Frequently Asked Questions
About My MS Walk
What is My MS Walk?
My MS Walk is a virtual event that challenges you to set your own distance in your own time. Its your challenge, your way, in any location.
When is My MS Walk?
You can to do your challenge anytime during the year.
Do I have to walk?
No you don’t - you can walk, roll or stroll your distance or do a mixture of all three! We advise you to do whatever is within your ability but is still challenging for you. Making sure it is enough of a challenge means people will be more likely to sponsor you.
Are there any registration or participation fees?
My MS Walk is free to sign up! It's a challenge though, so we do encourage you to fundraise to help fund our life-saving research.
Is there an age limit for My MS Walk?
There’s no age limit for My MS Walk ? and we welcome people of all ages. However, you need to be over 18 years old to register. If you’re under 18, please ask a parent or guardian to sign up on your behalf.
How do I get a MS Society t-shirt?
Everyone who signs up to My MS Walk will receive an orange MS Society t-shirt that will be posted to you within a couple of weeks of you signing up.
Fundraising
What is JustGiving and how do I use it?
JustGiving is an online fundraising platform which you can use to collect your donations. Your fundraising page will be set up automatically when you sign up for My MS Walk. To access your page go to the JustGiving website and enter the log in details you supplied when you signed up. If you signed up online, your confirmation email will also have a link to your page. You can share your page with friends and family to encourage them to donate to your challenge.
How do I get help with my JustGiving fundraising page?
If you need help using your fundraising page, making a donation, or anything else JustGiving related, their dedicated support team can help you out. You can message JustGiving here if you need any help or can’t find what you’re looking for. Alternatively, check out JustGiving's FAQs. And you can also call us on 01382 279 378.
What is Strava and how do I use it?
Strava is a training app which tracks and records your distance. JustGiving is partnered with Strava which means you can link your fundraising page to Strava and your page will be updated every time you complete a walk. That way, your donors can see how you’re getting on. Fundraisers who use this feature raise an average 46% more!
Do I have to fundraise?
My MS Walk is a fundraising challenge to raise money for MS Research so every mile matters and your generous support will drive forward the MS treatment revolution.
How do I fundraise?
As soon as you sign up to your challenge your fundraising page will be created for you. It’s simple! All funds are transferred directly to the MS Society. You’ll be able to share your progress on social media too. And we’ll also provide fundraising tips and support throughout your journey.
Is there a minimum fundraising amount?
There’s no minimum fundraising amount. However, we encourage you to make the most of your challenge by asking your friends and family for sponsorship to help us fund even more life-changing research. And it’s a good idea to set yourself a fundraising target on your JustGiving fundraising page to keep you motivated.
What is Gift Aid?
We love Gift Aid as it means we can claim 25p on every £1 donation, at no extra cost to you or your supporters. For UK taxpayers JustGiving allows your supporters to automatically Gift Aid their donation. Or people can simply tick the Gift Aid box on your sponsorship form (included in the post).
However, not all donations are eligible for Gift Aid. We can only claim Gift Aid on personal donations. So if your supporters receive any goods or a service in return for a donation, we unfortunately can’t claim. For example, any donations from raffles, lotteries, sweepstakes, ticket sales, auctions or bake sales would not be eligible for Gift Aid. For more information, visit our Gift Aid page.
How do I pay in my money?
Funds raised via your JustGiving page are transferred automatically to the MS Society, making it a quick and easy way to donate.
If you’ve collected cash then you can pay in the money to your fundraising page using a credit or debit card.
If you'd like to send us a cheque please email our team at fundraising@mssociety.org.uk for details.
If you’re making an offline donation please fill out a sponsorship form and tick the Gift Aid box.
Is there a deadline for paying in donations?
We typically send out our thank you letters 6 weeks after you have completed your challenge. We recommend you have all of your funds paid in by this date so that we can send you an accurate thank you!
How will MS Society use the funds I have raised?
The money you raise will go to Octopus, our revolutionary clinical trial for progressive MS which could find new treatments three times faster. For more information on Octopus head to their website.
Support
I’m having problems signing up, who do I contact with questions?
Please email us at fundraising@mssociety.org.uk to tell us about any problems you’re having. Or you can call 01382 279 378 and a member of our events team will be able to help you.
What happens after I sign up and what support will I receive from the MS Society?
We’re here to support you on your My MS Walk Journey. We’ll be in touch with emails to give you inspiration, motivation, top tips and fundraising resources and ideas.