13 Thames bridges
15 gruelling kilometres
Take up the challenge of our Bermondsey to Battersea trek and help us meet our target to re-build the Butterfly Garden this school year!
Walk, run, scoot, skip… you’ll want to be rewarded for your brilliant effort so tee up your friends and family to support you with sponsorship for each kilometre you conquer!
And if you can’t make it this year, please consider sponsoring the team that are taking on the challenge
Every penny raised goes to this year’s BIG target to re-build the Butterfly Garden
The 15km (10 mile) route runs from Bermondsey Station to a welcoming end point of The Candlemaker pub on Battersea High Street crossing all of the pedestrian-accessible Thames bridges along the way
You’ll see some of the most iconic London sites as you hike and the PA will be laying on refreshments at the half-way point too
As well as being important fundraisers, our legendary sponsored walks are always great fun days out for families and friends as everyone pulls together to complete the distance
Full walk information and FAQ are below the sign-up link
Illustration of the route
Full maps will be provided to participants
How to take part in the Bolingbroke PA London Bridges Challenge
✅ Register
Sign up as a group or individually and pay £10 entry here
£10 entry payable per team (not per person) to cover refreshments and organisation costs
💻 Set up your fundraising links on JustGiving
Set up your own sponsorship page
It takes just a couple of minutes to do this and you can add some personalised content to encourage even more donations!
Click the button below and select the orange “Start Fundraising” button
“Yes I’m fundraising for a charity”
“I’m doing my own activity”
then add the walk details and you’ll be guided through the rest
or simply share the link to the main Just Giving page
📢 Tell everyone you know about it
Send your personal sponsorship link or the main page link to everyone and anyone and ask them to sponsor you… you’re taking on a tough challenge and people will be happy to recognise your achievement!
Use your social media posts and stories, WhatsApp, email and every persuasive tactic you have!
Don’t forget… every penny raised will help us to achieve our goal of transforming the Butterfly Garden from an unusable muddy patch to be a place where pupils and teachers can enjoy quiet time outdoors in nature
FAQ
All you need to know about this year’s Challenge Walk
When and where is the start?
We’ll meet at 10am on Sunday March 24th at Bermondsey Station (Jubilee line)
Where is the finish?
We aim to finish at The Candlemaker pub, Battersea High Street
How long will the walk take?
Everyone will complete the distance at their own pace (we’ve heard some may even run it!) but we expect most will take 4-5 hours at walking pace including a few short breaks
How long is the walk? Are there different route options?
The walk is a challenging 15km (10 mile) length. There is just one route. If you want to do a shorter distance there are many places where you could finish early and take public transport home or to meet the team at the end.
Who can take part?
Anyone who wants to fundraise to support Bolingbroke Academy’s big project this year of re-building the Butterfly Garden. That’s parents, children, grannies, uncles, cousins, school staff, friends, colleagues, sports teams, dogs… anyone! We ask that you pre-register and pay a small entry fee.
Do children need to be supervised?
Parents and carers must take responsibility for any children participating. The PA cannot supervise participants. There are no marshalls or signage along the way and anyone taking part will need to be able to self-guide the length of the route. Parents and carers will need to judge for themselves what supervision is required according to the needs and experience of their children. The route passes through some busy parts of central London and this should be considered by parents and carers when deciding if their children need to be accompanied.
Do I need to be in a team?
No. We will start all together so you will be able to join in with others walking. We hope people will form small groups to encourage participation and of course to maximise the fundraising!
How will I find my way?
We will provide maps and directions. We will email the map and contact details for on the day nearer to the event. As this is a City-based walk with clear staging posts (the bridges) and a river to follow, we expect that navigation will be relatively straightforward. There are some points where the route necessarily diverges from the river embankment so you need to take care at these points, but if you go off track you just need to find your way back to the river and head west.
How do I sign up?
You will need to register and pay a small charge of £10 per team to enter. Sign up here.
How do I collect sponsorship?
We will use Just Giving to collect sponsorship. You can set up a personalised page (recommended) to share with family and friends when you ask them to sponsor you. Your page will be pre-populated with most of the information you need, so it takes just a minute or two to add a personal touch. Just access the Bolingbroke PA London Bridges Walk JustGiving page and click the orange “Start Fundraising” button / “Yes I’m fundraising for a charity” / “I’m doing my own activity” then add the walk details and follow the instructions.
Alternatively you can just share the link to our main fundraising page and ask people to donate directly via that.
If you need any help at all please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
What if I miss the start?
We hope everyone can start at the same time - we‘ll be making a bit of an occasion of it and it's more fun with friends! One of the organisers will wait at Bermondsey Station until 10.30am in case of latecomers. If you arrive later than that, please just set off following the map provided. If you don’t catch up along the way, you’ll likely find some friends waiting at the finish at the County Arms! We will email the map and contact details for on the day nearer to the event.
What should I bring on the day?
Most importantly please wear appropriate comfortable footwear for pavement walking. It can be quite tough on the feet! And please bring water and snacks. You may also want to pack some basic first aid items such as blister plasters (we suggest Compeed). Please dress appropriately for the weather on the day (sunscreen, wet weather gear, warm clothes etc).
Are refreshments provided?
Approximately half way along the route, the PA will have a refreshment stall with cake, snacks and drinks for all walkers on offer free of charge. You are advised to take plenty of water and your own snacks for along the way as well.
Will the walk still go ahead in bad weather?
Yes! The terrain is flat, in an urban setting and unlikely to be made unsafe by seasonal weather. We will follow advice from the authorities in an extreme weather situation.
What if I get lost or fall ill during the walk?
Participants are responsible for their own health, safety and navigation during the walk. Parents and carers are responsible for their children. You will be provided with a map and a contact number for a PA committee member. We believe navigation will be relatively straightforward as we are following the river and the bridges. In an emergency participants should call 999.