MNHQ are doing the Moonwalk - please sponsor us

[RebeccaMumsnet]

Hi all,

Over the years here at HQ, we have seen many of you sadly impacted by cancer, either personally or that of a loved one and we wanted to do a little something to try and raise some money for a cancer charity.

We have chosen the MoonWalk in London on the 14th May.
11 of us from MNHQ will be doing the half moon (13.1 miles officially but actually about 15 miles) around London starting at midnight . If you are doing it too, please come and say hi, we'll be wearing MN t-shirts

If you can spare a few quid, we'd be really very grateful. You can DONATE HERE

We promise to post here as we walk and maybe a few pictures too.

[NationMcKinley]

Me too! I really really want an AIBU tee shirt.

(AIBU to think that fellow moonwalkers should be offered the opportunity to purchase a limited edition AIBU tee shirt?)

[cozietoesie]

I sense a raffle coming up around Giving Week?

[PrimalLass]

something needs to be done about start times.

It has always been like this and doesn't seem to have improved.

[cozietoesie]

I guess it would be most useful to the organisers if people could come up with solutions as well as identifying the problems? (Which are, presumably, well known.) The ideas that former eg Walkers and Volunteers come up with may not themselves work for som reason but who knows but that they might spark a thought that does work. There were so many people involved

[cozietoesie]

some

[PrimalLass]

They've been talking about the same things for years, so I imagine plenty of solutions have been put forward. One of which was pay the police to shut the roads for a couple of hours to get the start going, but that would cost too much apparently.

Or start a bit earlier, but I think that might have happened - when did the first group go?

[cozietoesie]

Interesting.

How would such things be funded Primal? Is there an entrance fee for all Walkers, for example?

[mice]

The first walkers went out about 10pm and I think someone said the last started at 12.30am. Each walker paid £47.50 to enter.

[PrimalLass]

As that is earlier than before. When I did the London one in 2014 I am sure the start was 11.30.

[cozietoesie]

How many Walkers (approximately) were there? I'm cognisant that such events are not cheap to mount but from what people are saying, a few extra quid on the fee in return for eg better toileting and police arrangements would probably have been acceptable to most?

[OohMrDarcy]

15,000!

[BalthazarImpresario]

Being in the first wave doesn't mean no hold ups. I was in the last wave in 2013 and decided to put myself for the 1St on 2014 (although I didn't have a bad finish time really) and there were still hold ups. People try and sneak through to go in the first wave which is why there are glow sticks now to identify. In 2014 it was dangerous as so many women couldn't just wait for their start.
In 2013 the route went the other way, it started at battersea power station and onto knightsbridge etc and finished along the south bank, a much better route to the current one imo.
Sadly the moonwalk requires the police to authorise the start and if anything is going on along the route they won't start it, in 2014 it was something in Clapham kicking off allegedly so we are held for ages.

[PresidentOliviaMumsnet]

Did any of you lot see the bride and groom at Battersea?
Warmed the cockles of our heart that did

[cozietoesie]

A real bride and groom?

I can't really comment on any problems and,possible solutions, I'm afraid, because I wasn't there, walking. I do hope, though, that people will put constructive comments into the organisers. It's such a great cause with a great event and I'd like to see it gain in strength.

[PresidentOliviaMumsnet]

YY I think they were a RL B&G
Otherwise v elaborate setup by the organisers
arriving in a cab going to a house opposite a big bottleneck - she threw a bunch of flowers
was v lovely
She had a Fab gold stole

[standingonlego]

We saw a man waiting at the last bridge with champagne, proper posh glasses, strawberrys and looking nervous...think he was going to propose to someone...anyone else see him?

[standingonlego]

Was too tired to interrogate him as we just staggered past in a daze

[cozietoesie]

You failed in your duty to Mumsnet, standing!

[Pumpkinnose]

I know the moonwalk is not a race but heard one of the celebrities who was on the stage with Jennifer Saunders and co was the first past the finish line. Anyone got any idea who it was?? Ta x

[Kbear]

The first person to pass us on Tower Bridge was walking so fast it was incredible to watch ! No idea who she was. She was waaaay ahead of the rest of the them.

[cozietoesie]

Gawd. Do you have to walk-walk? (All that heel/toe stuff you see determined and straining people up to on Sunday mornings.)

[AliceMumsnet]

Hi folks,

We just wanted to update you as we received a letter from Walk the Walk letting us know that their total fundraising has reached over £7.2 million

HQ's final contribution was £5,298.13 - so a huge thanks again to everyone who donated and supported us in the wee hours. And of course, a big shoutout to all the MNetters who took part as well

See you next year, yeah?

[cozietoesie]

Thanks, Alice. An excellent result.