20 mins : 20 days

Uganda has been recognised as the most physically active nation in the world by the World Health Organization. Contrast this with the UK where one in three adults are not getting enough exercise. You could change the habits of a lifetime by taking part in our flexible sponsored 20:20 Challenge to commit to at least twenty minutes of exercise for twenty consecutive days before the end of 2020. You can raise funds to help those who struggle to get their most basic of needs met in a way that is achievable, fun for you and flexible enough to fit in with your life. Doing this as a sponsored activity ensures that you remain committed and accountable to those who are sponsoring you, whilst raising much-needed funds for those who have so little.

You CHOOSE the EXERCISE, the TIME, and the LOCATION that works for you!

Did you know that adults should be doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week according to the NHS? By undertaking our 20:20 Challenge you will be on target towards making meeting this target a normality in your life and routine.

Below you'll see links to articles and guidelines to help inspire and motivate you, and also provide you with information about what exercise might be suitable for you. You are limited only by your imagination and willingness to give it a go. Sign up below to set up your online sponsorship page and to receive more information direct to your inbox throughout your challenge. All those who complete the challenge will receive a high-quality commemorative medal and a personalised certificate.

Registration

Registration for the 20:20 Challenge is now open to all age categories. Click the 'Sign Up' button above or below to complete your details and then you'll be sent an email with the link you'll need in order to set up your online sponsorship page and pay a minimal one-time registration fee, that covers the cost of our admin and also a personalised certificate and specially designed commemorative medal for all those who complete the challenge. Entry fee is only £10 per person.

Why Uganda is the 'world's fittest country'

Click to read article on BBC News

1 in 3 UK adults ARE not getting enough exercise

Click to read article in the Independent

ONLINE STORE

15% off if you buy before 9th October!

Show your support and commitment to the 20:20 Challenge by sporting something from our specially designed range of clothing and accessories. You'll find t-shirts of various styles, hoodies, maternity tops and sporting vests alongside water bottles, mugs, face-masks, baseball caps, aprons, tote bags, baby-grows and even bandanas for dogs!

Click to visit our online store.

Every purchase you make helps towards our charitable aims and raises awareness of the 20:20 Challenge and My Child Uganda.

What counts?

Being active is not so difficult during the warmer months, but can you keep it going in October, November and December? This sponsored physical challenge, the 20:20 Challenge, is to do at least 20 minutes of activity per day for 20 consecutive days and it could kick start new habits and routines with long term benefits to your physical health and mental wellbeing.

A daily walk, jog, or cycle can all count towards your 20 minutes. You can mix it up with other activities during the week too - a swim, the gym and even 20 minutes of cleaning. It doesn't have to be complicated, but it does need to be every day.

Click the images below to find out more about physical activity guidelines, ideas and tips from the NHS appropriate for each age group, and download our print-at-home A4 countdown poster to give you visual motivation as you cross off each of the 20 days.

WhY SPONSORSHIP?

Your fundraising goes a long way in Uganda and could help as follows:

£10 pays the rent of one of our Charity Shops in Uganda for one month.
£25 helps provide education and food for a child and his/her parents for one month.
£35 supports Ugandan workers for one month as they lead and assist our projects.
£50 part-funds a shipment of clothing and shoes from the UK to the Charity Shop(s).
£100 Enables our Community Library & Learning Hub to remain open for one month.

If you'd like more information about any of the above see the other pages of this website or please Contact us. All donations are processed through Virgin Money Giving into My Child UK, the primary focus of which is to act as a fundraising umbrella for the various My Child projects. At present our chief area of work is in Uganda and 88%* of donations received by My Child UK go directly to our My Child Uganda projects.

Please note: All donations received by My Child UK (a charity registered in England & Wales no. 1137445) become part of the unrestricted funds of the charity and will be distributed by our Trustees based on need, to projects run by associated NGO's, eg My Child Uganda (an NGO registered in Uganda no. 10651) and may in the future be directed to My Child NGO's in other countries. Gift Aid on all donations, including restricted donations, will be applied to the unrestricted fund. In addition 10% of donations for child sponsorship is spent on support costs.

*The 88% figure is calculated from the 2016 donated income excluding Gift Aid and shows the proportion spent on Uganda projects.

FAQ

How do I register and set up a fundraising page?

Click the 'Sign Up' buttons on this page, where you can complete a simple sign-up form for you and other members of your household. You will then be directed to set up an online sponsorship page and pay your event fee using Virgin Media Giving. You'll be asked to create an account, or sign in using an existing Facebook or Google account. You'll be asked whether the charity (My Child) are contributing to the cost of your fundraising, and then select 'Create my page' to continue.

How do I see who’s donated to my page?

We’ll email you to let you know whenever you receive a donation, and you can view your page to see a full list of supporters. You can also download the Virgin Money Giving app for Apple or Android, making it even easier to keep track of your fundraising on-the-go.

Can I fundraise in a different country?

Yes - to be registered with Virgin Money Giving an organisation must be UK-based, but you can raise funds anywhere in the world. Your supporters can donate from any country, and the currency will always show in GBP.

Can I use a paper sponsorship form as well?

You can download and print off a paper sponsorship form and complete the details in the header. Our charity name is 'My Child'.

You can then use the 'raised offline' section of your online fundraising page to add the value of the donations on your sponsorship form. Just below your target on the page is a section for offline funds, click on 'Edit' to type in the value of the funds raised - and it'll count toward your total raised.

The money and form can then be sent directly to the charity using the address on the Contact Us page, and we'll claim the Gift Aid for these supporters. Any cheques should be made payable to 'My Child'.

How long will my fundraising page be on Virgin Money Giving?

You’ll be able to see your page on Virgin Money Giving for 3 months after the activity date. After 3 months the page will become inactive and stop showing up in searches. You can always re-open the page by signing in to your account and selecting ‘Re-open’ from the options.

Can I add photos and videos to my Virgin Money Giving page?

Yes – you can personalise the page with a unique Cover Photo, add up to 6 photos to your 'story', and even embed online images into the text.

Click on 'Update' alongside 'My story' to open up the design console, then select 'Browse' to choose pictures from your device. Press 'Upload' when you’ve selected an image, and hit 'Save' to confirm.

To embed an online image into the text, click on the image icon and paste in the URL. If using an image from your computer or mobile device, first upload it to an image hosting website (like Google Photos or Flickr) to take the URL from there. Click 'Add' and change the size or position before saving.

Can I add videos to my Virgin Money Giving page?

Yes - you can add any YouTube video to your page to tell your story, or highlight the work of the charity you are supporting.

When on a PC, right click on the desired video and 'Copy video URL'. If using the YouTube app (on a mobile device) tap the arrow on the right hand side and select 'Copy link'.

Head to your fundraising page, and 'Update' the story to paste the URL in using the film widget. Press save when you're happy with the placement.

How do I update my target?

Sign in to your account and visit your fundraising page. You’ll see an 'Edit' icon next to your target in the top right of the page, click on there to enter the new amount and press 'Save' to confirm.

How do I set up thank you messages?

Sign in to your account and visit your fundraising page. Scroll down the page until you see a box labelled 'Send a personal thank you', click on 'Add your message' and then 'Save' when you're ready.

This message will be sent with the email confirmation when someone donates to your page.

If you're updating this message, follow the same steps as above but click on 'View and edit your message' before pressing 'Save' to confirm the changes.

How do I share my page on social media?

You can share your fundraising to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn using the widgets at the top of your page. On a mobile device you'll also see the option to share via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

To share your page by email, click on the link icon - before selecting the clipboard icon to copy the URL. Paste this directly into your email, or text message, to send your supporters right where they need to be.

To share to Instagram, start by copying your page URL, when viewing your page you’ll see this in a white text box below your Cover Photo. Click on the chain icon before the clipboard icon to copy the link - and then open up Instagram.

Head to your Instagram profile, and click on 'Edit Profile'. Paste the page URL into the 'Bio' section and tap 'Done' to save the changes.

You can also share your page URL through an Instagram story. On your Instagram home screen tap on 'Your story' in the top left. Select whether you want to add an image, video or any other type of media, and add text by tapping the 'Aa' icon in the top right of the screen.

Make use of hashtags, add a location or countdown, and even add some music to rally your supporters behind you.

I can't take part in the challenge, what should I do?

If you’re no longer able to take part in your event, we advise contacting our event organisers via the Contact Us page. They'll be able to let you know what your options are. Donations made are transferred each week, so the money you’ve raised may be with the charity already.

If you're able to rearrange your fundraising for a future date, you could close the page down and re-open it when you are ready.

To close your page, sign in to your account and you’ll land on your 'dashboard'. Any active pages will show here, select 'Options' to 'Close page'. Alternatively, you can edit the event date to ensure your page stays open.

What fees does Virgin Money Giving take?

Donations on Virgin Money Giving are subject to a 2% platform fee, and a 2.5% payment processing fee. There are no monthly charges for charities, or any charges on Gift Aid, and now supporters can elect to cover the costs for the charity when donating.

How do I close a page?

To close any page start by logging in to your account, any active pages will appear on this first screen - click on 'Options' to reveal 'Close page'.

All pages, both active and closed, will remain in the 'My Fundraising' section of your account.

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