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Walking Virtual

Walk 1K a Day in February

Take on 1K every day this February and raise funds to support families facing dementia.

Join our Facebook Group

Join us to make walking a habit – and make a difference. 

This challenge is designed for you to do at your own pace and in your own way, and will give you motivation to get out and about in the colder weather. So lace up your trainers or walking shoes and head out with friends and family, a good podcast or some catchy music!  

How do I sign up?

  1. Join our Walk 1K a Day in February Facebook Group.
  2. Request your free Dementia UK beanie hat
  3. Set up your Facebook fundraiser or JustGiving page.

Once you’ve done that, be sure to spread the word about your challenge to family and friends.  

In the run-up to the challenge and throughout February, you will be able to connect with thousands of other walkers in our Facebook Group, and feel an amazing sense of achievement when you reach 28K at the end of the month!     

Once you’ve completed the challenge, we’ll send you a virtual medal and certificate to thank you for your hard work and dedication. 

Karen took on the Walk 1K a Day in February Challenge in 2023. Here’s what she had to say about her experience:  

I care for my husband and my mother who both have Alzheimer’s disease. I live with it 24/7. I found the challenge a great motivator to get outside every day. I've always used exercise as a way of managing stress and anxiety. It was lovely that some of our family joined in, and my husband walked some of the days with me.

Karen, who took on a virtual walking challenge in 2023

I’ve just signed up – now what? 

The next step is to join the Walk 1K a Day in February Facebook Group. Once you’re in, you can register for your free beanie hat, set up your fundraiser, meet your fellow walkers and find out anything else you’d like to know about the challenge.  

How do I fundraise? 

Creating a Facebook fundraiser is the quickest and easiest way to raise money. Once you register for the challenge above, a Facebook fundraiser will be set up for you.  

Want to create a JustGiving page instead? Head to the JustGiving website to create your fundraising page. 

Once you have created a fundraising page, be sure to share it with your family and friends via social media, text, email and WhatsApp. 

Is there a registration fee?  

Taking part in the Walk 1K a Day in February Challenge for Dementia UK is free! 

Is there a fundraising target?  

There is no fundraising target for this challenge – we just ask you to raise as much as you can for families affected by dementia. 

How can I send in sponsorship money I’ve collected offline?  

The easiest way to send cash donations to Dementia UK is by donating to your online fundraising page. Alternatively, you can:   

  • donate via our website
  • send in a cheque made payable to Dementia UK. Enclose a note including your full name, the email address that you used to register for your beanie hat, and an explanation that you raised the money for the Walk 1K a Day in February Challenge. Post it to us at: 

Dementia UK 

7th Floor 

One Aldgate 

London 

EC3N 1RE  

  • make a bank transfer: please email virtualevents@dementiauk.org for our bank details  
  • make a payment by phone by calling 0300 365 5500  

Can I raise money without setting up an online fundraising page? 

You certainly can. We’ll send you a sponsorship form with your hat, but if you need more than one form, simply download and print more copies. 

Please ask your sponsors to fill out all the columns so we can claim up to 25% Gift Aid.   

Where do donations to my Facebook fundraiser or JustGiving page go?  

All donations made to your fundraiser will be sent directly to Dementia UK by Facebook and JustGiving. These vital donations will help support families facing dementia.  

What if I set up two Facebook fundraisers by mistake? 

If you have started two Facebook fundraisers, don’t worry: you can check and edit them through the Facebook website. You can then close the one you no longer need, which will focus your fundraising onto one page.  

What happens if donations don’t appear on my Facebook fundraiser straight away? 

Normally, if donations don’t appear on your fundraising page immediately, they will within 48 hours. However, if your donation hasn’t appeared after this time there are a few different possibilities. 

  • Donations from other countries can take a lot longer to come through to Facebook and then to Dementia UK. This could take as long as several weeks   
  • The donation didn’t go through. Please ask your donor to check if the money has left their account   
  • PayPal takes up to three days to register to your Facebook fundraiser   
  • Your sponsor didn’t donate to your fundraising page, but instead clicked the ‘Donate now’ button which links directly to Dementia UK. Ask your sponsor to check the receipt they were emailed directly from Facebook – this will say whether they donated to your Facebook fundraiser, or straight to Dementia UK   

If the problem persists, please email virtualevents@dementiauk.org so we can investigate further.   

How do I get my free Dementia UK beanie hat? 

Please do complete our registration form with your details, if you haven’t already. It will take up to two weeks for your beanie hat to arrive.  

I still haven’t received my beanie hat – where is it?  

We’re sorry to hear you haven’t received your beanie hat yet. If you have waited two weeks since completing the registration form, please email virtualevents@dementiauk.org and we will investigate. 

Can I get more than one hat for the challenge? 

We send out one Dementia UK beanie hat per participant. If you would like to buy some additional Dementia UK branded clothing, please visit our shop. 

Please can I get a t-shirt for my walks? 

Absolutely! If you would like to buy a Dementia UK t-shirt, please visit our shop. 

Where and how can I complete my kilometres?  

You can complete your kilometres wherever you like, however you like! Just make sure you record your walks and keep your sponsors updated on your progress.  

How do I record how many kilometres I have walked? 

Strava is a free, easy to use app that can track your kilometres throughout February. We highly recommend downloading it for this challenge. You will also receive a Walk 1K a Day tracker with your beanie hat, which you can use to tick off your kilometres.  

Can I start early or late? 

Of course! Our Facebook Group is active in February, when the majority of people are likely to take part, but you can do this challenge whenever is best for you. The more challenge participants we have, the more families can receive the life-changing support of our specialist dementia nurses. 

Can I do more or less than 1K a day? 

Absolutely. This is your challenge, and you can tailor it to suit you. Just be clear with your supporters about how far you are intending to go and keep them updated regularly with your progress. 

What if I don’t complete the challenge?  

The only thing that matters is that you challenge yourself and enjoy raising awareness and funds so our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses can support families. Do as much as you can. Update your sponsors regularly, be clear about how far you’ve come in your challenge, and make sure they are still happy to donate to Dementia UK.