Treat this section as a toolkit. Keep it close, and hand the relevant pages to your team.
Who does what
The day runs on a small team, with every job clearly owned. Adjust the roles to suit your numbers.
| Role | Main job |
|---|---|
| Lead organiser | Overall plan, timings, contact with the venues and the mums |
| Safety lead | Risk assessment, first aid, medical information and the stop rules |
| Safeguarding lead | Consent, registers, concerns and a clear point of contact |
| Community engagement lead | Contacts the madrasahs, runs the leaders’ briefing, and manages nominations and reserves |
| Group guides | Lead each group from the night before to the minibus home |
| Charity coordinator | Speakers, giving pages and the cause |
| Logistics lead | Works with the venue, course provider, minibus company and caterer, and keeps the contracts and kit in order |
| Night rota | Awake adults during the night, fire plan and first aid |
| Lead walker and back marker | Pace and safety on the walks |
| Course instructors (venue) | Running the course, the safety briefing and the water crossing |
| Minibus leads and drivers | Safe travel, counting, pick-ups and drop-offs |
Every role is service, and none outranks another.
Before the day
Tick these off over the weeks leading up. Start with the places and the travel.
- Both venues booked, with risk assessments and insurance seen
- Course staff briefed on the approach, the signals and the water crossing
- Minibuses and drivers booked, with the vehicles on site the night before
- Dawn walk and countryside routes walked and checked
- Night rota and fire plan agreed
- Reserve date named
Then turn to the people, the food and the money.
- Madrasahs briefed, groups confirmed and reserves named
- Guides recruited, trained and walking-tested on the route
- Consent forms and health declarations collected from every mum
- Charity speakers confirmed and briefed
- Dinner, breakfast and aid meal arranged
- Giving pages ready, and Gift Aid explained
- Certificates and small prizes prepared
The guides’ kit
Give one guide the job of carrying the kit. It should hold:
- Register, emergency contacts and medical information
- First-aid kit and foil blankets
- Spare pins, scarves and underlayers
- Bin bags, wipes and towels
- Water, dates and spare snacks
- Route card and a charged phone
If things go wrong
Most problems are small, and calm handling solves them. These are the ones to expect.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| A mum is nervous on the night | Sit with her, listen and remind her she can step out at any time. |
| A mum cannot sleep | Let her rest quietly. Offer a drink. Do not pressure her. |
| A mum is unwell in the night | Wake the first aider. Follow the emergency plan. |
| The minibus is late | Phone the driver and the venue, and keep the group calm. |
| Someone is struggling on the trek | Slow the group. Offer water and rest. Do not leave her behind. |
| A mum signals “Pass” | Let her step round it with no comment. |
| Someone is cold | Foil blanket, warm drink and shelter. Shorten the day if needed. |
| Daylight is fading | Shorten the long way back, and return by the quickest safe route. |
| The weather turns | Use the reserve plan, shorten the walk or stop the course. |
| Someone is injured | Stop, give first aid and follow the emergency plan. |
| Someone has a personal link to displacement | Offer a quiet space and a choice to opt out. |
| A mum forgets part of her kit | Use spares from the guides’ kit, with no fuss. |
| The water is unsafe | Cancel or shorten the crossing. Safety comes first. |
When in doubt, take the safer course.
How you will know it worked
You will know it has worked by small signs. Look for:
- mums speaking about themselves with new pride;
- mums who say the day asked something real of them;
- friendships that form between groups;
- questions about refugees that go beyond the day;
- mums asking when the next one will be;
- the money raised reaching the cause.
Ask for feedback in a form that is quick and kind. Ask the mums whether the day felt demanding and respectful. It will help you improve the next one.
More help
These other sections of the website may help with planning: