Limelight Projects

Crusaid Walk for Life

Crusaid directs money, knowledge and support to poor and marginalised people and communities affected by HIV and AIDS in the way that best meets their needs and helps them achieve a decent quality of life.

Overview
Sunday 1 June 2008 saw the return of Crusaid’s largest fundraising event: Crusaid’s Walk for Life. This hugely popular and successful day is also the largest walk for HIV and AIDS in Europe.

Limelight Sports’ role was to support Crusaid’s work on the event by managing the logistics from start to finish, making sure the experience was as memorable as Crusaid’s values.

Approach
Following the success of the Crusaid Walk for Life 2007, Crusaid were keen to maintain its wide appeal by keeping it fresh and tasked Limelight Sports with sourcing a new and inspiring venue. There were a number of important factors for Limelight to take into consideration; top of the criteria was finding somewhere central in the capital, ensuring walkers would pass some of London’s most iconic landmarks. Crusaid also wanted to maximise on-the-day fundraising, so the venue needed to allow for cash collections and merchandise sales. Potters Fields Park ticked all the boxes and was the ideal solution, and the additional benefit of an alcohol licence meant participants could really get into the party spirit!

With a new start/finish venue came the need for a new 10k route. Limelight designed and managed the route ensuring it passed famous attractions including; Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Covent Garden, The Queen’s Walk, HMS Belfast and City Hall.

Limelight Sports also managed participant enquiries via the Crusaid Walk for Life phone line in the build up to the event.

Outcome
More than 2,000 participants of all abilities took part in the 10km event. The amount raised by walkers in the run-up to the event was an impressive £170,000; a figure which is expected to more than double as fundraising continues to be collected.

Celebrities who gave their support to Crusaid’s Walk for Life included Dannii Minogue and ‘Four Poofs and a Piano’. The crowds were entertained by a variety of performers including the ever popular – and very convincing – George Michael look-a-like who was back by popular demand.

Jo Morgans, Events & Community Fundraising Manager for Crusaid, said; ‘We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Limelight on Crusaid’s Walk for Life for the past three years, and look forward to continuing the relationship in the future. We appreciate their reliability, professionalism and enthusiasm and know that we can trust in them to do a great job every time.’

Please visit: www.crusaid.org.uk for further information on the charity.

  • Crusaid Walk for Life

    • 'We appreciate Limelight's reliability, professionalism and enthusiasm and know that we can trust in them to do a great job every time.’