CHALLENGE YOURSELF
TEN REASONS TO DO A CHALLENGE FOR BEN 1 Bucket List Everyone has a bucket list right? A list of experiences that you want to complete, places you want to visit or fears you want to accomplish. Start checking them off your list with Ben, and if you don t have one, get writing! 2 Self satisfaction Feeling that sense of achievement for not only battling your fears, but knowing that whilst doing so you have been supporting your automotive colleagues in need. 3 Get fit If you need that added motivation to get fit, book yourself on to a challenge event. Once your place is confirmed and you have that event as your deadline there are no more excuses, you can t go tomorrow because it s raining or start next Monday. Get fit and enjoy the new you. 4 Travel There are challenge events taking place all over the world, why not use this as a chance to travel whilst raising funds for a fantastic cause. Some trips can even be extended so treat yourself to some sight-seeing. 5 Meet new people It s a great way to make new friends, at least you know you ve got something in common! 6 Push yourself Do you know what you are truly capable of? We think you ll be surprised. Too right you can trek the summit of Africa s highest mountain or, even cycle to Paris. That being said, we would advise some training beforehand. 7 Team Building Whether it s a corporate team or you want to try something different to entertain clients, make it an event to remember. 8 To raise awareness of your automotive industry charity We want to make more of your colleagues aware that we are here if they need us, but we can only do that with your help. Get Ben s name out there by doing something crazy! 9 You will make a lot of automotive people happy Your fundraising will make all the difference. 10 Just Because!
So you ve decided to take on a challenge, but you re not sure what to do. Let us help CYCLING Fancy being the next Chris Froome or Laura Trott? We ve got it covered. You can choose to pedal anything from 50 miles in one night to hundreds of miles over several countries. Grab your bike and jump on your saddle for Ben. RUNNING A variety of running events take place across the country throughout the year. From 5K fun runs or muddy assault courses right through to one of the largest running events in the UK, the Virgin London Marathon. We can find something to suit all abilities so whether you re a run for the bus type or run marathons with your eyes closed, you have no excuse!
ADRENALINE If you are a little bit crazy or just don t have the time to commit to regular training try something to get your adrenaline pumping. For a one day, no training necessary challenge, why not jump out of a plane from 10,000 feet. Simple. Failing that you could try your hand at Wing Walking TREKKING In the end, you won t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain. Jack Kerouac I think that s all we have to say on the matter. Something else? Have an idea of a challenge that you would like to take part in and you can t see it mentioned. Let us know! challengeevents@ben.org.uk
CYCLING Here are just a few of the cycling challenges currently available. We couldn t possibly give you an extensive list of them all as you would never actually have time to complete a challenge, but we ve chosen some of our favourites.
EDINBURGH NIGHT RIDE Discover the thrill of night riding and join hundreds of other cyclists, of all abilities and ages, for a night to remember on Edinburgh Night Ride. Pedalling 50 miles around Edinburgh you ll see the sunset over the coast, cycle through beautiful Georgian streets under the moon and stars, and discover stunning night views of the city as you pass iconic sights along the way, including Arthur s Seat, Edinburgh Castle, The Forth Bridges, Scottish Parliament Buildings and Holyrood Palace (to name a few) all whilst the city sleeps. What are you waiting for? Secure you place now. www.ben.org.uk/nightride
COAST TO COAST This tough and exciting challenge will see you cover the 140 miles of northern England s most rugged and spectacular west to east coast scenery! Beginning at Whitehaven, you ll pass through the Lake District, the Pennines and up into Northumberland before touching the North Sea at Whitley Bay. It s one of the UK s best long distance cycle routes, with some steep hill climbs and exhilarating descents. The event is sure to give you an enormous sense of achievement as you cross the finish line. ben.org.uk/coast2coast
LONDON TO PARIS Cycling from London to Paris is one of the greatest European cycle experiences. And now you have the option to cycle the route in 5 days or 24 hours. The 5 day event will see you passing through picturesque Kent countryside before crossing the Channel and continuing through the small villages and medieval market towns of Northern France. With long days in the saddle and some strenuous hill-climbs, the sight of the Eiffel Tower will leave you breathless for more than one reason! Get in touch for more information. Sound too easy? Then complete it in 24 hours. Pedal non-stop throughout the night with your only rest being on the ferry. This one s not for the faint hearted!
RUNNING No matter what your running ability, fitness level or location, we can find a run for you to take part in. Book your own place or apply for one of ours and we will do everything we can to support you on your running journey: Unlimited support from the Ben Events team Fundraising pack A dashing Ben running vest Support on race day, when we can!
VIRGIN MONEY LONDON MARATHON The Virgin Money London Marathon is the most famous event in the UK running calendar. Each year thousands of people, from around the world, take to the capital s streets and push themselves to their very limit. Yet, places for this iconic race are more sought after than ever. Soak up the party atmosphere as thousands of supporters line the historic route and will you to succeed. Limited places available, book yours now to avoid missing out, first come first served. ben.org.uk/londonmarathon
GREAT NORTH RUN The Great North Run is firmly established as the world s greatest half marathon and boasts a fantastic 57,000 entrants. Starting in Newcastle, the course takes in the iconic Tyne Bridge, passes by the famous Gateshead International Stadium, and finishes in the coastal town of South Shields. Live music, on-course refreshments and thousands of cheering supporters keep runners motivated every step of the way. ben.org.uk/greatnorthrun
COLOR VIBE RUN Join the colour vibe run for the most colourful fun-filled day of your life! You ll be blasted at every colour station throughout this awesome 5K run. Sign up fast, because spots are filling quickly and because we re bringing a colour fun experience to your life that you never knew existed! Join us and get ready to be tagged with colour. Available in Windsor, Bristol, Essex and Edinburgh. ben.org.uk/colourviberun
TOUGH MUDDER Not keen on concrete? What about rolling around in mud whilst raising money for a fantastic cause. Of course you probably shouldn t literally roll the entire route. Mud Runs are increasingly popular, with more additions to the calendar each year. You can opt for anything from 5K to 20K with lots of surprises on the way. ben.org.uk/toughmudder
ADRENALINE So cycling and running are off the list. Let s try you with what we call Adrenaline events. Perhaps you are a bit of a daredevil and want to try something different. Let s see if you ve got what it takes
BEAR GRYLLS SURVIVAL RACE If you think jungle, desert, mountain and arctic challenges put your survival skills to the test then Bear Grylls Survival Race will be right up your street all without getting on a plane! Find out if your strength, agility, targeting, evasion, memory, observation and other core skills are sharp enough to help you be crowned the ultimate survivor. If that wasn t enough pressure, don t forget this is a race and you will be timed (if that s all too much you can go for a non-timed, less competitive slot) so your ultimate aim is to test your speed to that finish line. Do you have what it takes?places are available through Ben events for Cambridge, London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Push your skills to the limit and join us as an individual or a team and be crowned Ben s ultimate survivor as well as Bear Gryll s ultimate survivor. ben.org.uk/survivalrace
SKY DIVING If obstacle courses aren t your thing, you can always jump out of a plane. We ve got all eventualities covered here. We have 21 skydiving centres in the UK for you to choose from. You will jump from between 10,000 12,000 feet falling at speeds of around 120mph before your parachute is deployed for you to enjoy the views as you float back to the ground. What s that? You want to book ben.org.uk/skydive
If that s not enough, ask us about some of the following ABSEILING WHITE WATER RAFTING ZIP WIRES WING WALKING
TREKKING Our treks offer you the opportunity to walk across some of the world s most amazing landscapes. Whether here in the UK or further afield you ll have an experience you ll never forget.
YORKSHIRE 3 PEAKS Don t be fooled by the UK location, this trek is a real challenge. In a mere 12 hours you will be covering 24 miles trekking up and down Yorkshire s 3 highest peaks. There are tough ascents and descents during this one day long day hiking challenge, but the views alone will be enough to inspire you to push through. ben.org.uk/yorkshire3peaks
MOUNT KILIMANJARO TREK Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest freestanding mountain in the world at 5896m. During the 10 day trip you ll pass through thick forest and moorland on our chosen path, which takes the Machame route. This will allow for gradual acclimatisation and an excellent chance of reaching the summit. At the highest point, the inspiring view will act as your reward for pushing your limits both physically and mentally. This is a challenging trek, climbing one of the most impressive and well known mountains in the world. ben.org.uk/kilimanjaro
LONDON MARATHON WALK Our 26 mile walking route takes us around the well-known names from the game Monopoly, from Old Kent Road to Mayfair, Kings Cross Station to Whitehall. En route we take in many of London s worldfamous sights including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye and the Tower of London as we trace our challenging route through the heart of the historic city. This is an enjoyable and rewarding way to explore our capital city, but be prepared for a long, tough one-day event! Are you ready to pass Go? ben.org.uk/marathonwalk
ARCTIC CHALLENGE We will be flying to Kuusamo in Finland where we ll be spending 5 days cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and husky-sledding, pushing ourselves in this harsh but compelling environment. Back at our log cabin, we can relax in the sauna and watch the night skies for the captivating dance of the Northern Lights. ben.org.uk/arcticchallenge
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Each challenge will vary in price depending on the length, location, what s included etc. For full details on each event please visit our website. There are generally two payment options when signing up, both of which will ask for a nonrefundable deposit, again this will vary per event. 1. Minimum Sponsorship You will be asked to pledge a minimum amount of sponsorship for Ben. If you raise this amount by the deadline (usually 10 weeks prior to departure) your place will be funded by your sponsorship & we will receive at least 50% of your minimum sponsorship.* Anything you raise above this will come directly to the charity. 2. Self Funding You will pay the full cost of your trip before your departure. This eases the pressure of having to reach a minimum target but we do ask you to raise as much as possible. *Terms and condition vary per event.
READY TO SIGN UP? That s what we like to hear! Each challenge is different so the best thing to do first is get in touch with the events team. They can give you the full low down on whatever you ve chosen, and talk you through how we can help. 01344 298 138 challengeevents@ben.org.uk @BenEventsTeam ALREADY SIGNED UP? Whether it s a local fun run, a national mud run, an open water swim or even a climb to Everest base camp we re really pleased you ve found something you want to do. If you haven t thought about using it to fundraise then please consider doing it for Ben. We ll support you all the way just let us know.
01344 298 138 challengeevents@ben.org.uk @BenEventsTeam Ben Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund. Lynwood Court, Lynwood Village, Rise Road, Ascot SL5 0FG. A charity registered in England and Wales (no.297877) and Scotland (no.sc039842). Registered with the Homes and Communities Agency (no. LH3766).