An estimated 1.6 million women experience domestic abuse in England and Wales every year. That’s 1.6 million too many.

As part of our Come Together to End Domestic Abuse campaign, we’re asking you to join #TeamWomensAid and get involved in our 1.6 Challenge to move 1.6 a Day, Your Way.

Our Come Together to End Domestic Abuse campaign aims to promote real change by demonstrating the impact we can have together. Domestic abuse is affecting many people right now – and they need our help.

You can help by taking part in the 1.6 a Day, Your Way challenge. Let’s move 1.6 miles a day, every day in September. Let’s do it for the 1.6 million women experiencing abuse.

Sign-up today, to move 1.6 a Day, Your Way.

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Whether you're looking to get a few extra steps in or challenge yourself every day for a month — we'd love for you to join in.

The challenge is simple — move 1.6 miles a day, every day in September. How you do it is entirely up to you!

• You can walk, run, cycle, wheel, static cycle, swim, kayak, hop, skip or jump your daily 1.6 miles but just make sure you complete them every day in September!
• You can sign up for a solo challenge or come together to create a team of people all completing 1.6 a Day, Your Way together
• If you think you can beat the 1.6 miles a day, or the £160 fundraising target, why not set yours higher!

Event details:

• Event dates: 1 September – 30 September 2022
• Distance: 1.6 miles a day, every day!
• Registration Fee: FREE
• Minimum sponsorship target: £160 per person

Still not sure whether to sign up? We've got some great prizes for our amazing fundraisers who take part:

• Raise £16 and receive your own Women's Aid t-shirt to wear during your 1.6 Challenge. Why not make the first donation yourself to get your fundraising started?
• Raise £160 and receive a 1.6 Challenge tote bag and certificate
• Go the extra mile – Raise £500 and receive a Women’s Aid hoodie

Why we need your support:

Every year, 1.6 million women are trapped in abusive relationships. Leaving can be difficult and dangerous. By taking part in the 1.6 a Day, Your Way challenge, you’ll be helping women escape abuse and rebuild their lives, free from fear.

How we'll support you:

Our dedicated fundraising team will be on hand to support you with your challenge and will provide you with:

• Digital fundraising guides and materials
• Your own fundraising page which you can create at the point of registration - your page allows you to collect donations, link it with your Strava account to show supporters your progress, see your progress against others taking on the challenge, set up team pages for you and your teammates

It’s really important to us that every individual wanting to take part in our challenge can do so. We’re encouraging everyone to take part and make this challenge your own , to suit your specific needs and abilities. If you can’t undertake this challenge for any reason, take a look at the FAQ section below for ways to adapt the challenge to suit you best! If you have any further questions on how to adapt the challenge, please email us at [email protected].

Alternatively, you can simply donate to the 1.6 challenge here to support our life-saving work.

FAQs:

How does the 1.6 a Day, Your way challenge work?

Participants are challenged to move 1.6 miles a day throughout September for Women's Aid. The challenge officially starts on Thursday 1st September and will end on Friday 30th September 2022.

How do I get started?

It's really simple:

• Sign up on Enthuse here to register for the challenge and create your own personal fundraising page
• Raise your first £16 to get your Women's Aid t-shirt
• Get sharing on social media and tag #TeamWomensAid!

Is there a registration fee?

Nope, this event is FREE for anyone to take part! We hope you'll use the opportunity to help raise money for Women's Aid. All the money you raise will help us reach more women and children who need our support.

When is the registration deadline?

There is no deadline for registering. We’d recommend signing up as soon as possible to start your fundraising and let your friends and family know what you are up to!

I can’t move 1.6 miles a day, can I still take part?

Absolutely ! We’re encouraging everyone to take part and make this challenge your own, to suit your specific needs and abilities. The challenge is 1.6 a Day, Your Way ! If you can’t move 1.6 miles a day take a look below at ways to adapt the challenge to suit you best!

• Organise a bake sale at your local community building or office and charge £1.60 per item
• Challenge your children to a 1.6-mile relay race with their friends at school
• Push or be pushed for 1.6 miles a day
• Read 16 feminist books in September
• Teach your children about 16 feminist icons
• Change the distance to 1.6 km a day
• Create your own challenge – we’re so grateful for your incredible efforts to ensure that Women's Aid continue to work towards a world where domestic abuse is no longer tolerated. We’ll be there to support you with any challenge that works best for you. The possibilities are endless, and entirely in your hands.

Alternatively, you can simply donate to the 1.6 challenge here to support our life-saving work.

I don’t have time to move 1.6 miles a day, can I still take part?

Of course! We want as many people to join #TeamWomensAid as possible, so we’re encouraging people to take part in any way that suits their individual circumstances!

• Take your dog for a 1.6 mile walk a day – most dog owners probably do this already without realising!
• Team-up with friends or colleagues to walk a combined 1.6 million steps across September
• Split the 1.6 miles a day into 2 or 3 small walks a day
• Walk to work or school every day and ask friends and family to donate your usual commuting price

How do I track my miles?

You can keep track of your miles on your mileage tracking poster which you can download here. This is also a great way to promote your progress and share your successes with family and friends, which will also increase your fundraising. Don’t forget to post your tracker progress on your Enthuse page too!

How do I integrate Strava?

Use Enthuse's handy guide here to link your page with your Strava account. If using Strava or a similar fitness app to track any physical activities that are part of your fundraising, please familiarise yourself with the privacy settings on the app so you are aware of who can see your activities and what details they can see. You can change who can view your profile and how detailed your activities are. For example, you can adjust the map that details your route to protect exact details of your location. We also have some suggested precautions for any survivors looking to fundraise for Women's Aid after leaving an abusive relationship. Please do drop us an email at [email protected] to have a chat about your fundraising and how we can support you and your safety.

How do I raise money?

Ask your friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you for taking part in the challenge. Share your Enthuse page, this is the easiest way to raise money! You can set up your page in a few seconds and then it's really easy to share the page link with your friends and family to donate to.

Where will my sponsors' money go?

All sponsorship will come directly to Women's Aid. You don't have to worry about this. It happens automatically through Enthuse! Donations raised through our incredible fundraisers will go to where the organisation most needs it. Your fundraising could help fund life-changing, and life-saving, conversations, through our Live Chat service ; the money could be put towards supporting our membership network, who are still recovering from the hardship of the pandemic; it could be used to fund our No Woman Turned Away project, which works with women who face additional barriers to accessing refuge spaces; to deliver training to domestic abuse workers or police officers; or to continue working towards the Right To Vote campaign, to ensure all survivors of domestic abuse are legally able to vote anonymously to protect their safety.

£160 could help 16 women access support through our Live Chat service, and ensure they are met by a trained staff member to support them.

How do I get a Women's Aid t-shirt?

You will get a Women's Aid t-shirt when you hit your first fundraising target of £16. Why not kick things off and get your t-shirt sooner by donating the £16 yourself! Please allow 10 working days for it to arrive. If it still hasn't arrived after this time, please email us at [email protected].

Is there an age limit for taking part in the challenge?

No! Everyone is able to take part.

Do I have to be super-fit to take part in the challenge?

Absolutely not! This is your challenge, so you can do it any which way you like. We’re encouraging everyone to take part and make this challenge your own, to suit your specific needs and abilities. We’ll be right behind everyone cheering them on.

By participating in this challenge, you are agreeing to enter and undertake this challenge entirely at your own risk. Women's Aid shall not be liable for any injury. This challenge should be completed however is best for your physical ability.

What if I don't complete the challenge?

The only thing that matters is that you challenge yourself. Do as much as you can. Every step helps! This is your challenge, and you can do it any which way you like.

What % of the money do Enthuse take?

Enthuse takes 0% platform fees for donations, 1.9% + 20p payment provider fees, and 5% Gift Aid collection (on the Gift Aid amount only). Supporters can leave Enthuse a completely optional platform gift as part of the donation process if they wish. These fees are standard across fundraising platforms.

Who can I speak to if I need more information?

If you have any questions or queries, please email [email protected] or check out Enthuse's support page for fundraisers here.

What happens at the end of my challenge?

When you have finished your challenge, let everyone who has sponsored you know that you’ve completed it, and send them a big ‘thank you’ for their support. You can also use any of our downloadable graphics to celebrate your success! We will post your Women's Aid t-shirt to you as soon as you reach the £16 mark; all other milestone items will be sent at the end of your challenge. As your fundraising page is open through October, we will be posting out the tote bags and hoodies from the first week of November. Please allow a maximum of 10 working days for them to arrive. If after this point they haven't arrived, please email us at [email protected]!

What is the fundraising target?

We only ask that you raise as much as you’re able. Enthuse automatically sets the target on your page at £160, which could fund 16 Live Chat sessions for a woman who needs help.

Don't forget - we've got some great incentives and prizes for our amazing fundraisers who take part:

• Raise £16 and receive your own Women's Aid t-shirt to wear during your 1.6 Challenge. Why not make the first donation yourself to get your fundraising started?
• Raise £160 and receive a 1.6 Challenge tote bag and certificate
• Go the extra mile – Raise £500 and receive a Women’s Aid hoodie

Remember, every penny donated goes towards supporting the 1.6 survivors of domestic abuse each year.

What is Gift Aid?

Gift Aid is a government run scheme that allows charities to reclaim some of the tax that you have already paid to HMRC. Currently, this is equal to 25p for every £1 that you give. Gift Aid does not cost you any extra and can make your donation worth an extra 25% to us, so it’s a fantastic way of making sure your donations go as far as they possibly can.

How can I make sure I raise the most I can?

There are a few key things you can do to make the most of your fundraising page, including:

• Uploading a photo: This is a great way of personalising your page.
• Sharing your story: Tell your supporters why you are taking part in the challenge and what a difference their donations will make to Women's Aid and the women and children we support.
• Promoting your page: Email a page link to your friends/family and share it through social media. This is such a great way to raise awareness of your challenge and kick-start your fundraising.
• Keeping everyone updated: Try to share regular updates and progress pics on your page. Your supporters will enjoy sharing your journey with you and want to know how you’re getting on.
• Get your local media involved! Tell your local newspaper or radio station all about your fundraising efforts, and they may give you a shout out!

How will my money help?

Donations raised through our incredible fundraisers will go to where the organisation most needs it. Your fundraising could help fund life-changing, and life-saving, conversations, through our Live Chat service; the money could be put towards supporting our membership network, who are still recovering from the hardship of the pandemic; it could be used to fund our No Woman Turned Away project, which works with women who face additional barriers to accessing refuge spaces; to deliver training to domestic abuse workers or police officers; or to continue working towards the Right To Vote campaign, to ensure all survivors of domestic abuse are legally able to vote anonymously to protect their safety.

£160 could help 16 women access support through our Live Chat service, and ensure they are met by a trained staff member to support them.

I'm not based in the UK, can I still take part and fundraise for Women's Aid?

Yes, you can! The great thing about this challenge is that you can do it anywhere. Please note, unfortunately we're only able to send t-shirts to UK addresses and armed forces overseas (via The British Forces Post Office).

I want to post on social media about the 1.6 Challenge, where can I find template posts?

You can find a variety of 1.6 Challenge social media templates on our website here, you can also find these templates on the emails that all participants who have signed up will be sent.

Is there a deadline to complete fundraising?

The fundraising event page will be open until the 31st October so that you have the option to follow up with any family and friends who may have missed the opportunity to sponsor you in September.

Can I sign up as a team?

Yes absolutely, when registering for the 1.6 a Day, Your Way challenge you will be provided the option to create a team or join an already established team. Alternatively you are welcome to complete this challenge solo too!

Can I get extra t-shirts for my family and friends?

Unfortunately, we have a very limited stock of t-shirts and will only be able to supply one t-shirt per registered fundraiser, who successfully raises £16! If your friends, family, and colleagues would love a Women's Aid t-shirt, then why not encourage them to sign up to the challenge? It could be a great opportunity to come together as a team!