BHT’s supporters joined people from across the UK to take part in the ‘2.6 challenge’, a campaign to help charities that have lost funds due to the Covid-19 pandemic. BHT’s creative supporters dreamed up some imaginative challenges and have so far raised more than £3000, which will help the charity continue to run its services for those facing homelessness, addiction and mental ill health.
The idea behind the ‘2.6 challenge’, which was launched on 26 April 2020 to coincide with the planned date of the cancelled London Marathon, was to support charities who have had to cancel their fundraising events due to the pandemic. Those taking part just had to come up with an activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and fundraise for their chosen charity.
The challenges chosen by BHT’s supporters ranged from the brave to the bizarre, from head-shaving to bike riding to inventive and lockdown-friendly versions of boating and swimming. Karen Dobres managed to swim the equivalent of 26 lengths in her paddling pool, by attaching herself by bungee rope to a tree to create tension to swim against. Paul and Hilary Featherstone went as far as creating a cardboard ‘boat’ in their front garden, adding shock cords to simulate water resistance against the oars, and taking it turns to row for two hours and six minutes.
Lauren Ellis, BHT’s Fundraising and Communications Manager, said:
In these difficult times it is lovely to see our supporters raising spirits as well as much needed funds with their creative and entertaining challenges. We are so grateful to them – their support allows us to carry on when other sources of fundraising income have been lost. Despite the pandemic our work continues; we are still supporting thousands of vulnerable people, and they need our support now more than ever.
If you would like to find out more about how you can support BHT, please click here.
