In just a couple of weeks, thousands of you will be taking part in the annual BHF London to Brighton Bike Ride. With so many of you taking part every year, we asked the regular riders amongst our Facebook and Twitter community for their words of wisdom.

Taking on the challenge for the first time? Looking to do it even quicker this year? Here are some top tips from your fellow fundraisers.

Tips for training

- Spend plenty of time on your bike

You don’t need to be going fast, you just need to get used to long periods on your bike. But don’t forget that rest days are just as important. After a long cycling session, give your body enough time to recuperate.

- Make sure you’re fitted to your bike properly

Having your saddle and handlebars at the perfect height will do wonders, ensuring that you feel completely comfortable on your bike. Pop into your local bike shop and ask if they wouldn’t mind checking that everything is at the right height.

- Get plenty of hills in your training

Ask anyone that’s already done the London to Brighton and the first thing they’ll mention will be “the massive hill at the end”.  Ditchling Beacon is almost 50 miles into the route and then it’s the best part of a mile up a steep hill. When planning your training route, try to include a few hills to prepare yourself.

- Invest in some decent cycling shorts

Bike saddles don’t make the comfiest of seats, even for short trips. A good pair of padded cycling shorts will not only make your training more enjoyable, they’ll be invaluable on the day.

- Have beetroot juice the week before

Beetroot juice is a natural source of nitrate and it can really boost your stamina. Try drinking a glass or two the week before the event. If you can’t quite stomach the juice, opt for a whole beetroot, once a day.

Tips for on the day

- Give yourself plenty of time

Leaving early will give you a head start and allow you to take things a little easier later on. Plus, the later you get to Ditchling Beacon, the more people there will be walking up it, making it even harder for you to ride.

- Find your rhythm

Like all exercise, cycling is different for everyone. Find a rhythm and pace you’re comfortable with and stick with it. When you come to a hill, lower your gears, relax and keep to your rhythm.

- Pack some energy boosting snacks and keep hydrated

Water is an absolute must. Make sure you also eat food along the way that’s going to keep your energy levels high.

Bananas, pasta, fruit and nuts are all popular choices.

- Vaseline, Vaseline, Vaseline…

Don’t underestimate chafing. You may feel physically fine, but discomfort from saddle sores can be enough to stop you pedalling on. If you’re not so keen on Vaseline, any kind of chamois cream will work just as well.

- Prepare for Ditchling Beacon

Plan ahead for Ditchling Beacon to give yourself a better chance of riding up it. You may wish to plan a lengthy stop just before the hill to recharge your batteries. Plus, there are some advantages to hills – what goes up must come down! Once you’ve conquered Ditchling, it’s downhill all the way.

Thanks to all the cycling pros that told us their tips! If you have a top tip that we haven’t shared, we’d love to hear it. Leave us a comment on the blog below, post on our Facebook wall or send us a tweet.

Earlier this month, KPMG employees became world record breakers when they took part in the biggest ever co-ordinated taekwondo display, an event that has raised over £44,000 so far for Barnardo’s.

The KPMG Big Blue Kick was a great opportunity for the company to combine sponsorship of the British taekwondo team (yes, we have one, and they’re tipped to win gold medals this summer) with fundraising. Having supported Barnardo’s since September 2010, KPMG got 805 people across the country together to take part in their world record attempt.

Using our Company Fundraising product, everyone taking part was encouraged to set up their own fundraising page. People could then add their pages to KPMG’S company profile, showing just how much employees raised altogether.

What is Company Fundraising?

Company Fundraising gives your company its own branded profile on JustGiving. It’s a place where you can showcase all of the amazing things you and your colleagues do to raise money for charity.

Find out more about Company Fundraising.

Why raise money as a company?

Fundraising as a company is a great way of bringing employees together, boosting team spirit and encouraging engagement. You’ll also raise more for your favourite charity – teams raise an average 33% more than individual fundraising pages.

Top tips for raising money with your colleagues

If you’re thinking of fundraising with your company, here are some great tips:

-          Create teams to encourage a little friendly competition

Some of the KPMG offices created a team page for their particular branch. You could also make a different team for each department or just have a lucky dip to decide who is in which team.

Once you’ve decided who belongs in which team, set up a different team page for each one. Watch their fundraising campaigns take off as they fight it out to be the team that raises the most!

-          Use your JustTextGiving code

Every fundraising page comes with its own JustTextGiving code, enabling any of the 50 million mobile users in the UK to sponsor you anytime, anywhere. Create your JustTextGiving code and spread the word.

You could print out some posters with your code and put them all around the office. Think of where they’ll get noticed – the canteen, in meeting rooms, the lift… even in the toilets. KPMG also printed their text code on t-shirts that everyone taking part wore on the day.

-          Meet the charity

If you’re thinking of nominating an official charity for your company to support, get them to come in and talk to the staff. This will help everyone understand the tangible work the charity does, and inspire them to rally around your chosen cause. KPMG also invited Barnardo’s to the event. They had an information stand so any onlookers could find out about their work and exactly how their money would help.

Are you fundraising with your company? Leave us a comment on the blog, letting us know what you’re up to and post a link to your company profile.

If your company’s not using JustGiving, let us know. We’ll help them get set up with a Company Fundraising profile.

Since Facebook introduced the Timeline layout for fan pages, we’ve been looking out for examples of charities using the new layout and features in interesting ways.

Here’s a round-up of our top five:

1) Handicap International UK, www.facebook.com/HandicapInternationalUK
2) Macmillan Cancer Support, www.facebook.com/macmillancancer
3) Blue Cross UK , www.facebook.com/thebluecrossUK
4) Meningitis Research, www.facebook.com/meningitisresearch
5) War Child UK, www.facebook.com/warchilduk

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1) Handicap International UK – For smart use of the ‘About’ and ‘Featured app’ sections

The Facebook Timeline layout provides a new area at the top of the page for you to add 255 characters of descriptive text ‘About’ your organisation.  Handicap International UK have made their copy clear and concise, so first-time visitors get a real sense of their organisation’s purpose, as well as what content they can expect by liking their page.

Next to the ‘About’ section, it’s clear that Handicap International UK has put a lot of thought in to having three prominent ‘call to actions’ on the page, including ‘Donate Now’. With our Facebook Giving application installed, Handicap International UK has made it possible for supporters to donate without leaving Facebook. You can find out more about installing the app on your charity’s Facebook Timeline here. By making it even easier for people to donate, you’ll hopefully see a little added generosity – people give an average of 44% more when they donate without leaving Facebook.

2) Macmillan Cancer Support – For getting creative with the timeline feature

The new timeline layout enables charities to go back in time and add important events in your organisation’s history. Macmillan Cancer Support has used the Timeline to tell the story of the charity right back to when it was founded in 1911!

3) Blue Cross – For highlighting and promoting interesting content

Highlighting posts that span the width of your charity’s Facebook page is a new feature introduced in the new Timeline layout. It’s really useful if you have a particular event or appeal that you want to promote to your supporters. The Blue Cross did just this by creating an image, which they posted on their Facebook Timeline, making it span across the entire width of the page. On the image they encouraged supporters who couldn’t make the Tea Party to make a text donation instead, using our free text donation service JustTextGiving by Vodafone.

4) Meningitis Research – For using the new cover photo feature

The new cover photo feature is a great way for your charity to have a real impact on visitors to your Facebook Timeline. By using an effective image, Meningitis Research Foundation manage to communicate their focus on research to save lives and inspire hope in their supporters.

5) War Child – For using an email application to encourage newsletter sign-ups

Like Handicap International UK, War Child UK have used the top section of their Timeline to promote key ‘call to actions’, including an e-newsletter sign-up. It enables visitors to War Child’s Facebook Timeline to sign-up to their monthly newsletters. This is a fantastic way to add new names to your email database and ultimately recruit new donors. Check out email tools such as Dot Mailer and Mail Chimp to find out about their Facebook applications.

Which charities would you put in your Facebook timeline ‘top five’? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The British Gas Great Swim is back with a splash this Saturday. The first of five national events takes place in London, kick-starting a summer of outdoor swimming.

There are still plenty of opportunities for you to get involved and we’ve got all the details.

How to get involved

After a swimmingly good 2011 in which 20,000 participants took part, the Great Swim isn’t treading water this year – the event is now taking part in five different locations.

There are still places available for the Great East Swim, Great Manchester Swim and Great Scottish Swim. You can also take part in the Great North Swim by swimming for a charity. Find out more information on the Great Swim website.

Where and when?

Great London Swim – London – Saturday 26^th May

Great East Swim – Suffolk – Saturday 16^th June

Great North Swim – Windermere – Friday 22^nd to Sunday 24^th June

Great Manchester Swim- Salford Quays – Sunday 1^st July

Great Scottish Swim – Strathclyde – Saturday 25^th August

These outdoor swims are mixed ability events. You can choose whether to cover half, one or two miles. There are also elite swimming events with appearances from professional athletes and Olympic hopefuls.

Raise money for your favourite charity

Once you’ve registered for an event, you’re ready to start fundraising. Find out how to set up your fundraising page and read our top tips for reaching your target.

You can also receive donations by text with a JustTextGiving code and share your page on Facebook with our app.

Top swimming tips

Here are some top tips for channelling your inner Michael Phelps. Get in lane, take a deep breath and dive right in.

The kit

Having the right kit is important for swimming outside. Here are the three essentials.

-          Get a well-fitting wetsuit. Outside swimming can be pretty chilly so the Great Swim series are wetsuit-only events. A good wetsuit will keep you warm and can help with buoyancy.

-          Invest in some swimming goggles. They’re really useful for outside swimming. If possible, wear some anti-fog ones.

-          Wear a brightly coloured swimming hat. It’ll help ensure you don’t get hit by unobservant swimmers.

Training

Before you take the plunge and swim outdoors, there are a few safety things to consider.

-          Find a good and safe place to swim. Your local swimming club or leisure centre may have a few good suggestions.

-          Get yourself a swimming buddy. It’s safer to swim with someone, and they’ll keep you motivated. Make sure you always let people know where and when you’re swimming.

The food

When it comes to swimming, carbs are your friends. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for muscles.

-          Try eating wholegrain breads, pasta, cereals, bagels, fruit and veg. They will give you that extra bit of energy for training and competitions.

-          A carb-rich snack can boost your energy. But be careful because eating too soon before the event can cause upset stomachs and lead to cramp.

Do you have a tip to share with your fellow swimmers? Let us know by leaving a comment on the blog, posting on our Facebook wall or sending us a tweet.

Up and down the country, people are counting down to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and a four-day weekend. Whether you love the monarchy, or you’re just partial to a few days off work, it’s a great opportunity for a spot of fundraising.

Here are some quintessentially British things that you could do to raise money for your favourite charity.

Host afternoon tea

Originating in the early 1840s, afternoon tea is a time-honoured British tradition. So why not dust off your finest china, invite your friends over and indulge?

It’s all about light snacks and finger food so serving the perfect spread doesn’t mean hours in the kitchen. Channel your inner Delia Smith and bake a Victoria sponge, rustle up some cucumber and mint sandwiches and serve a well-brewed, proper pot of tea. As you sit down with your friends for a gossip, ask them to make a donation to your favourite charity in exchange for their afternoon treat. Set up a JustTextGiving code and they’ll be able to donate right there and then.

Organise a British-themed pub quiz

Getting to show off your general knowledge over a nice cold pint makes pub quizzes ever popular in the UK.

Get in touch with the pubs in your local area and see if they’d be interested in letting you host a British-themed pub quiz. Then pop up some posters, let people know when it’s happening and ask them for a donation as entry. Hopefully the pub will let you offer a bottle of wine or a free drink as a prize and all of the money raised can go to your charity.

When it comes to questions, stick to the traditional rounds and just give them a British theme. You could have questions on British history, film, music, sporting triumphs and of course, a round on the British monarchy.

Bake some scones

Who doesn’t love an extra couple of days at the weekend? The only drawback is the post-holiday blues that circulate the office when it’s all over.

One way to brighten up a back-to-work morning is a sweet treat for elevenses. Involve your colleagues by offering up Devonshire cream tea. All you’ll need is some homemade scones, a pot of clotted cream and a jar of strawberry jam. Then pop the kettle on and ask your colleagues to text a donation in return. They won’t be able to resist!

Have a street party

With an estimated 10 million people attending street parties during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, you can expect a lot of bunting and trestle tables decorating the UK over the bank holiday.

Street parties are a great way to meet your neighbours and involve the community in your Diamond Jubilee celebrations, but they require a lot of planning. For starters, you’d need to get permission from your local council to close the road.

An easy alternative is to organise a ‘street meet’. A street party but on a smaller scale, a street meet could involve gathering in a park, on your driveway, or if there’s one close-by, you could congregate in a cul-de-sac. Just make sure you’re somewhere safe and traffic free and ask your neighbours to join you in exchange for a small donation. There are lots of great ideas and tips for arranging a street meet on the Streets Alive website.

Get competitive with your favourite sport

There’s a lot of debate when it comes to naming Britain’s national sport.. Football, cricket, tennis, they all guarantee plenty of occupied sofas during major tournaments. But there’s also rugby, snooker, darts… in fact, the only thing not up for debate is how much us Brits love our sport.

So how about celebrating the long weekend with a charity match of your favourite game?

Or with 2012 such a huge year for sport, you could organise a mini-athletics tournament that rivals any sports day you had at school. Find out which of your friends is the Usain Bolt of the egg-and-spoon race, partner up for the three-legged race and dig out some old pillow cases for the sack race. Everyone makes a donation to take part and all of the ‘gold medalists’ get the money-can’t-buy prize of pride.

Do you have plans for any fundraising over the Jubilee weekend? Or do you have a quintessentially British idea for fundraising? We’d love to hear it. Leave a comment on our Facebook wall, send us a tweet or leave a comment on the blog below.

Earlier this month, Claire Lomas became the first person to complete a marathon in a bionic ReWalk suit. Unable to walk without it, Claire conquered the London marathon in 16 days, raising more than £160,000 for Spinal Research. Inspired by Claire’s epic achievement? Follow in her footsteps by trying some of her fundraising techniques:

- Give people an opportunity to donate by wearing your JustTextGiving code

Claire gave onlookers the opportunity to donate by putting her JustTextGiving code on her shirt. The result? Over £13,000 raised by text alone. Find out how to set up your JustTextGiving code.

- Reach out to people on Twitter

Twitter is a great way to get people talking about your fundraising.With Claire regularly tweeting along the route, word of her heroic effort quickly spread. Keep your followers updated and always remember to include a link to your page.

- Get in touch with your charity

Spinal Research supported Claire along her entire journey. Not only can your charity be a great source of encouragement, it can also help you tell people just how important their donations are.

Thank you from Claire

Claire’s heroic effort struck a chord with so many of you. When we first mentioned her story on the blog, you told us just how inspired you were by Claire as you eagerly supported her fundraising.

Half-way through her marathon course, Claire had already beaten her £50,000 target. She’s now more than trebled it, raising over £160,000 for Spinal Research. Thanking you all for your support, Claire had this to say:

Thanks to everyone who has donated, supported my challenge and helped raise so much for Spinal Research, who I believe will go on and help so many people.

Thank you from Spinal Research

Spinal Research funds medical research around the world to develop reliable treatments for paralysis caused by a broken back or neck. Here’s what Jonathan Miall, the charity’s CEO had to say about how Claire’s fundraising will help them continue with their ground breaking work:

We’re overwhelmed by Claire’s determination and commitment to complete the London marathon for Spinal Research – it is a stunning effort.   Not only has she raised substantial income for our potentially life-changing research but also awareness of our charity and the impact of spinal cord injury.

Make a donation to Claire’s page

You can still make a donation to Claire’s page here. To donate by text message, just send LEGS60 followed by an amount (£ 1, £2, £3, £4, £5, or £10) to 70070.

Congratulations Claire from everyone here at JustGiving!

Next month, people up and down the country will be celebrating the Diamond Jubilee. If you’d like to mark 60 years of the Queen’s reign, how about a donation to one of the charities Her Majesty’s supports? The Queen is patron to over 600 charities, and her fellow royals support almost 3,000 more. You can see a full list on The British Monarchy’s official website.

Charities all over the country have the royal seal of approval, with causes including education, health, animal welfare and environment. We took a look through and found a great charity based in each area of the UK for you to support – find your local one below.

Do you know of a different charity in your area that’s supported by the royals? We’d love to hear about it. Let us know by leaving a comment.

Scotland

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland – The Queen is a patron and The Duke of Kent is the charity’s president.

Through medical research, advice and support in the community, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland aims to improve the quality of life of people who have been affected by chest, heart and stroke illness in Scotland.

North West England

The Royal School for the Blind, Liverpool - The Queen is a patron.

The Royal School for the Blind, Liverpool is a non-maintained special school and a totally independent charity. It caters for pupils that are aged between two and 19 years with a visual impairment and additional disabilities, including multi-sensory impairment.

North East England

Children North East – The Duke of York is a patron.

Founded in 1891, Children North East support over 5000 children, young people and families every year. The charity helps them overcome problems associated with poverty and deprivation, enabling them to reach their full potential.

Yorkshire and The Humber

The Prince of Wales Hospice, Pontrefact – The Prince of Wales is the charity’s president.

The Prince of Wales Hospice supports people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The charity is an integral part of the Five Towns’ community, offering round-the-clock support 365 days of the year.

West Midlands –

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity is the official charity of the Queen Elizabeth & Selly Oak hospitals in Birmingham. It includes the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine where military patients are treated from around the world.

East Midlands –

I CAN – The Queen is a patron.

I CAN supports children with speech, language and communication difficulties. Its mission is to ensure that no child who struggles to communicate is left out or left behind.

East of England

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices – The Duchess of Cambridge is a patron.

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice support children with life-threatening conditions and their families. Services can be provided in the family home, the community or the hospice.

London

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home – The Queen is a patron.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s vision is of a world where all dogs and cats are in caring and permanent homes. They reunite lost dogs and cats with their owners and, when this can’t be done, they care for them until new homes can be found.

South West England

Cornwall Community Foundation – The Duchess of Cornwall is a patron.

Cornwall Community Foundation is committed to supporting local projects in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, engaging local people in making their communities better places to live.

South East England

Queen Elizabeth’s  Foundation for Disabled People (QEF)

QEF works with people living with physical and learning disabilities or acquired brain injuries to gain new skills and increase independence. Whether it’s learning everyday life skills or training for future employment, QEF supports disabled people to achieve their goals.

Wales

St Davids Cathedral – The Queen is a patron.

St Davids Cathedral is a place of worship, a centre for pilgrimage and one of the most visited heritage sites in Wales. With over 300,000 visitors a year, the running costs of this working cathedral are over £2,500 a day.

Northern Ireland

Co-operation Ireland – The Queen is a patron.

Co-operation Ireland is a peace-building charity that works to advance mutual understanding and respect between the people of Northern Ireland and of the Republic of Ireland. It gives people the opportunity to meet and share experiences and opinions with those of a different religion or tradition.

If you’re running in the Edinburgh marathon next weekend, your fundraising could be £500 closer to your target with our Edinburgh marathon photo competition. To enter, all you need to do is send us a photo from the day.

It could be a photo of you at the finish line proudly wearing your medal. Or maybe your family and friends capture a snap of you mid-marathon. Whether it’s of a charity mascot, a celebrity runner or a great atmospheric photo of the route, our favourite photo will win an extra £500 for your charity.

To enter, email us your best photo from the day to yourstories@justgiving.com.

The competition closes on Monday 4^th June and we’ll announce the winner shortly afterwards.

Good luck!

After nine months, the football season is over. As football fans around the country think of new ways to fill their Saturday afternoons, everyone else can triumphantly return to their living rooms and reclaim their couches; at least until the start of the Euros next month.

To celebrate we have highlighted some footie-related fundraising that has caught our eye.

Arsenal – ‘Be a Gooner, Be a Giver’

This season, Arsenal raised a whopping £120,689.86 for its charity partner Save the Children.  Fundraising events included ‘Be a Gunner be a Runner’, a 10-lap fun run around the Emirates Stadium. The club also had a dedicated match day where players and staff donated a day’s wages to the cause. Does your sports team have a JustGiving page? Why not link your fundraising page to your sports team if it has a JustGiving page?

Aston Villa – Record breaking half time fundraising

During a Premier League match, Aston Villa legend Paul McGrath asked fans to reach for their mobiles and donate through JustTextGiving by Vodafone. In doing so the crowd broke the record for the most amount of money raised during a game, helping Acorn Children’s Hospice raise £7,500. JustTextGiving codes are available to anyone with a fundraising page and can make it easier for your friends and family to donate on the go. Find out more about how you can use JustTextGiving.

Homeless World Cup – Beating Homelessness through Football

The Homeless World Cup Foundation uses football to energise homeless people to change their lives. They engage with over 30,000 homeless players and are active in over 64 different nations. Last year supporters of the organisation from around the world raised funds to get their teams to the annual world cup event, held in Paris. Scotland were the eventual winners, beating Brazil in the final to win the event for the second time.

There has been lots of football-related fundraising going on around the country this season. Let us know what your football team has been up. Leave a comment on our Facebook wall, send us a tweet or leave a comment on the blog below.

It’s hard to believe, but the Bupa Great North Run is only four months away. On Sunday 16^th September, thousands of people will be taking to Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields to run in the world’s biggest half-marathon. If you didn’t manage to get a place in the ballot, there are still plenty of opportunities to run by applying for a charity place.

We’ve put together a list of charities that have told us that they have spaces left on their Bupa Great North Run team. Find out how many places they have, what the minimum fundraising target is and how you can apply.

We’ll be updating this post weekly, so do keep checking back for updates.

Good luck!

[post updated 28th May 2012]

Charities with places available for the Bupa Great North Run 2012

ActionAid have 25 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £250. Email run@actionaid.org or visit the ActionAid website to apply.

Action for Children have 50 places. The minimum fundraising target is £300 and applications can be made on the Action for Children website.

Age UK have 60 places left. The minimum fundraising target is £350. To apply, email Tom at tom.galliano@ageuk.org.uk or call 0203 033 1362. You can also apply via the Age UK website.

Animal Care Trust have 8 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £250. You can apply by emailing act@rvc.ac.uk.

Arthritis Research UK have 100 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £375 and you can apply by emailing events@arthritisresearchuk.org, calling 0300 790 0402 or downloading a form on their website.

Aspire have 20 places and a minimum fundraising target of £300. Email Andrew directly on andrew.ogierman@aspire.org.uk or by calling 0208 420 8951.

Asthma UK have 140 places available. Their minimum fundraising target is £300. You can apply via the Asthma UK website or by calling 0800 121 62 55.

Barnardo’s have 20 places and a £300 minimum fundraising target. You can apply for a place on the Barnado’s website.

Bone Cancer Research Trust have 11 places available available. The minimum fundraising target is £285 and they are taking applications via their website.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer have 50 places. The minimum fundraising target is £350. Visit the website to download an application form.

Breast Cancer Campaign have 100 places and a fundraising target of £350. You can apply for a place on the Breast Cancer Campaign’s website.

Breast Cancer Care have 160 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. You can email nicki.sharp@breastcancercare.org.uk, call 0845 092 0804 or apply on the website.

British Red Cross have 50 places available. Their minimum fundraising target is £300 and you can apply via the British Red Cross website, by emailing greatnorthrun@britishredcross.org.uk or by calling 0844 412 2877.

Butterwick Hospice have 60 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. You can apply by emailing gailpearson@butterwick.org.uk or via the Butterwick Hospice website.

CAFOD have 100 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £300. Apply via the CAFOD website or call 020 7095 5670

Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) have 10 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £350. Apply by emailing events@c-r-y.org.uk.

CHICKS have nine places available and a minimum fundraising target of £200. For more information, visit the CHICKS website or email azita@chicks.org.uk.

Children 1st have 4 places available with a £300 miniumum sponsorship target. Please phone 0131 319 8068 or email running@children1st.org.uk to apply.

Children’s Heart Federation have 5 places available and have a £500 target for fundraisers. Send an email to rebeccah@chfed.org.uk or call 0207 422 0630 to apply.

The Children’s Society have 82 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £350. Apply by emailing michael.winehouse@childrenssociety.org.uk or via their website.

Christian Aid have 70 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. You can register online at the Christian Aid website.

CLIC Sargent have 50 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £350. You can apply on the CLIC Sargent website.

COCO (Comrades of Children Overseas) have 10 places and a minimum fundraising target of £200. Email Laura at laura@coco.org.uk to apply.

Concordia Foundation have six places available and a fundraising target of £1000. Email info@concordiafoundation.com to apply.

Coping with Cancer North East have 50 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £200. Email pauline.johnson@yahoo.co.uk and ask for a registration form.

CP Sport have 15 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. You can apply via the CP Sport website.

Cry in the dark have 10 places. The minimum fundraising target is £300. Please email Steve@cryinthedark.org to apply.

Daisy Chain have 30 places and a minimum fundraising target of £350. Email Sarah at sarah@daisychainproject.co.uk to apply.

Depaul UK have 9 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £300. Fill in on the online application at the Depaul UK website or contact Julie on 0191 253 6161.

Diabetes UK have 200 places available and a £350 fundraising target. Please visit the Diabetes UK website and complete the registration form.

Dreams Come True have 10 places. There is a £250 minimum fundraising target. Email toni.cook@dctc.org.uk to apply.

Grace House North East Children’s Hospice Appeal have 50 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. Call 0191 5166302 or email jh@gracehouse.co.uk to apply.

Grangemouth Air Cadets Squadron have 10 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £500 and you can apply by emailing Fred at fred@rite.be.

Guide Dogs have 250 places still available. There is a minimum fundraising target of £300. Visit the Guide Dogs website, email events@guidedogs.org.uk or call  0845 600 6787 to apply.

Headway – the brain injury association have 8 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £450. Apply via the Headway website, by emailing Susan on projects@headway.org.uk or calling 0115 9240800.

Help the Hospices have 50 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £395. Apply online the Help the Hospices website or call the events team on 020 7520 2999.

HospiceCare North Northumberland have 3 places left. The minimum fundraising target is £250. Email jmawer@hospicecare-nn.org.uk to apply.

Isabel Hospice have 4 places available and no minimum fundraising target. Email Maria Alexander at maria.alexander@isabelhospice.org.uk to apply.

Josie’s Dragonfly Trust have a limited amount of places. The minimum fundraising target is £350 and you can apply by emailing patrick@josiesdragonfly.org or by calling 01434 602043.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation have ten places left. The minimum fundraising target is £375. You can email events@jdrf.org.ukor visit their website to apply.

Kidney Research UK have 60 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £395. You can apply for a place on the Kidney Research UK website.

Leonard Cheshire Disability have 65 places available and a £325 minimum fundraising target. Apply via the Leonard Cheshire Disability website to apply, Text RUN to 80878 (standard text rates apply) or call Emma on 020 3242 0264

The Leprosy Mission England & Wales have 6 places and a minimum fundraising target of £250. Visit their website to apply or contact John on johnr@TLMEW.org.uk or by calling 0191 478 6489

Leukaemia CARE have 20 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £350. Visit the Leukaemia CARE website or email helen.whatmore@leukaemiacare.org.uk to appy.

Macmillan Cancer Support have 100 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £385. Visit the Macmillan website to apply.

Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres have 85 places available and a fundraising target of £370. Email events@maggiescentres.org or call 0300 123 1801 to apply for a place.

Make-A-Wish Foundation UK have 50 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £400. Email Andy at andy.holland@makeawish.org.uk or visit the Make-A-Wish website to apply.

Martin House Children’s Hospice have 100 places available. They have a minimum fundraising target of £300. Email Caroline on events@martinhouse.org.uk or call 01937 844569 to apply.

Max Appeal have 20 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £200. Contact Paul Wootton by emailing paul@maxappeal.org.uk to apply.

Mencap have 100 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £350. Visit the Mencap website to apply.

Meningitis Trust have 55 places available and a £300 fundraising target of £300. You can apply via the Meningitis Trust website.

Meningitis UK have 20 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £350. Apply on the Meningitis UK website, call 0117 303 3343 or email lizgough@meningitisUK.org.

Mercy Ships UK have 15 places. There is a minimum fundraising target of £250. You can download an application on the Mercy Ships UK website, email fundraising@mercyships.org.uk, or call 01438 727800.

Mines Advisory Group have 16 places left. You can apply via their website, by emailing ingrid.turner@maginternational.org or calling 0161 2385486

MS Society have 100 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £300. Sign up on the MS Society website.

Motor Neurone Disease Association have approximately 40 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £395. Please email anita.solan@mndassociation.org or call 01604 611832 to apply.

Muscular Dystrophy Campaign have 10 places available. There is a minimum fundraising target of £300. Apply by emailing h.gill@muscular-dystrophy.org

National Autistic Society have 87 places and a £350 minimum fundraising target. Apply for a place at the National Autistic Society website.

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) have 15 places and a minimum fundraising target of £400. You can apply via their website.

The Outward Bound Trust have 10 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £350. You can contact Danielle Britton on 020 3301 6481 or email danielle.britton@outwardbound.org.uk.

Parkinson’s UK have 50 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £350. To apply for a place you need to download a copy of the registration form from their website. You’ll then need to email this to events@parkinsons.org.uk.

Penny Brohn Cancer Care have 10 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £275. Call 01275 370073, email running@pennybrohn.org or visit the website to apply.

The Percy Hedley Foundation have 75 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £200. Send an email to m.hallett@percyhedley.org.uk to apply for a place.

The Prince of Wales Hospice have 5 places. There is a £350 minimum fundraising target. Email hwells@pwh.org.uk or call 0844 248 4787 to claim your place.

The Prince’s Trust have 30 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. Visit The Prince’s Trust website to apply.

Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People have 35 places. The minimum fundraising target is £350. You can apply by emailing Neil on neil.swift@rainbows.co.uk or calling 01509 638005.

RedR UK have 10 places and a minimum fundraising target of £300. You can download an application form on their website. Once completed, email it to fundraising@redr.org.uk.

RSPCA have 20 places available, a minimum fundraising target of £300 and you can apply by emailing fundraisers_support@rspca.org.uk.

Rossendale Hospice have 10 places available and a £200 fundraising target. You can apply by emailing  fundraising@rossendalehospice.org or you can download an application pack via the Rossendale Hospice website.

Self Unlimited have 2 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £350. You can apply for a place by emailing kia.peutril@selfunlimited.co.uk  or via the Self Unlimited website.

Sense have eight places left. The minimum fundraising target is £300 and you can apply via the Sense website.

Sheffield Hospitals Charity have four places and a minimum fundraising target of £200. Email isla.denoon@shct.nhs.uk to apply.

Shelter have 100 places and a £350 minimum fundraising target. You can apply via the Shelter website.

Shift.ms have 15 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £300. Email ghada@shift.ms to apply.

Shine have six places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. Contact Andrew at andrew.ellis@shinecharity.org.uk or call 01733 421307 to apply.

Smile For Life Children’s Charity have 8 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £200. Email deborah@smileforlife.org.uk or call 0191 2844166 to apply.

Spinal Research have seven places currently available. The minimum fundraising target is £450. If you would like to join the Spinal Research team, please contact Robin on 01483 898786, send him an email at robin@spinal-research.org or register your interest online.

SSAFA Forces Help have 11 places available and a £250 minimum fundraising target. Email fundraisingassistant@ssafa.org.uk or apply via the SSFA Forces Help website.

St Oswald’s Hospice have over 100 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. Call 0191 2469123, email susanhollyman@stoswaldsuk.org or visit the St Oswald’s Hospice website to apply.

St Thomas Lupus Trust have 10 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £200.Email fundraising@lupus.org.uk to apply.

St Gemma’s Hospice have 70 places available. There is a minimum fundraising target of £300. You can apply on St. Gemma’s Hospice website.

TB Alert have 8 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £250. Email Briggy at fundraising@tbalert.org or call 01273 234784 to apply.

The Prostate Cancer Charity have 200 places available and a £400 minimum fundraising target. Email events@prostate-cancer.org.uk to apply.

Tilinanu Orphanage have 100 places available and no minimum fundraising target. Email lovetilinanu@hotmail.com to apply.

Traidcraft have 59 places. The minimum fundraising target is £250. Apply via the Traidcraft website, by emailing email fundraising@traidcraft.co.uk or calling 0191 497 6445.

Ulster Cancer Foundation have 20 places available and a £695 minimum fundraising target. Register online at the Ulster Care foundation website or contact Sarah by calling 028 9068 0765 or emailing sarahatcheson@ulstercancer.org.

Useful Vision have 3 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £450. Email Rebecca Wilson at rebeccawilson@usefulvision.org.uk to apply.

Variety have 7 places available. The minimum fundraising target is £375. Please contact Frankie at frankie.holah@variety.org.uk or call 0207 428 8118 to apply.

WaterAid have 15 places available. Their minimum fundraising target is £300. Sign up via their website or by emailing greatnorthrun@wateraid.org.

WellChild have 10 places available and a minimum fundraising target of £300. You can apply for a place via the WellChild website.

WheelPower – British Wheelchair Sport have 12 places. The minimum fundraising target is £250. Email jo.hall@wheelpower.org.uk or call 01296 395 995 to apply.