Organisers of the Cumbrian Challenge are hoping for a record year for entrants after two cancellations due to coronavirus.
Last year’s event was cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions. But, determined to make their 10th-anniversary special, organisers are hoping for a record number of teams in this year’s installment.
Entrants take on a choice of three routes, with varying degrees of difficulty, all starting from Grasmere Sports Ground. Whether you see it as a gruelling wilderness endurance test, a liberating hike in the rarefied air of the Lake District fells or a mixture of both, this year’s Cumbrian Challenge takes on extra significance.
Everyone involved is keeping their fingers crossed that this year’s event – scheduled for September 11 – gets the thumbs-up in what is its 10th anniversary. The event raises vital funds for the Walking with the Wounded charity, and with last year’s event having been cancelled twice due to the pandemic, competitors will be even more determined to conquer the course.
Andy Sloan, Walking with the Wounded’s head of marketing, is confident the 2021 event will make up for last year’s disappointment and provide a massive financial boost to the charity.
Andy said: “We have more than 170 teams already signed up and room for plenty more who want to get their team back together for a memorable event in a safe environment thanks to its outdoor nature.
“It will be extra special and we’re receiving lots of excited messages from participants who have even more time to smash their targets and make an even bigger impact.
“So let’s make 2021 a record-breaking year. I’m sure by then everyone will have a real spring in their step and be raring to go.”
The Cumbrian Challenge website strapline reads ‘Meet, walk with and be inspired by our beneficiaries’, and that is the essence of an event which serves as a great source of pride, comradeship and well-being for Armed Forces Veterans, fundraisers and entrants alike.
Andy added: “As well as being our biggest one-day fundraiser of the year it is also a great way for us to make and build relationships, with beneficiaries, fundraisers and teams meeting up.
“Hearing the beneficiaries’ stories, and about their determination and drive, has a remarkable effect on those taking part. And beneficiaries also get to see the support that is out there for them, which they might not have previously known about.”
Andy explains how the WWTW charity has continued to play such a vital role for veterans during the pandemic.
“While we had to cancel the Cumbrian Challenge, veterans can’t cancel their issues so didn’t cancel our support and helped a record number of veterans and families last year,” he said.
“Our employment, mental health and care coordination programmes delivered in partnership with the NHS are part of the solution to helping them regain their independence, thrive and contribute in our communities – and our fundraisers make this happen.
“We’ve been fortunate that BAE Systems help fund the costs of this event and it will make a huge difference to see more teams rowing in behind BAE Systems’ Ian Lofthouse and getting involved.”
In addition, WWTW’s mental health programme provides a valuable service for veterans and their families delivering access to 1-2-1 mental health care within an average of seven days and four miles. More information is available on the WWTW website at walkingwiththewounded.org.uk
To sign up for the Cumbrian Challenge visit www.cumbrianchallenge.org
