General
What is Walk for Home?
Walk for Home’s a sponsored walk for people around the country who are fighting for a fairer housing system. Get together with your friends, decide a distance (3km, 5km or 10km) and choose a route.
Around the country, people will be walking on 10 December. But you can walk any time from 6–12 December – whatever works for you.
Can anyone organise their own Walk for Home?
Yes. Walk for Home is open to everyone. You can cover your chosen distance in whichever way you're able, and adapt the challenge to suit your needs. Local councils can provide information about accessible walks in their areas, and there are also dedicated websites where you can search the routes.
When it comes to setting up your walk, we’ll support you every step of the way – from rallying your fellow walkers to raising money for the event.
So, get your friends, family, colleagues (and even the dog) together, and get walking!
Will it cost me anything to sign up?
Nope. It’s completely free to sign up.
Where does my money go?
The money you raise will fuel the fight for home. With your help, we’ll reform private renting, demand more social homes, and be there for anyone fighting housing injustice.
Are there any age restrictions for the event?
Yes. You have to be over 16 to make your own fundraising page and sign up to Walk for Home. If you’re under 16 and would like to take part, thank you. For now, you’ll have to do it with an adult.
What do I do if I’ve signed up, but can’t do the walk anymore?
We're sorry to hear that you’re not able to do Walk from Home anymore. But don’t worry: simply let us know by email at walkforhome@shelter.org.uk – and remember to disable your fundraising page in your page settings.
How can I stay safe from coronavirus on my walk?
To protect yourself and everyone on your walk, we recommend staying up-to-date with the government’s latest coronavirus guidelines at: gov.uk/coronavirus (for England) and gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19 (for Scotland).
There, you’ll find all the info you need about how many people you can walk with – and how to social distance while you’re on the go.
Signing up
I haven’t received a confirmation email yet. Am I registered?
You should have received a confirmation email when you signed up – and if you haven’t, please check your junk mail.
If you still aren’t having any luck, please email walkforhome@shelter.org.uk and we’ll get it sorted.
How do I create a team?
After you’ve signed up, you'll be given the option to create a team. Simply click the red 'Create a team' button and follow the steps provided.
How do I join a team?
After you've signed up, you'll be presented with the option to join a team. Simply click the red 'Join a team' button and follow the steps provided.
I don’t have a team. Can I take part?
Of course. If you’d prefer to go solo, that’s absolutely fine with us.
Planning your walk
How do I get started?
Once you’ve signed up, download your Walker Guide. It’ll tell you everything you need to know, from choosing a route to spreading the word about your walk.
Our events team is also here to answer any questions you might have. You can call them on: 0344 515 1190 or email: walkforhome@shelter.org.uk.
We’ll also be sending you regular emails with plenty of tips to help you along the way.
How can I connect with other walkers?
The Walk for Home Facebook group is a community that loves walking and shares a passion to end housing injustice. It’s a great place to connect and share ideas.
That’s also where we’ll post helpful hints and information to keep you inspired, up-to-speed and ready for walk day.
Where can I do my walk?
It’s completely up to you. You can walk anywhere from mountains to coastlines, from the open countryside to the city pavements.
How many people can join my team?
Just as many as you like.
Do I have to walk 10km?
No. You can walk 3km, 5km or 10km. Your Walk for Home can be as long or short as you like.
Do I have to do it on the 10 December?
The big day for Walk for Home is 10 December, but you can walk any time from 6–12 December.
Is there a certain time of day I have to walk?
No. Enjoy the sunrise or the stars, you can walk at whatever time you like.
Fundraising advice and tools
If I’m organising a walk, what fundraising tools will be available?
You can download a free Walker Guide. It’ll tell you everything you need to know about Walk for Home.
Once you’ve started fundraising, we’ll send you a hat you can wear on your walk.
You can also download a range of fundraising tools – from posters to social posts – so you can tell the world about your walk.
Can I buy any Walk for Home merchandise?
There’s no Walk for Home merchandise for sale, but once you raise £20 we’ll be sending you a Walk for Home hat and this will arrive with you by December 10th. The UK's current supply chain issues stem from global shortages of materials, staff shortages and transport delays. Unfortunately, this has impacted the supply of our bobble hats and we aim to have these with you as soon as possible by December 10th. We hope you can understand.
How do I fundraise for Walk for Home?
We recommend fundraising through your JustGiving page, which is automatically created when you register.
For more info and more ideas on how to spread the word, please check out the downloadable Walker Guide.
How do I send cash donations to you?
If you get a cash donation, you’ll have to pay in the amount you’ve received to your online fundraising page.
Alternatively, you can send us a cheque or make a bank transfer by emailing: walkforhome@shelter.org.uk. We’ll provide you with all the info you need from there.
How much do I have to fundraise?
We’re encouraging all walkers to raise a minimum of £80. But aim high: you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.
What happens if I can’t reach £80?
We’re here to support you with your fundraising as much as we can, so please do get in touch at: walkforhome@shelter.org.uk.
Does Gift Aid count towards my fundraising target?
No: unfortunately, Gift Aid doesn’t count. However, please encourage your donors to include Gift Aid in their donations – because it’s a fantastic way to help us raise extra funds, and be there for more people who are struggling with their housing.
What does my fundraising support?
The money you raise will go to the areas of our work that need it the most. This allows us to be efficient with your donations – reaching the people who urgently need us.
Can I fundraise through a different platform?
We recommend using JustGiving as it’s really efficient and easy-to-use and a fundraising page will be automatically created for you once you have registered.
However, if you’d like to use something else, please let us know by emailing: walkforhome@shelter.org.uk. Thank you!
I’d like to organise my own Walk for Home through my workplace.
Great. We’ve got lots of advice for businesses – from corporate fundraising tools that may you might not know about, such as matched giving, to tips on how to get your colleagues psyched up for the big day. To find out more, please email: walkforhome@shelter.org.uk
Other
My question isn’t covered here. Who do I contact?
Please email walkforhome@shelter.org.uk – and we’ll be more than happy to help.