
A virtual Easter tour across Britain is the latest charity challenge hatched by Shropshire’s Derwen College.
Staff at the Gobowen-based college for young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have organised The Derwen Easter Charity Challenge. This is a 2000-mile tour of Britain, visiting the regions and towns the college’s students, past and present, all hail from.
The virtual route takes in all the mainland capital cities and stretches from Cornwall to Perthshire. Places visited represent areas across Britain students come from to attend Derwen College.
The college is calling on walkers, runners and cyclists to get involved and take part in this new event which takes place from Monday, 29th March to Sunday, 11th April, during Easter holidays.
Participants can walk, run, cycle, swim or even Easter bunny hop, any distance they choose. Every mile helps, and the distance they cover will be added to the overall total.
With milestones dotted along the route, participants will receive messages from students and ex-students welcoming them to their home county. Some messages will also explain how funds raised during the challenge help students gain important work and independent living skills.
Sponsored walk
The event replaces the annual Derwen College sponsored walk – an event that has proved popular for students and the local community alike. However, due to current Covid restrictions, the annual sponsored walk has been cancelled for the second time in two years.
Funds raised from the event will be used to create new, modern accommodation at the Agnes Hunt Village. This is a complex of bungalows where people with SEND learn to live on their own, as independently as possible.
Derwen College Principal Meryl Green said:
“The annual Derwen College sponsored walk is an important fundraising event which helps us to provide the facilities, tools and accommodation our students need to flourish and progress whilst at college.
“It is also hugely popular among the staff, students and clients here at Derwen. And attracts lots of participants from the local community.
“We have had to think outside the box this year, and come up with an alternative. We hope the challenge will pull everyone together, provide some fun and raise much needed funds for the College.”
The new event will be even more inclusive than previous sponsored walks. People can take part from their home, choosing their own route, pace and mode of travel. Participants can choose to run or walk 10k in one go (as they would have done during the Derwen College sponsored walk), or they can add to the journey a little at a time. They also have the choice to run, walk, cycle, swim or use any other self-propelled mode of travel. The sky is the limit!
For more details and to register click here or contact Anna Evans on anna.evans@derwen.ac.uk