Charities Offered Free Virtual Fundraising Challenge During Crisis
“If there ever was a time to rise to the challenge and help the nation, this is it,” says MillionSteps.com Founder.
Register your interest: Million Steps CoVid-19 Package here
An award-winning Social Good start-up is offering help to charities who have, between them, lost millions of pounds since CoVid-19 lockdown.
Even in their early trials, the Cardiff based start-up has raised over £20,000 for a small group of charities and participants have taken 150,000,000+ steps (75,000 miles!) which is more than three times around planet earth.
Now MillionSteps.com is giving charities and their corporate business partners the chance to launch their very own 1st October 2020 Million Steps Fundraising Challenge for free; with no onboarding costs, consultancy fees or long term contracts.
The pro-version package with landing pages, social media templates and other promotional material would normally cost around £800 per charity or business.
Cardiff-based founder Ranjit Ghoshal said: “With spring, summer, and autumn events cancelled. Charities and their businesses partners can bring their collective power to help the charity sector and engage staff at home”
“As a social good business, we had to rise to the challenge.The world has not stopped turning. Charities still provide support. This is our way of saying thank you for the work every charity provides”
A charity or business quickly builds their landing page, shares it to supporters and staff, who sign up with a Million Steps pedometer and app or Google fit and Apple Health.
With dozens of possible integrations, the potential for organisations to scale an event and make it global has suddenly become huge.
“Not just a Challenge but a 100-day Celebration of Movement and Wellbeing”
Participants walk one million steps in 100 days (an average of 10,000 a day) and use the integrated fundraising platform to raise money for their favourite charity.
Participants also receive an introduction to mindfulness and strength and conditioning to complement their challenge
Ranjit says: “The beauty of it is, once approved, it takes just a few hours for a charity or business to launch a challenge. Critically, integrated fundraising pages save charities the huge headache of chasing participants to set up fundraising pages.The logistics run in the background and it’s an extremely resource lite system. We can even help smaller organisations launch rapidly with social media templates”
CoVid-19 social distancing brings new stresses but physical activity is a powerful morale booster. And it gets more powerful when participants can challenge friends anywhere in the world through leaderboards; even if they use different devices and apps.
The Million Steps platform brings supporters and their friends together to feel good and do good.
The specially designed app and extra content, including mindfulness practice and strengthening exercises, allow participants the chance to hit the NHS and the US Centers for Disease Control guidelines for physical activity.
How it helps charities
Register your interest: Million Steps CoVid-19 Package here
The challenge is an ideal tool for charities to scale their fundraising activities both locally and internationally at a time when social distancing and lockdowns prohibit large gatherings and events have been cancelled.
Ranjit said: “The world of fundraising challenges has been thrown into a crisis. Even before CoVid-19, smaller charities struggled to organise local events and often the passion is not translated into a return on investment from limited resources.
“Everything has changed. The critical question is what’s next? Organisations we speak to are just not catered for or can afford upfront fees. They just want a National Challenge they can drive supporters towards BUT yet make it their own. We allow any charity or business to do that with little effort, and begin fundraising to help vulnerable people whose support needs have not changed.”
“These factors helped us model the Million Steps challenge to ensure as many barriers were overcome, and health, wellbeing and fundraising was the big goal.
“Participants may be doing the challenge locally but can compete with friends anywhere in the world encouraging a viral sign up as friends and colleagues team-up.
The Million Steps platform streamlines event management by providing integrated fundraising pages, Gift Aid collection, charity landing pages and participant sign-up, and the ability to embed explainers or videos in customisable pages with easy-to-use templates.
How it helps businesses and staff
Register your interest: Million Steps CoVid-19 Package here
Businesses can engage with staff during the pandemic while fundraising for charities and social good who desperately need their support
Ranjit said: “Many business owners want healthier staff. Encouraging staff to support a charity and walk a Million Steps provides greater motivation and can help businesses to support local community projects.
“Company branded landing pages, integrated with a charity mean staff have just one place to visit, sign up, and set up fundraising profiles. With content on mindfulness practice, everyday exercises, the benefits could be huge for staff well-being.”
While the current CoVid-19 lockdown presents a unique situation, encouraging staff to take The Million Steps Challenge and support a charity gives them the nudge to get active and helps businesses fulfil their corporate social responsibilities.
Charities and businesses who wish to sign up for the free onboarding package must register here as soon as possible.
For further information, or to arrange an interview with Ranjit Ghoshal, please call Maria Williams on 07840 933009. Visit the website https://millionsteps.com.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
Q: How is One Million Steps funded?
A: Participants pay an entry fee to take part which includes the pedometer, app and content or via Google Fit and Apple Health. This will be now discounted to help the charity sector. Ranjit, the founder, was determined that the challenge met the affordability criteria for health campaigns, was cheaper than a major challenge like a marathon and that the 100-day journey included content to meet physical activity guidelines
One Million Steps also takes a small percentage of donations to help fund the pedometers, app, content, landing pages and running of the platform but takes no part of the Gift Aid which is all passed on to the charities.
Q: When does the challenge begin?
The Challenge begins on 1st October 2020.
Charities and businesses who wish to sign up for the free onboarding package must register here as soon as possible.
Further queries should be sent directly to info@millionsteps.com
Q: What are the top health benefits of completing 10,000 steps a day?
● A stronger heart — helping to prevent cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and strokes
● Helps to achieve or maintain a healthy weight — being overweight is a key risk factor for diseases such as diabetes and cancer
● Maintains more stable blood sugar levels — helping to reduce the risk of diabetes
● Helps your brain function better — aerobic exercise has been found to help the brain stave off decline
