Victoria Kellaway reflects on six years of the NSPCC’s annual Gherkin Challenge

Last Sunday (6 September 2015) the NSPCC hosted its sixth Gherkin Challenge, with over 700 participants running or walking up 38 floors to reach the top of the iconic Gherkin building in London to raise money for the charity.

The event first launched in 2010 when, inspired by a similar event at the Chicago Sears Tower in America, a group of long-standing NSPCC supporters came to us with an idea to hold a tower running event at the Gherkin building in London. One of them had a contact at the iconic building, so we immediately had a way in, and securing the event was fairly easy.

Since then, we’ve built on this relationship year on year, and have been fortunate enough to have had permission to hold six tower running events there since.

A different kind of challenge

The Gherkin is the perfect location for a tower running event, with spectacular views of the City, and its exclusivity is a huge draw for people looking to take on a physical challenge with a difference.

Our supporters tell us that taking part in a challenge event is an exciting and different way to support our cause. Whether it involves running, cycling, trekking or even jumping out of a plane, those taking part feel a real sense of achievement. People also feel more motivated to sponsor their friends, family and colleagues when it’s for something quirky or particularly challenging – something that takes them out of their comfort zone.

Many supporters also tell us that they love the competitive element to challenge events. Whether they enter as part of a team or as an individual, many enjoy going head-to-head both in the run up to (through fundraising) and during the challenge.

This element of competition can also continue after the event, when our supporters try to raise as much as possible to outdo their fellow teammates.  

Event evolution

The original title given to the event was Step Change, to reflect the fact that every step can help change the lives of children and young people across the UK, and messaging around the event was heavily focused on it being an extreme challenge – ‘race to the top as fast as you can’.

In 2013, having done some further research and garnered feedback from our supporters, we felt the title should be changed to better reflect the event itself and to make it more recognisable - and so it became The Gherkin Challenge.

In 2012, we secured the support of rugby player Ben Foden who took part in a pre-event photoshoot and provided a series of supportive quotes to help us promote the challenge, which generated some great media coverage ahead of the event and helped us tap into different audiences.

Having celebrities participate in the event itself is another good way to secure press coverage; Ben sadly had to pull out of taking part in the challenge himself due to a knee injury, but we’ve had other celebrities take on the Gherkin Challenge themselves - including, this year, Countdown’s Rachel Riley and TV presenter AJ Odudu, who both completed the challenge within 8-9 minutes.

Tips for success

Competition within this area is high, with more and more new charity challenges popping up all the time. At the end of the day, an event needs to attract people, who can become longer-term supporters if you do things properly. Charities should focus on what makes their event different to everyone else’s – and make it clear how it links back to the cause.

Getting people to sign up to take part in the event is only half the journey; you must ensure participants feel supported every step of the way – encouraging them in their fundraising efforts, supplying them with training tips and, of course, cheering loudly for them on the day.

Rewards are another important factor. Climbing 38 floors of steps is a pretty daunting feat, so we let participants know that when they make it to the top, they’ll be greeted with a well-earned glass of champagne (or juice), the most amazing panoramic views of the capital, and a massage to help revive tired legs. This year, The Gherkin Challenge was sponsored by Opies who produce cocktail gherkins, so participants were even able to consume a gherkin or two while taking in the views!

With an event this big, we have a dedicated team at the NSPCC working hard to recruit participants and organise the event. It’s key to have clear strategies in place – including event management, marketing and PR – to make sure the event is as successful as it can be and that supporters have an experience to remember.

Register your interest in The Gherkin Challenge 2016 here

Victoria Kellaway is head of participation events at NSPCC