Got a question about The Great Family Walk? Find everything you need to know about signing up, tracking your miles, fundraising and rewards below.
If we haven't answered your question, email facebookchallenge@gosh.org and we'll be happy to help.
Getting started
What is The Great Family Walk?
The Great Family Walk is a free virtual charity challenge and family fundraising challenge for people of all ages.
Throughout August, families work together to complete 42 miles in a way that suits them, whether that’s short walks around the park, family days out, holiday adventures or everyday journeys.
This flexible family walking challenge is designed to fit around family life, making it a fun and active way to get outside and spend time together during the summer holidays.
Whether you’re looking for summer activities for the kids, a fun family challenge, or a way to support charity, every mile walked and pound you raise will help build the new Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), helping to beat cancer for more children. Together, we can Walk it. Build it. Beat it.
How do I sign up?
You can sign up for free here on The Great Family Walk website. Simply choose one family team captain to complete the quick online registration form for your team.
Can we take part during the summer holidays or while we’re away?
Absolutely. The Great Family Walk is designed to fit around family life during the summer holidays, whether you’re at home, visiting family, exploring somewhere new or heading off on holiday.
Many families use the challenge as a fun family activity and a simple way to spend more time outdoors together. You can count walks on holiday, trips to the beach, days in the park, countryside adventures, or even everyday journeys close to home.
It’s a flexible summer family challenge that helps families stay active, make memories, and raise money to help children with cancer. If you’re looking for fun things to do with family during the summer holidays, every mile you walk can make a difference.
Is there a limit of family size? Does it have to be people that I live with?
No. Families come in all shapes and sizes, so there’s no limit on team size.
Because this is a virtual walking challenge, family members can take part from anywhere. They don’t need to live with you. You can work together towards one shared total, or encourage other households to sign up and take on the challenge too.
Taking part in The Great Family Walk
How do we track our miles?
After each walk, tally your progress on your tracker poster and have the family team captain log into your Great Family Walk dashboard and add the miles to your fundraising page to update your progress bar.
Does everyone have to do 42 miles?
No. Your family is working towards 42 miles together, so each person can do what works for them.
For example, if three family members go on a 1-mile walk together, that adds 3 miles to your family total. Some people can do more miles and some can do fewer – every little walk counts.
Can people take part in a wheelchair? Can the children use buggies, bikes, scooters etc?
Of course. Everyone is welcome to take part in a way that is fun, accessible and suitable for them. Wheelchairs, buggies, bikes, scooters and other mobility aids all count.
It’s your family adventure, your way.
Does it matter how we complete our 42 miles?
No. You can complete your 42 miles wherever and however works best for your family.
Walking is the main challenge, but we want everyone to be able to take part. If another activity is more accessible or suitable for your family, that counts too. When asking for sponsorship, simply let people know how your family is completing the challenge.
There’s no requirement to walk up hills or follow a particular route. You can cover your miles around the park, along the beach, through the countryside, on the school run or even on the way to the shops.
Whether you choose short everyday walks, bigger family adventures or a mixture of both, every mile counts towards your family’s 42-mile goal.
Why 42 miles?
Fun fact: This is also the distance of climbing the ‘Lemosho route’ of Mount Kilimanjaro climb!
I’ve got some amazing photos from our walk – can I share them with GOSH?
If you’d like to share photos with us, please email facebookchallenge@gosh.org.
If your photos include children or other people, please make sure you have permission from everyone pictured, or from their parent or guardian where needed.
Our team will let you know how your images could be used to inspire other families to take part in future campaigns.
Your fundraising and rewards
Is there a fundraising target?
When you sign up, you can choose your family’s fundraising target. We’ll suggest a few options, but you can set your own goal and change it at any time.
As a charity fundraising challenge, every donation helps. For example, £100 could help provide a table in the new Children’s Cancer Centre, giving families a space to eat together during long hospital stays.
Will I have a fundraising page when I register?
Yes. Once you register, your family fundraising page will be created for you. You can share it with friends, relatives, colleagues and neighbours so they can sponsor your challenge.
Your page will also track your miles, your fundraising total and any milestones or rewards you unlock along the way.
Can I fundraise offline too?
Yes. You'll find a sponsorship form in the Resources tab of your fundraising dashboard.
To pay in offline donations, you can:
- add the money directly to your fundraising page
- pay online using the GOSH Charity website form.
- call on 020 3841 3131 to pay over the phone. Please mention The Great Family Walk when you call.
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?
Where will the money I raise go?
GOSH already cares for children with the hardest-to-treat cancers, and new treatments are giving hope to families across the UK. But these advances have outstripped GOSH’s current cancer facilities.
With your help, we can build a new home for breakthrough treatments and pioneering research, helping to save more children’s lives. Together, we can Walk it. Build it. Beat it.
Are there any fundraising rewards for The Great Family Walk?
Raise £42 and claim team T-shirts for your challenge.
These come in the following sizes:
- 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.
Raise £150 and claim your medals for your family to wear with pride.
We’ll email you when you reach each milestone with details of how to claim your reward.
When will I receive my rewards?
- The physical tracker posters will be sent from mid-July until 10 August.
- Team t-shirts will sent out from July until 14 September. Please allow up to 10 working days for your rewards to arrive after you’ve completed the claim form.
- Family medals will be sent out from mid-August until 14 September.
If they haven’t arrived after that, or if you have any questions, email facebookchallenge@gosh.org.
Terms and Conditions apply so please refer there here for the full details.
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.
