A group of alumni, the ‘Falk Egg Old Boys & Girls’, have raised over £10,000 as part of a University-wide challenge.
The £10k Challenge, organised by the Loughborough University Alumni Association, encouraged alumni to raise £10,000 for University mental health support services between the 10th and 19th March. Falk-Egg alone raised over £10,000.
Participants could complete any form of challenge they wanted, whether that be running, cycling, walking, picking litter and even “drinking pints of custard” all in the name of “supporting Loughborough University”.
More than 160 participants signed up, each of which were dubbed “amazing people doing amazing stuff” by organiser and Alumnus Alex Laybourne – who himself completed 10k every day for 10 days.
The challenge aimed to raise money to “support student mental health provisions at Loughborough”, which are currently under strain.
The University has recently recognised “the need to step up our support for the mental health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable” in Loughborough, and the money will be used to “bolster existing services” and help provide “resources to adapt to an ever changing environment”.
With various options to taking part, the Falk-Egg alumni team decided to set their own task and go big – facing 10km a day for 10 days, a total of 100km each. Starting with a small group, they recruited a few ‘Old Boys and Girls’ to take the challenge on, either by running, rowing, or cycling the distance.
Before long, more than 30 alumni and students had signed up to participate in the self-assigned Falk-Egg challenge.
Those who didn’t or couldn’t take part showed their support both vocally and with donations and helped create momentum for the challenge over the 10 days.
With an initial Falk-Egg target of £2,500 reached before the event, they set their sights high.
Their overall team total now stands at over £14,500, with the campaign achieving over £30,000 (from an initial £10,000 target), with Steve Hall and Josh Illingworth who raising over £2000 each.
Abigail Hampson, off-coming Falk-Egg Hall Chair, told Label that the total raised not only showed outstanding commitment from alumni and students, but also “the real sense of community that Falk-Egg and our Alumni have.
“With regular ‘Cuppa with Chris’ Instagram interviews to touch on Mental Health awareness, and a post-event Zoom catch up with current students and alumni alike, it showed the unique bond that Loughborough and Falk-Egg breads. The annual Falk-Egg Old Boys and Girls weekend will have been ‘missed’ (in-person) two years in a row, but the bonds and sense of community are as strong as ever.”
She also told Label how she personally faced the challenge:
“We were very keen to get involved. Mental health has took its toll this year and being on the ground here at the University you can definitely see that.
“It was even more incredible to hear about the number of Falk Egg alumni that wanted to get involved, knowing they still cared massively about the welfare of current students’ years after they had left.
“I wont lie, when Alex suggested a total of £5,000 I was doubtful we were going to hit that, so to say we have raised over £12,000 is pretty impressive I must say. Alongside this, I also believe what we, and the rest of the students and staff have raised really proves that this is something that needs even more focus now.”
Alex Laybourne, Alumni Board Member and Falk-Egg Alumnus, told Label about the importance of the challenge and the impact it has had:
“Mental Health awareness and support is important at any time, and we were just pleased that we could do something to help and support such an important area for Loughborough University, a place that has given us all so much.
“I am proud of everyone involved, participants, donors and supporters and love being part of the Loughborough Family and the Falk Egg family.”
You can still donate to the £10k challenge here.
