Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up to take part in the night walk?

Click HERE to register.

Everyone wanting to take part in the event will need to register in advance. The number of places available is limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Registration will close at 11.59pm on Sunday 14th July (if there are any places remaining by then).

Please note, each adult wishing to take part in the night walk will need to register for the event individually, but adults can also register any children who will be accompanying them.

What is the route of the event?

There are two route options. One is 9.5 miles long, the other is 13.1 miles (half-marathon distance!)

Both routes include many of the capital's most recognisable landmarks, so you'll have the chance to be a tourist for the night! Highlights along the route include Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, The Gherkin, The Shard and many more of the city's best known-sights.

The 13.1 mile route includes the re-developed Battersea Power Station, Tate Britain, US Embassy and MI6 (Secret Intelligence Service) headquarters too.

You will be asked during the registration process which route you would you like to walk. It's flexible though and your group can change to the other distance on the night (even during the event!) if you want to.

How will it work on the night?

Walkers will take part in groups of 2-6 people, setting off one group at a time over the course of an hour (between 6-7pm). As soon as everyone in your group has checked in and got their Streets of London t-shirt, you'll be ready to go!

It's a great thing to do with a friend, also an ideal opportunity to get a gang of family or friends together for a fun evening out that's also making a difference.

If you're signing up as a pair but would like to walk as part of a bigger group, just let us know and we'll be happy to arrange it.

If you'd like to take part as an individual, that's fine too - at registration we'll ask you if you think you're a faster/medium/slower walker and we'll try to match you up with similar-paced walkers (where possible) when putting you into a group of 4-6 people.

For everyone's safety and to comply with the charity's insurance, please stay with your group throughout the event.

Is there a registration fee?

Yes, there is a £15 registration fee (non-refundable). This helps to cover essential event costs (such as your branded t-shirt, a first-aider, insurance, advertising, venue hire etc), so that as much as possible of the money you raise ends up going to the charity and the homelessness projects we support.

Is there a fundraising target and a minimum amount to raise?

We're holding the Night Walk to raise as much money as possible for the homelessness projects we support, so we ask each person taking part to raise money for Streets of London, to support the charity's work. We encourage each adult participant to aim at raising £150 in fundraising if they can, so that as many homeless people as possible receive support. A big thank you in advance for your fundraising efforts!

To ensure that the event achieves its purpose of generating much-needed donations, each participating adult will need to set up their own fundraising page on JustGiving and have raised at least £50 on it by 3 days before the night walk (by 11.59pm on Wednesday 17th July), which will then qualify them to take part in the event. Participants can choose to top up any shortfall themselves if required, to reach this minimum amount.

When setting up your fundraising page on JustGiving, please be sure to use the same e-mail address that you used to register for the event on Eventbrite, so that we can match you with your page. Thanks!

There is no fundraising requirement for children taking part in the event.

How do I set up my JustGiving page to fundraise online?

You can set up your online fundraising page with JustGiving quickly and easily HERE. We suggest setting up your fundraising page as soon as you have registered for the night walk.

Can our group fundraise as a team?

Yes. Each participating adult will need to create their own fundraising page on JustGiving and raise at least £50 on that page to take part. Beyond that though, once all members of your group have set up individual pages you can pool your efforts by setting up a team page, which will allow you to join a number of individual fundraising pages together. To set up a team page on JustGiving, first create your own fundraising page then simply click on the link that says 'create a team'.

Will our group be given a printed map of the route on the night?

No. You will be able to access the route on your mobile phone through Google Maps, so you can see where you are in real-time. We will send participants a link to a detailed Google map of the route shortly before the event.

You will also be able to download a PDF version in advance (which we will send to all participants before the event), so you have a copy in case of any connectivity problems etc.

We would encourage you to charge your phone fully before the event, also to bring a fully-charged external battery pack to ensure that your phone has enough battery life for the whole event.

If you would find it useful to have a printed map of the route as a back-up, please print a copy of the PDF version at home in advance of the event, to bring along with you on the night.

Will the roads be closed and will there be marshalls along the route?

No, the roads will remain open for this event. We ask everyone to please stay on pavements and use suitable pedestrian crossing points only. The vast majority of the route will be well lit, but please be mindful of looking out for traffic when crossing roads.

Everyone in your team will have access to the route map on Google Maps - which will show your live location - so there won't be public signage or event marshalls along the route. It will be a self-guided event.

Please keep to the designated route, so that it's as easy as possible to find you in the event of an emergency of any sort.

It probably goes without saying, but if you come across any short stretches of the route where there's an uneven surface such as cobbles, take care with your footing, slow down if necessary and you can always use the torch on your phone if you need to.

Where will the event start/finish?

The Night Walk will start and finish at St John's Church Waterloo (73 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8TY), close to Waterloo Station.

The APCOA car park at 62 Cornwall Rd (SE1 9PU) offers the nearest reliable parking, though we would advise getting there by public transport where possible.

When should I arrive on the day?

On Saturday 20th July 2024, please arrive from 6pm onwards, ready to start the event between 6pm and 7pm. Entry to the venue will not be possible before 6pm, last entry will be at 7pm.

The start time for groups will be between 6-7pm (a staggered start, with each group setting off individually). When you arrive at the start venue, we'll get you checked in (so we know who's out there on the course), give you each a free Streets of London t-shirt to walk in (and then keep afterwards), and then once your whole team is assembled at the venue and ready to set off, you'll be ready to go!

Groups who have signed up together can set off whenever they're ready between 6 and 7pm. If you're walking the shorter 9.5 mile route, we would recommend starting closer to 7pm, to ensure that you finish in the dark for the full night-walk effect, while if you're walking the longer 13.1 mile distance we would suggest starting closer to 6pm so you avoid finishing too late.

Teams made up of people who have signed up individually will set off at 6.45pm sharp. If you have signed up as an individual, please arrive by 6.30pm at the latest, in good time to set off with your group of 4-6 at 6.45pm.

Sunset will be at 9.05pm that evening, so you'll start the event in daylight, be able to enjoy the sunset on what we hope will be a warm summer evening, then finish in the dark for the full Night Walk experience!

What if someone needs to drop out at the last minute?

In the event of anyone needing to drop out at the last-minute, if it would leave only one member of a group remaining, we would then team you up with one of the groups of 4-6 people taking part individually.

How long will the Night Walk take?

It will depend on the speed of your group, but the 9.5 mile route is likely to take most walkers roughly 3.5 hours plus any time for rest stops. The longer 13.1 mile route will take most walkers roughly 4.5 hours (between 3.5 - 5.5 hours, depending on walking speed) plus any time for rest stops. We anticipate that most walkers will have finished the event before midnight.

We ask everyone to check back in again at the end of the event (when you return to start point), to make sure that everyone is safely accounted for. At the finish, please give your name at the check-in desk before you go.

The venue will close at 1am, but if anyone is still out on either of the routes at that point, we will be following up with anyone who has not checked back in by then, so please be ready to respond to a message when we're in touch with you, so we know that you're okay.

We're hopeful that everyone will make it to the finish successfully, but if your group decides not to finish for any reason, please do call and let us know so that we don't wait for you, thinking you're still out on the course!

What should I wear/bring?

For your comfort we would suggest bringing all of the following:

Comfortable clothes (please note, we will give you a free Streets of London t-shirt to wear during the event, which is yours to keep!)
Trainers/comfortable shoes suitable for walking 9.5/13.1 miles in
A spare layer and waterproofs (just in case)
Refillable water bottle
Food and snacks
Fully-charged mobile phone (with access to the route on Google Maps and with the PDF version downloaded in case it's required)
Fully-charged external battery pack/portable charger [+ charger cable!] (to make sure you have enough phone charge)
Printed version of the map (optional)
A sense of humour!

Please don’t bring alcohol or any valuables with you to the event.

What will I receive?

A Streets of London t-shirt (in white or grey) featuring the charity's logo
A fun time with the group you're walking with
Great exercise and the achievement of completing the challenge!
The satisfaction of knowing that the funds you raise will make a big difference to the lives of homeless people

Should I do any training for the event?

It would be a good idea to do some training, but how much will depend on your general level of fitness and the route distance you're choosing. If you're a runner or hill-walker or take lots of exercise and are going to be walking the shorter route, you're likely to be able to manage it easily enough without too much preparation. If you're planning on walking the longer route and/or don't take as much regular exercise, then you're likely to find a training programme helpful and we would advise it.

If you would like any ideas about training plans etc, please just get in touch and we'll be happy to provide information.

It's not a race, so even if you find you're not as fit as you hoped you were, you can always take rest stops whenever you like!

Will there be toilet facilities, and what about rest stops?

Yes, loos will be available. You will be able to use the toilets at St John's Church Waterloo at the start of the event and again at the finish.

You can also make an optional rest stop at the start/finish venue if you want to (at roughly 4.5 miles on the shorter route and 8 miles on the longer route), where you can take a break, use the loos and refill water bottles if you wish.

Additionally, you will find a number of other good places for rest stops/loo breaks along the route marked on the Google map (for example at Battersea Power Station, Royal Festival Hall, London Bridge station). Lots of pubs and restaurants along the route will be open too, if you're caught short.

Where can I refill my water bottle?

Please bring a refillable water bottle with you. Water bottles can be filled at the start, at the optional rest stop and also at any of the public water refill points that you'll find along the route (three of which are marked on the map).

Can I leave a bag at the start venue?

Sorry, unfortunately it won't be possible to leave bags or coats etc at the start venue - please plan accordingly.

Will there be a First Aider present?

Yes, a qualified First Responder will be on duty throughout the event, stationed at St John's Church Waterloo and ready to be called on to come and help if needed. Each group will have an emergency number they can call to reach the charity in case of any medical issues or any other difficulty they may need help with during the event.

In a medical emergency, always call 999 in the first instance.

If you have pre-existing medical conditions that you think might affect your ability to complete this challenge then we recommend strongly that you seek medical advice before registering. Taking part in the event is at your own risk.

Is there a minimum age requirement to enter the event?

Yes, you will need to be at least 10 years old by Saturday 20th July 2024 to take part. Anyone under 18 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult who is at least 21 years old. Adults remain solely responsible for the children in their care for the duration of the event, and should accompany them at all times.

For everyone's safety and to satisfy our insurance requirements, each group must include a minimum of two adults.

Should I install the Google Maps app on my smart-phone, to view the route map more easily?

Yes, if you don’t have it already, we would recommend downloading the Google Maps app (with location services turned on, so you can see a dot showing where you are on the map).

When I open Google Maps to view the route map, the blue line showing the route isn't appearing properly for some reason. How can I fix this?

Try clearing the cache & data on the Google Maps app and then re-launching the app, which should resolve this.

If you’re on Android, you can do this at Settings>Apps & Notifications>Google Maps>Clear Cache. Then close and re-start the app afterwards.

If you’re on iPhone, open the Google Maps app, click on your profile icon (top right), click ‘Settings’ then scroll down to ‘About, terms and privacy’, then ‘Clear application data’.

Can you provide an accessible route that allows step-free access?

Yes. As part of the sign-up process we will ask you whether you have any accessibility needs. If you answer 'yes' we will contact you to discuss them and can send you a map of the route that includes a number of modifications to ensure that it's step-free.

Can I bring my dog with me?

Yes! Well-behaved dogs are very welcome.

Can we run it?

No, the event is designed as a walk rather than as a run.

What is the deadline for sponsorship?

Please collect and return any sponsorship money to Streets of London through the JustGiving fundraising page you set up, by Saturday 31st August 2024 at the latest.

What happens to my personal information?

We promise to keep your information safe and never to sell or swap any of your personal details.

We will use the details you provide at registration only to organise the Night Walk and to keep in touch with you regarding the event.

At registration, you will be given the option of whether or not you would be happy to hear from Streets of London regarding other events or to hear about how your fundraising efforts have helped.

Is Streets of London a registered charity?

Yes! Registered charity number 1155242.

I can’t take part in the event but I would love to support this campaign. Is there somewhere I can make a donation?

Thank you for thinking of supporting! You can help us reach our fundraising target for the event by making a donation HERE.

I’m stuck for fundraising ideas. Can you help?

Of course! Check out our Fundraising Tips page for ideas to get your fundraising going.

I have a question that isn't answered here - how can I get in touch with you?

Feel free to get in touch with our team and we’ll be happy to help. You can e-mail us at info@streetsoflondon.org.uk.

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