Wednesday 3 February 2016

Welcome to the Great Big Volunteering Abseil!

Well done on selecting The Great Big Volunteering Abseil as a fundraising activity! We are confident that you will raise lots of money for amazing causes through undertaking this brave challenge.

This is the 8th year that we have worked together with the Carnegie Great Outdoors team to support volunteers with this fundraising event.

Please read through the frequently asked quesitons below and sign up to confirm your place using the link at the bottom of the page.

Abseil Schedule

Saturday 23 April - International volunteers

This day is reserved for our 2016 international volunteers who have secured their place on a univeristy-organised project in Albania, Fiji, Ghana, Greece, India, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda & USA.

Sunday 24 April - Independant fundraisers

Indiviuals who have accessed our independent international volunteering bursary and those supporting local or international charitable groups will abseil on this day.

 

 

FAQs

What time will I be abseiling?
Times will be allocated between 10.30am and 5pm. All participants will be grouped with the other volunteers from your project. This will include nominated persons also.

Are the times we abseil flexible?
We will try our best to accommodate people’s needs. If you have particular circumstances and times you definitely cannot make, please let us know and we will try our best to accommodate. However this may mean that you have to abseil with a different team.

How long does it take?
Your team will be asked to arrive 30 minutes before the start of the abseil, and it should take no longer than an hour per 10 people.

Where is the abseil?
The abseil will take place at the Portland building at the City Campus, Leeds Beckett University.  We will have a registration desk set up on the ground floor near the coffee shop throughout the day.

Where is best to park?
City Campus is really easy to get to by foot, train or bus, however if you would like to drive you can access any of the local car parks in the city. The Rose Bowl Car park is good for short stay (less than 5 hours) but can become expensive for long stay.

Who can abseil?
The abseil is open to all international volunteer groups, bursary holders and family and friends of those who would like to raise money for a particular cause. We have only a set number of places so they will be offered on a first come first serve basis. The volunteer can abseil or nominate someone (friend/family member) to abseil on their behalf, raising money for the project.

In the first instance, only one person can abseil (either volunteer or representative), and if there are spare places left after the deadline on the 31st March, these will be allocated to further family and friends later on a first come, first serve basis providing they come with sponsorship for one of the projects.

How much does it cost to abseil?
There is a small charge of £5 for the abseil and we would encourage all volunteers to raise a minimum of £50 sponsorship. This is a great opportunity for you to get as much sponsorship to help you reach your fundraising target.

Is there a minimum age?
There is no minimum age for the abseil as all instructors are qualified to work with people of all ages. However, we will require a signed permission form from a parent/guardian of anyone under the age of 18.

What if I have never abseiled before?
You don’t need to have any prior experience to take  part. Qualified instructors from our Garnegie Great Outdoors run everything on the day to make sure you are safe and comfortable.

Can my friends come and watch?
Yes your friends can stand, cheer, take photos and watch as you abseil down Portland building.

I don’t want to dangle off a building but can I still help?
Yes please let me know if you would like to help on the day. There will be things to do such as helping on the registration desk.

What happens if it’s bad weather?
Please bring appropriate clothing as we will continue in most weathers, including rain, unless it is exceptionally bad, i.e. thunderstorm. It would be helpful to have waterproofs with you just in case.

What should I wear?
Please wear appropriate clothing. This means sensible shoes (i.e. trainers), no flip flops or sandals. And something warm (volunteering hoodie/sweatshirt) as it can get quite windy on top of the building! We would recommend you wear your volunteering hoody or t-shirt, these look great in photos and you can upload these on to Facebook, Twitter and send on to friends or family that may have sponsored you.

Can I wear fancy dress?
You can wear fancy dress but it must be suitable for the activity and pass the safety regulations. You will be wearing a harness around your waist so it must not in any way be restricted. Also, things that dangle i.e. capes, that may get caught up in the equipment will not be allowed for safety reasons.

What if I’m scared?
Most people get scared but we find that makes it more of a challenge. The instructors are fantastic and often come across people that are really afraid so they are used to dealing with this. If you get too scared and want to opt out then that’s fine, there is no obligation to do it, even if you are attached to the rope.

Most people find it scary at first but are so glad afterwards that they have done as the adrenaline and the sense of achievement afterwards is such an amazing feeling.

Also if you feel you are absolutely petrified and there is absolutely no chance that you will do it, then you can nominate a person to do it on your behalf beforehand.

Why should I abseil?
This is a fantastic opportunity to get together and get to know your fellow team mates, as well as make some money towards your overall team volunteering targets. What probably seems like a relatively small amount of money to you, can go a really long in some countries, so the more you raise, the more of a difference you are potentially raising.

How much does it cost to abseil?
There is a small charge of £5 for the abseil and we would encourage all volunteers to raise a minimum of £50 sponsorship. This is a great opportunity for you to get as much sponsorship to help you reach your fundraising target. You can sign up online here

 

Sign up for the abseil now!

In order to secure your abseil place, pay your £5 deposit on the online store

Please sign up as soon as possible but the latest deadline is 31 March 2016

Any questions, contact volunteering@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Thank you & good luck from The Leeds Beckett Volunteering Team

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Leeds Beckett University, City Campus, Leeds, United Kingdom LS1 3HE - 0113 812 0000