A guide to running your own Miles4Moos event


Getting others involved in organising

  • If you are on your own, do look at getting others involved in organising the walk. As well as being more fun, it reduces your workload, gets ideas flowing, and helps spread the word about Miles4Moos!

Insurance

  • Any event that involves the public must be covered by public liability insurance. If you are organising an event for a registered organisation you may already be covered – but you will need to check.
  • You should also make it clear to walkers that they are responsible for their own safety on the walk.
  • The disclaimer used on the Miles4Moos registration form should be used in any materials you produce. It might be worth getting people to sign the disclaimer prior to commencing the walk.
  • Here is the disclaimer:
    "We hope you enjoy taking part in Send a Cow’s Miles4Moos family walk,
    but please remember that everyone takes part at their own risk and that
    Send a Cow is not responsible for any injuries, loss or damage that occur
    during the event. Furthermore, if you are a school or youth group, please
    make sure that you get written parental consent for each child taking part.
    Each group must have a ratio of at least one adult to six children."

Planning the route

  • A family walk should be no more than five miles long -just short enough for the littlest legs to complete and not too far if you end up carrying a struggling child!
  • To make your event even more fun, why not use our special markers to mark the end of each mile of the course - they even have a children's quiz about Send a Cow to keep the little ones in high spirits. Download and print the mile markers and the quiz answers to enhance the fun.
  • There are excellent walks for families throughout the UK. As a starting point why not check local routes with the Forestry Commission (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Try looking for a location that has a good place to assemble at the start, ideally with nearby loos and tea, coffee and snack facilities.

  • You should also think about whether your walkers will need snack or meal stops along the way.
  • If you are stopping along the way, remember to check the place is large enough for the expected numbers and is open at the relevant time on the day.
  • Alternatively, if you are recommending a picnic at the end of the event, remember to inform participants that they will need to bring their own food and drink.

Permission and notifications

  • Once you have decided on your route, get permission or give notification to the organisation responsible for the land on which you will be walking.
  • You may also be required to fill out a risk assessment form, and Send a Cow recommends that you do this anyway – to ensure that your walk is as safe as possible. You can download a generic risk assessment form here.
  • Although it is not always essential, it is worth letting both the police and the relevant local authorities know that you are arranging a walk in their area.
  • If you are arranging a large walk, it is worth contacting authorities prior to organising your route. The number of participants may restrict the routes that you are able to use.

Stewarding and first aid

  • The number of stewards required for your event really depends on how many people are walking.
  • For smaller events it should be sufficient to have a steward at the start, at the mid point and at the end of the walk.
  • For larger events we recommend that for every 200 participants you should organise one steward per mile, two stewards at the entrance and the exit, and one steward at the registration desk.
  • Remember to make sure that your stewards are wearing bright clothing so that they can be easily identified.
  • To find out the recommended first aid requirements for your event, please contact your local St. John's Ambulance office. Details for local offices can be found at http://www.sja.org.uk/counties/default.asp.

Adapting Miles4Moos materials

You may want to create your own information sheets for your walk, or adapt our materials to produce something that is tailored to your own event. If so, here are some pointers on the information you should include:

  • What is being done, including how far the walk is, and why the money is needed.
  • When and where the walk begins, including a clear explanation of where the start point is.
  • How long people should allow for the walk and what facilities are available (e.g. whether they need to bring their own refreshments).
  • The name, phone number and address of a walk contact – including, if possible, a mobile phone number so that people can contact you on the day.
  • Depending on the type of walk, people may also need a map and directions. This could include details of the route, points of interest, location of toilets and refreshment facilities, and what to do at the end. You can either give this to people on the day, or can send it out in advance.
  • Remember, it is important to ask people to let you know in advance if they are coming so that you are able to manage the numbers. This is particularly important if you have agreed maximum numbers with the authorities, or if you want to make arrangements with refreshment places.

Getting the word out

  • Call us when you have finalised the details of your walk – and we will publicise it in the events section of our website.
  • Talk your own friends, family and / or colleagues into coming along – and get them to do the same!
  • Get in touch with your local newspaper and radio station and let them know what you are doing. There is also a Miles4Moos press release template available for you to download.
  • Distribute a poster advertising your event. You will receive a poster in your information pack, but you can also download and print your own.
  • Design and distribute your own poster - let us know if you need a high-resolution version of the Miles4Moos logo.
  • And, if you need support from a local Send a Cow ambassador, let us know and we will put you in touch with a representative in your region.

Getting the money in!

  • Participants should use the Send a Cow sponsorship forms and be responsible for collecting their funds from their own sponsors. Sponsorship forms can be downloaded from here or by calling 01225 874222.
  • Young people under 16 must be accompanied by an adult if collecting sponsorship money from the public.
  • Stress how important collecting the money by a certain deadline is. You might want to give a prize for the largest amount raised, encouraging participants to collect.
  • If you don’t want the hassle of collecting money from your participants, please feel free to ask them to send the money they have collected direct to Send a Cow.

Acknowledging people

  • Remember to thank people for taking part. We have Miles4Moos certificates – so let us know how many you need and we will send them to you prior to the event.
  • You can either hand certificates out on the day – or put on a presentation ceremony at a later date when all the sponsorship money is in. We can arrange for a local ambassador to come along to collect the cheque and tell your group how their contribution will be helping poor families in Africa transform their lives.

NB: Miles4Moos can be used for any event where participants cover a distance to raise funds for our work in Africa. Pony trekking, sky diving and cycling are just some of the suggestions that have already come in! So, for you adventurous types, please make sure that the distance / activity set is achievable and is based on the experience of the people taking part – and that organisers of such events have the adequate insurance. Please also ensure that all the associated health and safety recommendations are adhered to.

Download Risk Assessment form

Download PDF of Guidelines