1st August 2026
North Downs 50 Ultra Challenge 2026
Walk or run the North Downs Challenge for Dementia UK and help families facing dementia all over the country.
Are you ready to step up this September and make a real difference to families facing dementia?
Lace up your trainers and join us for a walking adventure which you can take on in your own way, at your own pace and in your local area!
One in two of us will be affected by dementia in our lifetime – whether by developing it ourselves, caring for someone with the diagnosis or both. Let’s take steps together to build a world where no one faces dementia alone.
If you have any questions, please take a look at our FAQs below or contact us at virtualevents@dementiauk.org
We’d love to welcome you to our wonderful community. Be sure to say hello when you join our Facebook community and keep us posted about how your challenge is going. Share your progress, swap stories, and cheer each other on. Together, we’ll celebrate every milestone reached!
Take on this challenge and walk with purpose this summer.

“I completed the Walk 30 Miles challenge in September 2025 and the Walk 31 Miles challenge in May 2026. Both were emotional journeys for many reasons. The support from the Dementia UK team, cheering us on with words of encouragement throughout the challenges, meant so much.
The other challengers were also incredibly friendly, supportive, and encouraging, despite facing their own struggles. We were all there for the same cause – for our loved ones living with Dementia, both those still with us and those we have lost.
The experience gave me time to reflect and to share the poems I had written, hoping they might help even one person. When others found comfort in them, they would often reach out through our shared experiences, which made the journey feel even more meaningful.”
We are challenging you to Walk 30 Miles throughout the month of September! This is a virtual event, so you can take it on wherever and whenever works best for you. You can aim to walk one mile a day or build your mileage by tackling some longer walks.
In the run-up to the challenge and during September, you will be able to connect with thousands of other walkers in our Facebook Group and feel an amazing sense of achievement when you hit 30 miles at the end of the month.
You can read more about the challenge in our virtual fundraising pack here.
The first step is to register for your free Dementia UK t-shirt and set up a fundraising page.
Next, join the Walk 30 Miles in September Facebook Group. Once you’re in, you can meet your fellow walkers and find out anything else you’d like to know about the challenge.
You’ll then be ready to go! Get some practice walks in so you’re prepared for your challenge once Tuesday 1st September 2026 comes around.
Taking part in the Walk 30 Miles in September challenge for Dementia UK is free!
There is no fundraising target for this challenge – we just ask you to raise as much as you can for families affected by dementia.
The easiest way to send cash donations to Dementia UK is by donating to your online fundraising page. Alternatively, you can:
Dementia UK, 7th Floor, One Aldgate, London EC3N 1RE
Creating a Dementia UK fundraiser is the quickest and easiest way to raise money. You can set one up in a few seconds.
Once you have created a fundraising page, be sure to share it with your family and friends and family via social media, text, email and WhatsApp.
You certainly can. We’ll send you a sponsorship form with your t-shirt, but if you need more than one form, simply download and print more copies.
Please ask your sponsors to fill out all the columns so we can claim up to 25% Gift Aid.
All donations made to your fundraiser will be sent directly to Dementia UK. These vital donations will help support families facing dementia.
To register for your t-shirt, please complete the registration form here. It will take up to two weeks for your t-shirt to arrive, so please be patient.
We’re sorry to hear you haven’t received your t-shirt yet. If you have waited two weeks since completing the registration form, please email virtualevents@dementiauk.org and we will investigate.
We send out one t-shirt per participant. If you would like to buy some additional Dementia UK branded items, please visit our shop. You’ll find adult and children’s t-shirts here!
You can complete your miles wherever you like, however you like! Just make sure you record your walks and keep your sponsors updated on your progress.
Strava is a free, easy to use app that can track your miles throughout September. We highly recommend downloading it for this challenge. You will also receive a Walk 30 Miles in September tracker with your t-shirt, which you can use to tick off your miles.
Of course! Our Facebook Group is active in September, when the majority of people are likely to take part, but you can do this challenge whenever is best for you. The more participants we have, the more families can receive the life-changing support of our specialist dementia nurses.
Absolutely. This is your challenge, and you can tailor it to suit you. Just be clear with your supporters about how far you are intending to go and keep them updated regularly with your progress.
Safety should be your top priority when taking part in the Walk 30 Miles in September challenge. You know yourself best and we encourage you to think about the distance you walk at one time. If you are walking alone, make sure someone you trust knows your plans, always carry a fully charged phone with you, and please do stay alert. We’d also advise taking rest days whenever you feel you need them, and staying hydrated, especially if the weather is warm.
The only thing that matters is that you challenge yourself and enjoy raising awareness and funds so our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses can support families. Do as much as you can. Update your sponsors regularly, be clear about how far you’ve come in your challenge and make sure they are still happy to donate to Dementia UK.
to run a full day of face-to-face appointments for families affected by young onset dementia (where symptoms develop under the age of 65)
to answer calls on our Helpline on a Sunday, when other dementia services are closed
for a whole week to support a community where people are struggling to access local dementia services
1st August 2026
Walk or run the North Downs Challenge for Dementia UK and help families facing dementia all over the country.
1st August - 31st December 2026
We have partnered with Run For Charity to help you find the perfect challenge. With events across the UK and throughout the year, there’s always a challenge for you.
22nd August 2026
Walk with Team Dementia UK along London routes steeped in history in this August Ultra Challenge.