In response to thousands of events being cancelled across the UK, the organisers of the biggest mass-participation sports events across the country have come together to create a new campaign to raise vital funds to help save the UK’s charities. The 2.6 Challenge will launch on Sunday 26 April – which should have been the date of the 40th London Marathon, the world’s biggest one-day annual fundraising event. 

Being in lockdown means that ‘mega’ challenges like the marathon can no longer take place, but that doesn’t mean that fun, smaller challenges can’t happen at home. 

So, if you'd like to take part in this weekend’s 2.6 Challenge, please support Suffolk Wildlife Trust using this link:

2.6 Challenge

You can donate or create a fun challenge for yourself and your family and raise money for Suffolk Wildlife Trust. 

Have a look at our ideas and see if this inspires you to create a fun version of your own: 

• Running a total of 26 miles (using the permitted hour’s exercise window over as many days as it takes!), spotting wildlife on the way  
• 26 leapfrogs  
• 26 netball or basketball hoops  
• 26 consecutive swing-ball hits (without missing!)  
• Creating 26 ways to help wildlife in the garden  
• 26-hour bioblitz – finding a species every hour! 

If you choose to take part in your own challenge to fundraise for us, please let us know and we will add a link to your personal fundraising page below (Our fab 2.6-ers). Please email michael.strand@suffolkwildlifetrust.org and tell him about your challenge. Tag us on social media so we can share your stories, too.

Our fab 2.6-ers...

Thank you to Clare Sheehan who made this brilliant forget-me-not logo using 26 stones:

Well done, Chris! She climbed up the mound at Framlingham Castle 26.2 times!

Nic Martin and family, attempting 26 frogleaps. View Nic's fundraising page here.

Michael's 2.6 beard shave challenge!

Carole from Ipswich is challenging herself to make 26 pieces of jewellery or fun pieces of sculpture including trees, leaves, insects or wherever her imagination leads to in the natural world. Carole says ‘I need to get back my creative mojo. The 2.6 challenge has inspired me to do some fundraising to raise funds for Suffolk Wildlife Trust as wildlife charities will be low on many peoples list of priorities at the moment, despite a realisation of the importance of our outside spaces’. Below is a selection of Carole's pieces to date:

Support Carole’s challenge at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/carole-s-2-6-challenge2021  

Inspired by Carole’s crafty challenge, Jo from Woolpit is making a set (24 + 2 spare) of traditional draught pieces with insects painted on them. One half will be ladybirds, the other half, a different species on each draught. These species are still to be decided so please suggest your ideas for Jo’s challenge!

Gemma and her son Ethan are doing a 'Big Little Bioblitz' for their 2.6 Challenge. Starting last Sunday, the challenge will take place over a cumulative 26-hour period and be based in and around their garden in Melton. Gemma says, ‘We are quite simply looking for 26 sights and sounds of nature!’ Take a look at some of the natural world images they have experienced so far and support their challenge at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gem-and-ethan-s-2-6-challenge

Good luck, thank you and have fun!