We’re back with the 7th Goodmayes Sponsored Walk in aid of HHUGS! 

We will be taking part in a sponsored walk of Masajid in and around Redbridge on Saturday 1st June 2024 to raise crucial funds for HHUGS.

Our mission serves a dual purpose – transforming the lives of families on our doorstep, whilst introducing our scouts to the local Masajid, all while having a blast on a fantastic day out!

Since 2007, our annual Sponsored Walk has been a beacon of community support and charity fundraising, and this year, we’re back again, ready to make a real difference.

We will be beginning our walk from the Gardens of Peace Cemetery. The walk is designed to be enjoyable for participants of most fitness levels, and there’s no training required.

We’re pleased to say 7G Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl/Boy Explorers, and older Cubs will be joining us. The Cubs and Beavers will be joining in mid-day.

This year, we’re proud to support HHUGS (Helping Households Under Great Stress), a unique, zakat-eligible charity dedicated to providing vital financial, emotional, and practical support to Muslim households right here in the UK, impacted by counter-terror legislation.

Their Ramadhan campaigns strive to provide isolated families with essentials such as shelter, food, debt relief, and faith and culturally sensitive therapy. They also provide longer-term relief such as empowering single mothers and bringing together families with the community for social events.

Ramadhan is an especially difficult time for HHUGS families as it’s a reminder of what’s missing. Single mothers are forced to become breadwinners overnight and struggle to make ends meet and feed their young.

HHUGS’ initiatives help these mothers through the month of Ramadhan, restoring hope, and act as a reminder that strangers do care about them during the sacred season.

“They made a big, big change in my life. Fifteen years, they’ve supported me and my children. They make happiness come to my family…Every Ramadhan, they help me with food, they send iftar. Every Eid, they make the kids happy…”

FAQ 

When and where is the walk taking place? 

• The walk is taking place on Saturday 1st June 2024. The starting point is Gardens of Peace Cemetery.

What time does it start? 

• For general Scouts and Explorers, the drop off is 8:30-9:30 am at Gardens of Peace.
• For the Cubs and Beavers, the drop-off timing is 12:30-1:30 pm and the location will be confirmed.
• For the Older Cubs who are 10+ years old, they are invited to join Scouts and Explorers at the beginning of the day if they feel they will be able to do the entire day walking.

When will it end? 

Pick-up is 6:30 pm – 7:00pm

A final route with a drop-off location/meeting point and confirmed timings will be sent out in due course.

How can I sign up? 

You can sign up by filling in this booking form.  The booking deadline is Wednesday, 06 March 2024

How fit do I need to be? 

The walk is designed to be enjoyable for participants of most fitness levels, and there’s no training required.

Is there a participation fee? 

The fee is £5 per child.  Payment will be taken via OSM. Lunch will be provided.

What should I wear? 

Please wear a full Scout uniform and appropriate shoes or trainers for the walk (walkers without correct footwear will not be allowed to partake), a light raincoat, and a packed lunch in a backpack.

What shouldn’t I bring? 

No phones or tech will be permitted (airpods, etc) for safety reasons.

What if I get lost or injured during the walk? 

Before the walk, we will have a group event briefing. All participants will be provided with a printed and electronic route map with details of what to do in the unlikely event of getting lost and injured.

There will also be staff and volunteers guiding you along the way and qualified First Aid representatives to help you along your walk.

What are the benefits of taking part? 

Aside from changing the lives of families in need this Ramadhan, there are many benefits to walking:

Physical health – Walking can help you to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. By getting into regular walking habits, you will feel more energetic and awake over time.

Pushing out of your comfort zone and achieving – Whether you walk along the coast, trek a mountain, or take multiple flights of stairs, feel the rush as you tick off the miles towards completing your challenge.

Meeting others: It’s a great way to connect and socialise with others, whilst making a huge difference.

Seeing local Masajid: Get to know the locality, and explore various Masajid in the Redbridge area.

How will I fundraise? 

We will be fundraising for HHUGS through their online platform. A crowdfunding page, sponsorship form, and further fundraising details will be sent to you after you have booked. We will be aiming to get the fundraising links out in time for Ramadhan. HHUGS will also provide us with images, videos and fundraising templates to help the children reach their target.

Who are HHUGS?

HHUGS (Helping Households Under Great Stress) are a unique, zakat-eligible charity dedicated to providing vital financial, emotional, and practical support to Muslim households right here in the UK, impacted by counter-terror legislation.

How much do I need to fundraise?

We recommend each child aims to fundraise £150. We are confident however that with a little effort, the children can easily raise far more than the minimum £150 target!

I have never fundraised before, where do I start?

Easy. Your fundraising page will be set up automatically when you register and will be added to our very own leaderboard system.

Once you’ve set your target, share the page with your friends, and family. It’ll have all the details of the challenge you’re taking on – and allows people to sponsor you and donate straight to HHUGS, quickly and easily online.

£150 may seem daunting at first, but it’s really as simple as getting 15 friends to donate £10.

If that’s a breeze, you can set your heights on a higher target – £500 or £1000 – easily achieved with just 20 friends donating £50.

Many children and parents alike have doubted they could raise £150 but with sincere intentions, du’a and the help of Allah they went to raise £1000 in the space of a few days. Some went on to smash the target by raising £5000 or £10000!! So never underestimate what you can achieve!

We’re on hand to support and encourage you at every stage, and if you’re not a confident wordsmith, we can even provide template messages for you to share if you’re short of ideas.   Remember to use all means at your disposal to share your page – if you’re on social media, take advantage of the platforms to raise funds.

Here are a few tips:

• Fundraising pages are just like paper sponsorship forms, except they’re online, so you don’t have to worry about dealing with cash, cheques and chasing sponsors after the event is finished. You could even create your own fundraising team to help you spread the word!
• Level up your profile – Add an image, complete your story and set your event date.
• Kick-start your fundraising by donating to yourself. It’s a great way to begin your fundraising!
• Set a target: Aim high and keep your friends and family updated on how close you are to reach your goal!
• Spread the word. Once your page has been created you can share it with your contacts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. You can also share it via a SMS message, e-mailing your contacts, or sending a WhatsApp and Telegram broadcast to your friends and family. Don’t forget to share it on any groups that you’re on.
• You can also share it on your story on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.
• Change your profile picture on all your social media platforms to our very own fundraiser avatar. You can even add it to your email signature! And of course don’t forget the old fashioned way of speaking to friends and family on the phone too!
• Let everyone know when the countdown to your challenge has begun by using our social media badges and sharing your page on your social media channels.
• Use social media to promote your walk through status updates, posting photos as your train, or undertake your walk, making videos, sending messages. Encourage others to join you if it’s safe to do so and you’re in a group of six!
• Think of fun ways to help donations roll in and the hours will fly by.
• Ask for help! Don’t be afraid to ask for tips from other fundraisers on our WhatsApp groups or asking staff for ways to energise donors if you find you’re getting stuck.

Here are some other ways to help:

• Contact your local press and radio stations with your fundraising·
• Contact local businesses for their support by asking them to sponsor you·
• We can send you a Charity Collection Penny Box which you can place at home or work if you’re back in the office, and even at the till of your local take away (with permission!). Order yours now at hhugs.org.uk/pennybox.

Remember, HHUGS are here to help so you can kick start your fundraising!

How do I send you the money from my fundraising page?

You don’t have to do anything. We receive it automatically when you use our leaderboard fundraising platform! Thank you!

Can I fundraise offline?

Of course, you can. If people have given you your sponsor money in cash, or made a bank transfer to you, and you want us to add this to your page, simply pay it in yourself. Alternatively, you can simply click “Add cash donation” and we’ll be in touch to verify your offline donation before it is added to your page. You can send a cheque (with the reference Scouts Masajid Walk + Your name) with your completed sponsorship form to:

HHUGS
4^th floor
43 Berkeley Square,
London,
W1J 5FJ

What is Gift Aid and does it really matter?

Make every £1 worth 25p more at no extra cost to you. It’s just a little box to tick but Gift Aid makes a huge difference when it comes to how much money we can raise to support families in the need right here in the UK.

To be eligible to add Gift Aid to your donation, you must be a UK taxpayer and understand that if you pay less income tax and/or capital gains tax then the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all donations made in that tax year it’s your responsibility to pay any difference. The government will give a further 25% of your donation to the charity, and it doesn’t cost you or your sponsors a thing.

This option will be there on your fundraising page, but if you could mention it to your sponsors, you could help raise much more money to support families torn apart by national security measures. Find out more about Gift Aid here.

How will the money I raise be utilised?

The money you raise can provide relief and hope to families in need this Ramadhan. Every step you take can ease the burdens of single mothers, children growing up without their fathers, and elderly parents struggling without their sons.

With more than 50% of UK Muslims entrapped in the cycle of poverty, your donations can help those who need it most.

For most of us, Ramadhan is a time of family, gathering and the joy of community. In the homes of HHUGS families, however, Ramadhan brings with it a sharp reminder of all that has been lost.

The peace of the month carries a sadness and emptiness as iftar meals, tarawih prayers and Eid preparations all take place without the heart of the home: the father, husband and beloved son.

The financial burden makes preparing iftar that much harder. The social isolation hurts more in a month of togetherness. The stigma faced by having a family member imprisoned stings more sharply in a time meant for mercy.

You can help set things right again. Your steps can clothe and feed children growing up without their fathers, and warm the hearts of elderly parents isolated from their communities this Ramadhan. You can respond to their silent cries with relief and hope.

Your fundraising can transform lives

Your steps will show families the value of the ummah and how this month can be made sweet again. By raising:

• £15 you can gift a child festive joy and make them feel valued with an Eid Gift
• £40 you can remind a family they are not forgotten with a Ramadhan Gift Box
• £50 you can relieve hunger with a food pack of essentials or for £250 for a month of food vouchers
• £200 you can heal trauma with professional therapy
• £500 you can shelter families and provide security by covering rent and utilities
• £750 you can revive hope and restore a child’s self-worth and dignity by supporting their physical and emotional well-being.
• £1000 you can rebuild lives by helping single mothers gain independence through educational and vocational training
• £2000 you can alleviate the burden of debt for struggling women.

You can change lives for some of the most ostracised families in our midst.

What if I can’t reach my target?

At HHUGS we’ve seen many challengers, supporters and volunteers achieve great feats despite their initial self-doubt. That’s why we’re confident that with a bit of effort, with the help of Allah (swt) and thereafter our support, you will surpass your own expectations.

However, if you try your best but can’t reach your target (and we doubt this will be the case) then all is far from lost. You still walk away with the rewards of your intentions, your efforts and whatever amount you do manage to raise.

“Whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, Allah will record it as a complete good deed.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

So aim high with pure intentions, say ‘Bismillah’ and tie your camel by giving it your best effort, then leave the rest to Allah (swt). You’ve got nothing to lose, and everything to gain, in sha’ Allah!

What should I do if I’ve forgotten my username and password?

Click here https://www.hhugs.org.uk/my-account/lost-password/ if you’ve forgotten your password on our sign up page. Follow the instructions on the email you receive to reset your password.

Still having trouble? Please contact us at [email protected] for help logging into your account.