Virtually walk the length of the UK with #TeamTangerine

James Duff and Margaret McLaren, our Community Ambassadors in Scotland, are the driving force behind #TeamTangerine’s road trip. They started walking at the beginning of the year, supported by 12 active participants so far, and hope a further 21 will be joining them next week.

“The more people who join in the better,” James explained, “and we’d love to get as big a team as possible joining in this virtual challenge to help fight meningitis. Not only will you be raising money for Meningitis Now but you’ll also be getting fit, and looking after your physical and mental health.

Advance along a map

To make it clear, walkers don’t have to physically walk the highways and byways between the tip of Scotland and the toe of England to complete the challenge. Each time you complete a walk local to wherever you live – or it could be a run, cycle or swim – you log your distance and advance along a virtual map of the length of the UK.

Those taking part have until the end of June to complete the challenge and will need to walk an average of six miles a day to complete the route. But if that’s a bit too much you can taker longer and walk a shorter distance each day. 

Whatever you do it will help to raise awareness of meningitis and funds to help fight it. 

Reasons to support us

Both James and Margaret have personal stories of meningitis and reasons for supporting our work.

“My family knows only too well the effects meningitis can have on a family,” James said. “It was many years ago now that my sister lost her wee boy Kristopher, who was just one year old.

“Although it was many years ago you never get over something like that.”

James’s sister, twin and friends have all joined forces to raise funds to support our vital lifesaving and life-changing work and over the last five years have raised an amazing £10,800. You can read more of his story here.

“Please help me to hit my target of £1,000 – every single penny will help this wonderful charity,” James added.

Margaret has been supporting our work since losing her nephew Calum to meningitis in October 2007. You can read their story here.

Two ways to sign up

There are two ways to sign up and join James and Margaret in their virtual walking challenge.

You can join in on your own with the aim of walking 1,083 miles by the end of June with no fees involved, or you can sign up through The Conqueror Challenge for £34.95 and receive a medal and t-shirt on completion of the challenge.

“So far it’s going really well,” James added. “Progress is really good with most team members at over 10 per cent of their overall journey.

“And I’m loving it. It’s definitely getting me out of the house with the dogs. It’s a great way to take some exercise and help keep fit.”

James has set up a Facebook group for those who would like to join him. This has all the joining information for whichever option you go for. Have a look and sign up at www.facebook.com/groups/teamtangerinevirtualchallenge.

Support them here

And, if the walk is not for you but you would like to support James, Margaret and the other walkers there are two fundraising pages set up:

• www.justgiving.com/fundraising/james-duff-team-tangerine-virtualchallenge
• www.justgiving.com/team/Calums-tangerineteam

Leah Wynn, our Fundraising Officer, added: “We’d like to thank James, Margaret and everyone who is taking on this challenge for us and wish them well in reaching their destination.

“We rely on the generosity, energy and initiative of our supporters to raise the vital funds we need to carry out our lifesaving and life-changing work – never more so than at the moment,

“Their efforts will make a real difference to those who are at risk from meningitis and those whose lives have already been changed forever because of it.”