Simply sign up, create your ready-made page on our leaderboard, set your target and spread the word far and wide! The only essential is to let everyone know you’re taking on this challenge for a great cause, so they can donate and support you like the HHUGS Hero you are!

It is a Winter Walk in support of the families impacted by counter terror measures to stay warm, healthy and safe this winter.

For our supporters in Yorkshire and Lancashire, this year our Winter Walk will be taking place in the dramatic stunning landscape around Dove Stone Reservoir, in the Peak District National Park.

Yes, transport from Bradford will be provided.

The meeting point is: The Islam Bradford Centre, 1 City Rd, Bradford BD8 8ER

Meeting time: 8:30am

Subject to demand, transport will be provided from Manchester and Blackburn.

Yes, for a reduced registration fee of £10 per adult, you can make your own way to Dove Stone Reservoir and meet us there for 10am.

By car:

Postcode:

From Manchester direction: Drive up the A635 towards Holmfirth, follow the brown signs for Dove Stone – the main council-managed carpark is a little way up the hill on the right. It has 117 spaces plus four Blue Badge bays. RSPB members can park here for free with their membership card on display in the windscreen.

Binn Green further up the hill on the right.

From Holmfirth direction: Follow the A635 towards Greenfield, Binn Green carpark will be on the left (follow brown signs) and the main car park on the left towards the bottom of the hill (but there is no left turn into carpark, it is necessary to go down to the mini roundabout and come back up the hill).

By public transport:

Bus Routes

180 Greenfield – Manchester
This service terminates at the Chew Valley Road junction and is 1 mile from the reservoir. It terminates at the Clarence Pub about half a mile away.

350 Oldham – Ashton
This service runs along Chew Valley Road and Manchester Road and is 1 mile from the reservoir

354 Denshaw – Ashton
This service runs along Chew Valley Road and Manchester Road and is 1 mile from the reservoir

Bus routes are subject to change for up to date information and times please call TfGM on 0161 244 1000.

The nearest railway station is at Greenfield, two miles away. Walk through the village on the main road (A669), then follow brown signs for Dove Stone.

Absolutely anyone who is fit and able to walk can participate in our winter walk. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian. The event is open to both individuals and groups, so please invite your friends, families, neighbours and colleagues to join you. If you’re part of a Scout, youth group or school why not get your colleagues involved?

We will have a separate route that is pram/push-chair and wheelchair access friendly. The reservoir route offers fantastic views of the countryside and passes wild flower meadows and woodlands. The path is surfaced and suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, although it is a little steep in places.

You will be walking 5-7 miles around a nature reserve for 2 – 3.5 hours. People of all fitness levels are welcome to the challenge, and hence why people are willing to sponsor you to do the walk. If you have any medical conditions, please consult your doctor before you register for the walk.

Wear comfortable footwear (walking boots or trainers are advisable), warm and waterproof clothing.

The routes are generally gentle to stroll through and trouble-free. Risk assessments have been conducted and stewards will be informed on the day of any spots which require attention. There are two routes, an easier one for wheelchair and pram users, and a more moderate one.

We will have two routes available – one shorter and accessible, suitable for all ages; and one more challenging that will be longer (6-7 miles). You will be able to select the route you prefer to take at the time of your online registration.

Prior to the walk, we will have a group event briefing. All participants you 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 HHUGS staff and volunteers guiding you along the way, and qualified First Aid representatives to help you along your walk.

Yes, you will be provided with a sandwich, crisps, fruit and water. (Chicken and vegetarian options available).

Yes, there is often a hot food van on site as well as an ice cream van in the main car park, mainly at weekends or in good weather only.

Bring a water proof jacket, wear good hiking/walking boots, and/or umbrella, a water bottle and a fully charged mobile phone. Hand warmers are advisable in the event of cold weather. You may wish to bring walking/hiking poles. Please bring a spare change of clothing and footwear in the event of wet weather.

Upon arrival, you will need to register at the Registration Desk with HHUGS staff and volunteers. There you will be issued with a map of the route, lunch and other items.

Yes, there are toilets at the main car park managed by Oldham Council. Open 8am – 5.15pm. Accessible toilets are also available but a RADAR key is needed.  Please note that the toilets at Binn Green are permanently closed. We advise all participants to use the toilets and make wudhu on arrival, before we start. For participants coming from Bradford on the coach, you can also use the toilets at Islam Bradford at the start.

We ask each adult participant to pay a registration fee.

• £10 – Any age with transport
• £5 –Any age make your own way
• Under 3 free without transport

We ask all participants to fundraise an additional £150. We are confident however that with a little effort, participants can easily raise far more than the minimum £150 target!

Yes, the registration fee must be paid by Friday 4th March, 10pm.

Yes, we will set up a prayer area and ablution can be performed in the WC facilities in the park.

Yes, Dovestone Reservoir is suitable for children. We will have two routes available; an easy pram-friendly route around the reservoir and a more challenging 6 mile route with a steep ascent. However, if your child suffers from any health problems, please consult your doctor before you register for the walk

Dove Stone Reservoir is surrounded by many gritstone crags with enigmatic names such as Wilderness, Robbs Rocks and Indians Head. The area is predominantly agricultural so sheep frequently share the footpaths and add to the rural experience. There are also three other reservoirs in the vicinity.

The RSPB manage the nature reserve at Dove Stone. You can expect to see a range of birds, such as curlews, golden plovers, peregrine falcons, ravens and red grouse. In the winter, mountain hares stand out in their distinctive white winter coats as they sunbathe on the rocks above the path leading up to Chew reservoir. Bramblings and siskins visit the feeders at Binn Green car park. The grassland, which through varied grazing and by planting wildflowers, supports a range of bees, butterflies and other insects. Wildlife ponds supporting dragonflies and damselflies, as well as palmate newts, toads and frogs.

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

Physical health – As well as reducing the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, regular physical activity keeps your body healthy and strong. It can help your blood pressure, help you to sleep better and keep your heart healthy. Walking can help you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. By getting into regular walking habit, you will feel more energetic and awake over time.

Mental health – Walking can reduce anxiety, improve self-esteem, reduce stress and build a greater sense of calm. Look after your mind as well as your body.

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 Walking in Their Shoes challenge.

Easy. Your fundraising page will be set up automatically when you register and will be added to our very own leaderboard system, the first gaming leaderboard to be created by any charity!

Once you’ve set your target, share the page with your friends, family and colleagues. 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 novice fundraisers 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 – WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and SMS. Some even made videos to encourage people, and got their parents and children to compete with them in the process!  Whether you’re a novice or an experienced fundraiser, this method is tried and tested.

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 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:

• Get your fundraising matched by a colleague, workplace or friend·
• 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.
• Even if a lot of events have ceased, you can still contact your ISOC, School, Scouts groups and others to get involved to support your fundraising.

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

Not being active on social media doesn’t mean you can’t take part. Those traditional methods of direct fundraising served us well for many years and still work wonders. We will set you up with everything you need from the get go and even provide a penny box upon request (just call 0207 733 2104 or email [email protected]). Download our Fundraising Toolkit for a complete A-Z of fundraising idea and simple steps that will help you achieve fundraising success.

You don’t have to do anything. We receive it automatically whether you use our leaderboard, GiveBrite, JustGiving or MuslimGiving. Thank you!

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 Winter Walk + Your name) with your completed sponsorship form to:

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

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.

The money you raise can provide warm homes and heal hearts this Winter. Every step you take can ease the burdens of single mothers, children growing up without their fathers, and elderly parents struggling without their sons, many of whom are forced to choose between heating and eating.

Your steps can change lives!

Every 7 minutes one person will die this Winter.  Many HHUGS families affected by detention and counter-terror measures, are amongst the 2.4 million in the UK experiencing ‘fuel poverty’.

With living costs and unemployment rising, families face the hard choice to make the decision whether to ‘heat or eat’. Burdened by debts and threatened with eviction, single mothers, with their husbands behind bars, struggle to provide adequate clothing and blankets for their children to protect them from its chill.

Winter hits the most vulnerable hardest. The UK has the second worst rate of excess winter deaths in Europe, with over 175,000 recorded in the past five years, with many succumbing to preventable illnesses.  But Winter doesn’t just impair the mobility of the elderly and exacerbate physical illness. With the looming threat of another lockdown, ‘invisible’ conditions like depression, anxiety and loneliness make the long dark nights and grey freezing days even harder to contend with.

That’s why we’re here, to give families a helping hand. Your steps can clothe children growing up without fathers, and warm the hearts and hearths of elderly parents isolated from their communities this winter. You can be that light of mercy, radiating hope for a family to survive a merciless season.

You might have struggled with the restrictions in the past two years, but it’s easy to forget that many families in our midst live like this all year round. You can make a difference to families for whom social distancing and isolation is a norm.

Your fundraising can transform lives Your steps this season will mean families won’t face a winter without you. By raising:

• £40 you can provide warm bedding to protect them from the night’s chill
• £80 you can clothe children to keep them warm this Winter
• £250 you can feed a family for a month so they aren’t forced to choose between heating and eating.
• £300 you can heat a home this winter
• £500 you can shelter a family by paying their rent and saving them from eviction
• You can change lives for some of the most ostracised families in our midst.

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!

“Winter is booty for the devout worshipers.” [Umar ibn Al-Khattab]

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.

Get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling us on 0207 733 2104 if you can no longer take part. We regret that we will not be able to refund anyone who has already donated to support you.

Together, we can ensure the families won’t face a winter without us. Together, we can give Warm HHUGS to those who need it most.