Charity

Join the NRE social challenge

This July we’re taking on the 24 Peaks Challenge in the Lake District and we’re asking you to help us raise £10,000 for Railway Children. The Board of National Rail Enquiries will match the first £5,000 donated by the public so give a little and together we’ll change a lot.

Because our challenge helps their challenge

The challenge is demanding: climb 24 peaks, each over 2,400 ft, in 24 hours - latest updates below. But it’s nothing compared to the challenges faced by children who struggle to survive life on the streets. Railway Children works in the UK, India and East Africa to protect vulnerable street children from abuse and exploitation. Find out more by visiting www.railwaychildren.org.uk.

Be part of the community that changes lives this summer

We’ve called it the ‘NRE social challenge’ because we’re asking our social media community to join us in supporting a charity who is tackling the social challenge on our streets. We’re calling on our Twitter and Facebook followers to donate at least £1 so that together we can change lives. We are paying all of the costs, so every penny you give goes to helping street children like Lakshmi, Emma and Joseph. Give what you can and don’t forget to tick the Gift Aid Box if you’re a UK taxpayer.

Prefer to donate by mobile?

Simply text the word “CHILDREN” to 70099 and donate £1 to Railway Children. You will be charged £1.00 plus one message at your standard network rate.*

Help us spread the word

It’s a social challenge remember so if you donate, please share this page with your own online networks and encourage them to get on board too.

On behalf of all of the children, thank you.

Latest Updates:

14/7/12 Challenge Day 2

After yesterday only four remain fit enough to start the second day of the challenge and any individual being lost today may end the challenge attempt.

And so it is the four runners - Kim, Gary, Maria and Duncan - who set off at 0910 from Kirkstone to climb up to Red Screes on a cooler day. The day progresses with steep climbs and drops, messy and sheer climbing up Seat Sandal and a seemingly endless rough stairway to the top of Dollywagon Pike, where we pause for a bite and to assess progress.

We are making good time and as a team are determined to finish as quickly as possible. We agree to target a finish time for the day of 8 hours - which means we need to pick up the pace and jog down the slopes, where terrain permits. 8 hours is ambitious but will bring us within an hour of the 24 hour overall challenge target time. Not unreasonable considering the difficulties yesterday.

Helvellyn passes in a blur and with just four peaks left we pick up the pace further - we need to be finished by 1710. At 1630 Gary claims victory as he crests the final, 24th peak, though in fact Maria was the first to the top. With 40 minutes to go we have a little time for a passing fell runner to take a quick photo before we start the final 3 mile descent over peat bog.

Having been in contact with our support team, we hope they will be waiting with kettle boiled and tea ready, but - no! Stuck in traffic behind a couple of buses that have had a coming together, we arrive before them at 1708 to complete the second day in under 8 hours!

So our challenge is finished and we return again to our normal lives. But the challenge for Lakshmi, Emma, Joseph and thousands of other street children continues - in India, East Africa and even here in the UK. Each child that the Railway Children help faces their own personal mountains every day - whether that's avoiding drugs, abuse, violence and exploitation or just to find a meal and somewhere to sleep. They are why we did this challenge. The money our sponsors, NRE and the participants have given and continue to give is vital in helping these young people to grow, and to give them and help them to make positive life choices.

So thank you again to everyone who has taken part, helped out or sponsored us. We do this because our challenge helps their challenge.

Thank you.

Maria, Kim, Gary, Kirstie, John, Tim and Duncan

With Al, Maria and Kathryn in support

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13/7/12 Challenge Day 1

A glorious day was only going to make it a hot days hard work. At 0730 Red Squirrels in the trees seem a good omen, but the 600m+ climb and the rises up to the first three peaks wreak havoc with John's IT band which pops, making walking incredibly slow and painful. Even dosed up with Ibuprofen, Kim and Maria took a long time to get him back down to Buttermere. They jogged back up to meet the rest of us at Green Gable but even so, at 1500, we have lost maybe a couple of hours and we're now up against it to complete in the light.

Great Gable is a challenge - a steep scree slope and perilous climbs over steep falls, but we all make it to the top and back down. At 1830 and with six of today's eleven peaks done we are on the approach to Scafell, but for Kirstie this is as far as she can go. Deep in the mountains, it means the end to Duncan's day as well as he helps her get out so that the others can continue. Even staying low, it takes three hours, ascents to over 730m and a couple of top-ups from the streams before they get out as dusk falls at 2130.

Meanwhile four continue to the top of Scafell and four other peaks, Tim loses the use of his knee in the process and falls numerous times. And as darkness settles in the torches have to come out but the seemingly endless walking continues until, finally, at 2330, the exhausted party is welcomed back to civilisation, food and warmth.

12/7/12 Arrived in Ambleside

Ahead of the attempt tomorrow, we have arrived in Ambleside in good spirits. Supporter Al has cooked up a storm of chilli and rice - thanks! - now set for an early night. The plan is up at 0430 to leave about 0500 and be en route before 0600. Think of us in the morning.

A huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far - you are brilliant.

Weather forecast is looking OK - should be some good views tomorrow between showers. Here are some last minute thoughts from the team:

Maria: "Nearly sick on arrival due to the bends in the road! Feeling OK now."

John: "Loving the chilli! I haven't done enough training..."

Gary: "Excited to get to the foot of the first hill."

Tim: "Rucksack fully loaded and ready to go! It's gonna hurt..."

Kim: "Red sky at night - expecting delight!"

Duncan: "Closing in on the target. Thank you all."

--

Kim:

Training continues to go well, walked most of the Welsh 3000 on a wet May weekend with lots of low cloud, which helped me practice my navigation skills.  Managed some good walking in Edale during June along part of the Pennine Way, the weather held and we had much more visibility which made for a better walk.  On both of these walks managed to get in around 15 miles most days.  Been in training for a few triathlons, the first of which was on Sunday the 1^st July, and managed a respectable time and managed not to break myself 11 days prior to the walk which was a definite bonus.  So roll on the 24 peaks!

Duncan:

Came off my bike on Sunday - deep lacerations to my right arm and five stitches in my left hand for a deep wound. Worse - both knees and left ankle took a knock and are aching today. And I missed a training run whilst sitting in A&E. Grr...

Hopefully will fully recover before the weekend, but it's not good.

On the positive side, jackets, fleeces and beanie hats ordered. Hopefully they will be on their way before too long and get here in time - though it's going to be close. Fingers crossed...

Maria:

On Saturday I took copious amounts of pictures of children holding snakes and other reptiles, which I copied onto disk for people who wanted them and asked for a voluntary donation for Railway Children.  All but a couple of people donated, which I thought was very good.

Last weekend I completed the Orwell 25 – a 25 mile walk, and added a couple of miles on the end to meet a couple of the walkers who were walking at a slower pace.  I got blisters on my little toes, aching legs, but other than that was OK.

Kirstie:

On Saturday I walked about 16.5 miles around London. The new Shard building was an impressive sight from many different places along my walk. At 310 metres (1,020 ft) tall, it is massive and dwarves some of the other landmarks that dominate the landscape. Apparently it’s the tallest building in the European Union. That’s not even a third of the height of Scarfell Pike!!!

I have some pretty gross blisters (although the really big one popped on the way to work). I’m glad I got some advice about living in my walking boots, because I don’t much like them but there’s clearly more wearing in required.

The one that burst was bad because it was so big and I could feel the pressure on the skin. It was on the side of my foot – where people get bunions.  It’s fine now it has popped. I let it happen naturally rather than pop it. The one on the ball of my foot hurts because that’s a bit I step on all the time.

I wore my boots today and walked to work, then again at lunch time when I walked to Camden Lock and back. So I’ve walked a further 7 miles in them today.

Terms:

*From most users Railway Children will receive 99p from each text donation with a minimum of 97p received dependant on your network operator.

*Money donated via mobile payment will be counted towards the total raised but does not appear on this page.

Recent donors

Serco Global Services £1000.00 18.03.13 All the Best.

James foskett £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 17.10.12 Good luck gaz

Bob from Choir! £10.00 21.08.12 Well done Maria and the team!

Anonymous £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 17.08.12

Anonymous £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 14.08.12

Tim The Train £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 27.07.12

Anonymous £30.00 (+ £7.50 giftaid) 23.07.12 Well done Gary, Love Mum, Dad & Tracey xx

Anonymous £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 23.07.12 Well done Gary and the team, Martin and Shane

Anonymous £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 23.07.12 Well done Gary, Love Sue & Ken

David Jones £24.00 (+ £6.00 giftaid) 23.07.12 Well done

Darren Diddams £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 23.07.12 Well done Tim and the team. Impressive stuff.

Nigel McBride £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 22.07.12 Hope it went well !

Trevor Harrison £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 22.07.12

Amanda Goodchild £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 20.07.12 Well done.

Anonymous £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 19.07.12 I admire your courage for your venture, and my heart goes out to the children you wish to help. I hope you are successful in a massive way

Sarah R £5.00 19.07.12 Well done Maria and team

Daniel Robertson £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 18.07.12

Anonymous £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 18.07.12 Fantastic team effort, thank you for raising awareness of the street children's plight. Well done and best wishes Anna

Tony Foreman £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 17.07.12 Well done

JJ £100.00 (+ £25.00 giftaid) 17.07.12

Pauline £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 17.07.12 Well done guys. I'm proud of each and every one of you. Same again next year?

Carolyn £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 17.07.12 Well done Maria :)

Guy Dangerfield £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 17.07.12 Did you try get me home on the app at the top?

Chris Ezekiel £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 16.07.12 Well done Maria and the team!

Anonymous £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 16.07.12 Go Sis!