FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Big Lent Walk is a challenge where we ask you to walk 200km over the 40 days of Lent and get sponsored to raise money to help people fighting extreme poverty globally. You can walk alone, with friends or your school-friends.

CAFOD and SCIAF are the official relief and development agencies of the Catholic Church for England, Wales and for Scotland, and we are both members of the global Caritas Internationalis family.

This year, CAFOD and SCIAF are teaming up to bring the Big Lent Walk to the whole of Great Britain!

Thousands of people from England, Wales and now Scotland will be tying up their purple laces and walking an incredible 200km this Lent to fight global poverty.

From John O’Groats to Land’s End, Dundee to Dover, and everywhere in between, we’ll be joining forces and telling poverty to take a hike.

So, sign up, tell your school, recruit your parish and put your best foot forward with the biggest group of Big Lent Walkers yet!

Visit the homepage to sign up now! 

You’ll get your very own fundraising page, and we’ll send you a welcome pack in January to help you plan your walk and raise as much sponsorship as possible. 

Some families, clubs, schools, and parishes have teamed up for the Big Lent Walk so that they can track their distance and fundraising milestones together. You don’t have to join a team, but it can add to the fun! 

If you want to join a team, or create a team page, you can do this when you set up your fundraising page! 

If you’ve already set up your page and want to join a team, click the 'edit page' button on your fundraising page and 'Team'. Then you can search for a team to join or create your own team!

Yes, you can start your challenge after Ash Wednesday. Most of our walkers are aiming to do 5k a day for 40 days in Lent, but if you start later you can either finish later, or do some extra kilometres on certain days during Lent to finish before Easter! 

Yes you can. Unfortunately, you can’t sign up and create a fundraising page if you are under 18, but find a grown up to sign up with, or ask your school to take part and you can definitely join in!

Every metre you travel to fight poverty counts. Getting up to make tea, gardening and walking to the shops all means you are going the distance. And you don’t have to be limited to walking or stepping – you can roll, cycle, dance or jump! 

In 2021, Julie, a CAFOD volunteer, adapted her Walk for Water challenge so that she could still take part!

You can also change your distance target to something more manageable for you. Please click 'edit page' and you should see a box where you can change the target.. 

If you’d prefer a less physical challenge altogether, you can still help us raise essential funds to fight poverty by sharing our Lent appeal with your parish.

Remember to let us know how you’re going the distance @CAFOD, @SCIAF using #biglentwalk

Visit our Big Lent Walk for Schools or Big Lent Walk for Parishes websites to sign up as a school or community.

You can search for your school or community using the "find a fundraiser" search on the home page. Start to type the name, town and postcode of your organisation and it should appear. 

If you are having problems finding your organisation, please get in touch with JustGiving at help@justgiving.com.

If you're taking on the Big Lent Walk individually and as part of your parish, you have two options:

1. Use Your Parish's Fundraising Page
   Join your parish's page to contribute to the collective goal. It's simple—just share this page with friends and family. The page manager handles updates and admin tasks, so you can focus on walking and fundraising.
2. Create Your Own Page
   Set up your own page to share your personal story and track your progress. Then, link it to your parish team to combine your efforts with theirs. See FAQ ‘Do I need to join a team?’ for more information on how to create your team.

Both options make a big difference—choose the one that works best for you!

You can use Strava, which links up with your fundraising page, or download another distance tracking app and add your distance to your fundraising page yourself. Simply look for the ‘Log Fitness’ button and enter your distance. This feature won't be available until Lent!

Remember you can also add your distance to the wallchart!

If you don’t want to use a distance tracker, you can also clock up 5k with: 

• a 45-60 minute walk 
• a 15 minute cycle 
• a 35 minute exercise class. 

You can! If you’d like to set a different distance target to 200km, please click 'edit page' and you should see a box where you can change the target.

Please email events@cafod.org.uk if you are having any problems. 

Unfortunately not, because this is a Lent challenge only the distance you walk from Ash Wednesday onwards count towards the challenge.

The good news is that you can link up with Strava or use the log fitness button on your page to easily add your distance once Lent begins, and it will display on your page.

It’s up to you! 

You are probably already doing 2-3k a day already as part of your normal daily activity so you can top this up to 5k, or commit to an extra 5k walk each day. 

It’s also absolutely fine to do over 5k one day, and less than 5k another, to reach a daily average of 5k if that is more convenient for you!

If you want to do that, you can. However, you could also space it out over a day. 

Or you could share the load with friends, family, your school or your parish. This event is for you to get creative with! 

Money donated through your fundraising page comes to us automatically, so you can focus on signing up those sponsors and we’ll handle the rest.

If you are fundraising for SCIAF your sponsorship will go to SCIAF and if you are fundraising for CAFOD your sponsorship will go to CAFOD.

When you raise £200 through your page, we’d love to send you a free gift as a special thank you. 

If you’d prefer not to receive this thank you, please let us know by emailing events@cafod.org.uk

You'll find a sponsorship form and other offline resources on our website. Make sure the date paid is filled in so we can claim Gift Aid. You can also download it here.

You can add offline funds when you edit your fundraising page – look for the 'edit page' button on your sponsorship target.

The sponsorship you raise will go to help families and communities overseas fight poverty. 

Our global network of local experts work alongside communities to deliver what those communities tell us they need, such as emergency food and shelter, access to clean water, or tools to fight the climate crisis. 

£10 can provide nutritious warm meals and shelter to refugees who have fled their homes due to conflict. 

£25 can give a child a school uniform, stationary and a school bag – simple, everyday items needed to attend lessons 

£50 can provide a family with emergency food following a disaster caused by climate change 

£200 can provide a life-changing loan – the first step in helping someone start their own business, or buy farming supplies 

£750 can help a remote community to establish their own supply of clean, safe water

When people make a donation to your page they will be asked to add a 'tip' to JustGiving. This tip means JustGiving are able to offer charities their services without a platform fee. If you wish to avoid this, you can. There is a piece of text that says, 'Enter Custom Amount' underneath the sliding bar. If you click that, you can set it to zero.

If you have made a tip to JustGiving and you didn't want to, you can ask for a refund by contacting help@justgiving.com.

The best place to start is the JustGiving help page. 

You can also email JustGiving Support help@justgiving.com

Make sure you are logged out of your JustGiving account on all browsers, then try to log in or sign up again.

If you are continuing the Big Lent Walk after Easter, you may go past the end date in the Strava app. 

But don’t worry, you can still add your daily distance manually to your fundraising page until you finish the challenge. 

Welcome to the Big Lent Walk! Your participation in this event is subject to the following terms and conditions:

1. CAFOD and SCIAF have teamed up to bring the Big Lent Walk to Great Britain. This is CAFOD’s privacy notice and this is SCIAF’s privacy notice.

2. The challenge and this microsite are hosted by JustGiving. This is JustGiving’s privacy policy.

3. If you sign up to the walk using an address with a Scottish postcode, CAFOD will pass your data onto SCIAF so that they can support you during the challenge. If you haven’t supported CAFOD in the past, CAFOD will anonymise your data on their own database once it has been passed to SCIAF.

4. You will receive emails containing updates, information and fundraising tips from JustGiving on behalf of CAFOD and SCIAF during this challenge.

5. Neither charity will share your data for marketing with any other organisation.

6. In signing up for this challenge, you understand that it is an event to raise sponsorship towards CAFOD and SCIAF’s vital work. Both charities will therefore encourage you to raise sponsorship and support you towards this aim, as well as completing the physical challenge.

7. If you sign up for the walk using an address with a Scottish postcode, you will receive emails from SCIAF to support you with the challenge and encourage you to raise sponsorship, in addition to the JustGiving emails.

8. If you sign up for the walk using a postcode for an address in England, Wales or anywhere else other than Scotland, you will receive emails from CAFOD to support you with the challenge and encourage you to raise sponsorship, in addition to the JustGiving emails.

9. If you are signing up as an individual, you will receive a Big Lent Walk welcome pack, including your laces on sign up, and a thank you postcard after the challenge, through the post automatically, even if you have opted out of post with either charity previously.

10. If you are signing up as a school or parish, you won’t receive laces automatically, but your welcome pack will be sent from SCIAF to addresses with a Scottish postcode, and from CAFOD to all other addresses.

11. You can update your communication preferences during the challenge directly with CAFOD. If you sign up to the challenge using an address with a Scottish postcode, after May 2024 you will need to get in touch with SCIAF to change your communication preferences.

12. The sponsorship you raise will be spent on fighting global poverty by SCIAF and CAFOD. CAFOD will receive the income from JustGiving along with participant data and make an income grant to SCIAF based on the funds raised from pages linked to a Scottish postcode.

13. You agree to use this microsite only for lawful purposes, and in a manner which does not infringe the rights, or restrict, or inhibit the use and enjoyment of the site by any third party.

14. This microsite and the information, names, images, pictures, logos regarding or relating to CAFOD and/or SCIAF are provided "as is" without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied. In no event will CAFOD be liable for any damages including, without limitation, indirect or consequential damages, or any damages whatsoever arising from the use or in connection with such use or loss of use of the site, whether in contract or in negligence.

15. We will try to ensure that this microsite, hosted by JustGiving, is up-to-date and functioning well. However, we do not warrant that the functions and the material contained in this site will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or bugs or represents the full functionality, accuracy and reliability of the materials.

16. CAFOD and SCIAF reserve the right to change these Terms and Conditions at any time by posting changes online. Your continued use of this site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of this agreement as modified.

17. If these Terms and Conditions are not accepted in full, the use of this site and your participation in this challenge must be terminated immediately.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. THERE WILL BE 4 PRIZES TO GIVE AWAY. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. 

Eligibility: The Walk to Easter 2025 Donation Giveaway (“Giveaway”) is open only to legal residents of the United Kingdom who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry. Anyone with permission to participate in CAFOD's Big Lent Walk can enter. Employees of the Sponsor and immediate family (e.g., spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible to enter or win. This Giveaway is subject to all applicable laws and regulations and is void where prohibited or restricted by law. Participation constitutes each entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Giveaway. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

Sponsor: CAFOD Head Office Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB.

Promotion Period: There are four prizes and four chances to win. These will be based on receiving three donations during the 8 days running from 00:00:01 a.m. Sunday 13th April until Sunday 20th April at 11:59:59p.m. (the “Promotion Period”).

How to Enter; Rules: Entrants are automatically entered into the Sweepstake when a JustGiving fundraising page associated with the Big Lent Walk 2025 receives three donations during the promotional period. One entry into the competition is gained for every set of three donations. For example, if you receive six donations, you will receive two entries into the prize draw. You must have permission to participate in the Big Lent Walk 2025, and you must create a charity fundraising page at https://walk.cafod.org.uk/.

Winner Selection & Notification; Odds: Within seven (7) days of the promotional period, Sponsor will randomly select four (4) potential winning entrant from among all eligible entries received during the Promotion Period. The potential winning entrant(s) will be notified by email or phone and entrant must respond within two (2) business days of initial notification. To be eligible to win, entrants give their express permission to be contacted by Sponsor by email or phone for purposes of this Sweepstakes. Entrants agree to provide information as requested by Sponsor for eligibility verification. If: (a) any prize notification is returned as undeliverable, (b) an entrant does not respond to initial notification by email or phone within two (2) business days of the date of notification, (c) entrant does not comply with these Official Rules, or (d) documents related to the award or the Sweepstakes are returned as undeliverable or not received by their due date, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected. In the event that a potential winning entrant is disqualified for any reason, Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternate winning entrant by random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries. Odds of winning any prize depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Promotion Period. Receiving a prize is contingent upon compliance with these Official Rules.

Prize: On or before the seventh day post the promotional period, Sponsor will award the winning four (4) entrants the amount of fifty pounds (£50). Following the communication mentioned above , the winners will either receive a voucher or a donation directly to the entrant’s fundraising page. No exchange of money will be made between Sponsor and entrant. Entrant is solely responsible for all applicable taxes and any other costs or expenses in connection with claiming or using prize, which are not specified as part of the prize description in these Official Rules. All prize details not specified in these Official Rules will be determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion. No prize substitution is permitted. Prize is non-transferable. Limit: One (1) prize per person during the Promotion Period.

Requests for Information: Upon receipt of written request to Sponsor at the address set forth in Clause 2, Sponsor will make available information that indicates that a valid Giveaway and granting of the prize took place. 

Publicity Release: Sponsor will also engage in reasonable post-event publicity which may include use of the entrant’s and/or the winner’s name, likeness, photograph, videos and/or fundraising details for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide. This will be done without payment to the entrant or winner, or approval by them of any advertising or marketing materials. By participating in this Giveaway, each entrant and winner gives their express permission for the Sponsor to carry out the publicity described in this clause. If any entrant or winner objects to any or all of their surname, county or winning entry being published or made available in accordance with this condition 10, please contact the Sponsor at events@cafod.org.uk. In such circumstances, the Sponsor must still provide the information and winning entry to the Advertising Standards Authority on request. 

General Conditions: In no event shall Sponsor be required to award more than the number of prizes stated in these Official Rules. Unclaimed prizes may not be awarded. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Giveaway, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures, human error or any other factor impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Giveaway, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. In such event, Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may elect to hold a random drawing from among all eligible entries received up to the date of discontinuance for any or all of the prizes offered herein. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of the Official Rules of this or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. 

Limitations of Liability: Insofar as permitted by law and without affecting any statutory rights, the Sponsor, its directors, employees, agents, and affiliated and group companies, will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate, or accept any liability, to any entrant, any winner or potential winner, or anyone else who has participated in this Giveaway or otherwise, for: any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, or programming associated with or used in the Giveaway, or otherwise; technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; unauthorised human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Giveaway; technical or human error occurring in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; late, lost, undeliverable, damaged, misdirected, incorrect, incomplete, entries or prize notifications; any claims or causes of action based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy; any monetary loss, costs or expenses or any loss or damage to property caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use, loss, misdirection or misuse of the prize; or any personal injury, death, or loss or damage to persons caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use, loss, misdirection or misuse of the prize, except where caused by the negligence of the Sponsor or its employees. 

Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that: (1) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Giveaway, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (2) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.