancer Centre at GOSH and save more lives.

Together, we can build it. Together, we can help beat childhood cancer.  

The money you raise for this challenge will go towards building the new Children's Cancer Centre at GOSH.

Rewards and extras

Are there any fundraising rewards for The Great Family Walk?

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Yes! We love to say thank you to our amazing fundraisers and we’ve got some exciting rewards to help make your challenge even more fun.

Raise £30 – every team that raises £30 will receive The Great Family Walk activity pack, filled with puzzles, bingo and stickers to make your adventures extra special and interactive. Activity packs are limited to one per team, and once your page reaches £30, you’ll be sent an email with a link to claim yours.

Raise £150 – each team that raises £150 on their fundraising page will be able to claim t-shirts for every family member registered. When your fundraising page reaches £150, you'll be sent an email with a link to claim your t-shirts. You just need to fill in the form to let us know the address, how many t-shirts and your sizes.

What sizes of t-shirts are available? 

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Adult t-shirts are available in Small to XXXL. Children's are available in 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12 years.

When will I receive my rewards?

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Please allow up to 10 working days for your rewards to arrive once you’ve completed the necessary form. If you haven't received your rewards or have any issues, please get in touch via facebookchallenge@gosh.org.

I’ve heard there’s a drawing competition – how do I take part?

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You heard right! Details of the drawing competition are included in your activity pack, and in the resources section of your Great Family Walk dashboard.

The competition is running until 13 July and there are three age categories: 0–5, 6–9, and 10–15. The winners will be announced via email on 18 July 2025, and each winner will receive a reward prize.

Their entries will also be displayed at Great Ormond Street Hospital and on The Great Family Walk website. You can read the full terms and conditions here.

I’ve got some amazing photos from our walk – can I share them with GOSH?

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Of course – we’d love to see your photos and hear about your adventures!

We are always looking for images to help inspire other families to take part and raise funds to support seriously ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. If you'd like to chat about how your images could help inspire others and be used in future campaigns, please feel free to send them to facebookchallenges@gosh.org and our team will share some more information with you. 

All the funds raised from The Great Family Walk will go towards the development of cancer care at Great Ormond Street Hospital. In the event that costs change, or the needs of the hospital or patients change, we reserve the right to redirect funds for use against the hospital’s most urgent needs.