Friday 7 November 2008

Peak District Spiderwalk raises £2,000 for charity

Students from the University of Sheffield have taken part in a 26-mile Spiderwalk challenge across the Peak District to raise money for local charities.

At 9pm on Friday, October 24, 80 students gathered on the Union Concourse to take part in the RAG committee’s overnight fundraising event.

RAG, which stands for Raising and Giving, is a fundraising organisation run by a Union of Students team.

This year’s event raised over £2,000, which is more money than any previous Spiderwalk. The exact amount will be calculated over the next two weeks as sponsor money continues to come in.
Participants included members of the Dance Society, the Rugby Club, the High Peak Club and Sheffield Volunteering.

Many students decided to wear costumes ranging from orange jumpsuits to a Scooby Doo outfit.

Lucy Bugler, from the Dance society, raised £80. She said: "Six of us did it together. It was our first time but we would definitely do it again.

"Despite wearing more layers of clothing than I have ever put on in my life, it was absolutely amazing."

The students walked through Crookesmoor and Walkley towards the Peak District, before heading back to the Union of Students via Fulwood Road.

Douglas Smith and Oliver Houston, from the High Peaks Club, finished first, completing the walk in less than seven hours.

The last people arrived back at the Union at 8.30am the next morning.

Sarah Murphy, events co-ordinator of Spiderwalk, was based on a checkpoint during the night.

She said: "The whole event was a huge success. One boy suffered a leg strain towards the end of the walk, but nobody else had any injuries."

One of the 40 charities benefiting this year is the Burton Street Project, which helps disadvantaged children and adults in Sheffield.


Leanne Rinne

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