{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"By UK Chief Commissioner, Tim Kidd ","standfirst":"","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen we came up with Hike to the Moon, our fundraising campaign to support those in need during this current crisis, it seemed like a wild and outlandish idea. After all, no one\u2019s been back there since the last Scouts (Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt) left in 1972.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut then we thought again. Our movement can do extraordinary things when we work together. Think about our international camps and centenary celebrations. Think of the funds we raised after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2005. These have been such galvanising moments for us.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOur promise to help other people \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen the COVID-19 crisis hit, we knew we had to do something to support the communities and people most affected. After all, as Scouts, we make a promise to help other people.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s why, when BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief came to us and asked if we could help, we jumped at the chance. The fact that the focus of the fundraising effort was The Big Night In on 23 April (the day many of us traditionally renew our Promise) only confirmed that instinct. The timing was perfect.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe flew into action. A team of staff and volunteers got together and looked at what needed to be done. A web page needed to be built, a badge designed, JustGiving links set up and communications prepared \u2013 all in just four days. With a little help from MS Teams and fuelled by Deputy UK Chief Commissioner Graeme Hamilton\u2019s seemingly limitless energy and enthusiasm, we were finally ready for launch.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/6311/jg3-1600x900-v2.jpg","width":1600,"height":900,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe countdown begins \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe announced Hike to the Moon on the evening of Friday 17 April, then held our breath. Had we misjudged the mood? Was our target of 240,000 miles (the distance to the Moon) and \u00A3240,000 just too ambitious? Eleven of the twelve people to have walked on the Moon were Scouts. But would this total increase? There was some nervous refreshing of the JustGiving page as the total crept up very slowly that night and the following day.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThen something extraordinary happened. Moon fever swept the movement. Beavers wrapped in tin foil and wearing steel colanders on their heads were seen doing laps of their garden. Whole families were hiking the length and breadth of their houses. One fantastic Scout from Sheffield, Alex, completed his mile despite having difficulties walking, due to cerebral palsy. We had people doing Mission Control activities too \u2013 taking part in complementary activities if hiking wasn\u2019t their thing. We were going to the Moon together, and we were leaving no one behind.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"value":"https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q17_1eFSN-M?feature=oembed","gridType":"embed","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass"},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA welcome boost \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBefore long, our total had reached five figures. Then, if you pardon the pun, the campaign took \u2018one giant leap\u2019 forward. Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, and Scout Ambassador and ESA Astronaut, Tim Peake, appeared together on BBC Breakfast to announce that they were also taking part in the project \u2013 Bear by hiking lengths of his garage, and Tim by climbing his stairs two hundred odd times (because he felt it was important \u2018to gain some altitude\u2019 \u2013 and well, he should know).\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom there, we never looked back. The \u00A3100,000 mark was celebrated with some fanfare, but there was still quite a way to go. Would it all fizzle out? The short answer was no. Scouts were setting themselves up as fundraising teams. Whole Groups were clubbing together to rack up huge numbers of miles. Young people, volunteers, parents and carers were hiking forwards, backwards and sideways \u2013 dressed as astronauts, aliens and even planets. It was genuinely inspiring.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAmazing numbers \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJust as mindboggling were the numbers we achieved. By 19 May, we\u2019d hit \u00A3344,000 with another \u00A332,000 raised through badge sales. The government has pledged to match the funds, meaning we\u2019ll contribute over \u00A3750,000 in total. We\u2019ve hiked not just the 240,000 miles to the Moon, but the 440,000 miles to the Moon and back.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe hashtag #HikeToTheMoon has been seen 32.8 million times on social media. With our own posts, we reached over 973,700 people across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and the Hike to the Moon landing page was visited 157,000 times.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut most importantly, we helped people. Beaver Scout, James Thorp (aged six), says it best: \u2018Hike to the Moon was so much fun. My brother Oscar and I made our way round the garden in as many ways as we could. Rolling was our favourite. We put our spacesuits on and went for it. We raised \u00A350 and it was great that everyone supported us, so we could help everyone else.\u2019 Well done, James and Oscar, and every single one of you who helped us get to the Moon.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA giant thank you \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETime and again during this crisis, I\u2019m bowled over by members\u2019 and staff\u2019s enthusiasm, dedication and generosity. I\u2019m in agreement with Kester, our tireless Deputy UK Chief Commissioner, when she says: \u2018I\u2019ve never been so proud to be a Scout.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThank you. You\u2019re all amazing.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou can still \u003Ca href=\u0022#\u0022 title=\u0022Hike to the Moon\u0022\u003Edonate and record your miles here\u003C/a\u003E, until 23 May.\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"19 May 2020","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":48507,"nodeName":"How we hiked to the Moon, helping people along the way","title":"How we hiked to the Moon, helping people along the way","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/6300/httm3-alt.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1daa86b27bcc2a0","caption":"Hike to the Moon alt","type":"jpg","size":442304,"width":1920,"height":1080,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"How we hiked to the Moon, helping people along the way","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"When COVID-19 hit, we knew we had to do something to support the people affected. This is the story of how we took one giant leap to help.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODUwNyJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2020/may/how-scouts-hiked-to-the-moon/"}