Halifax RSPCA launches March fitness challenge and asks residents to put their Best Paw Forward

The Duke family raised over £260 with a combination of walking, jogging and cycling and included their dog Annie to reach a total of 67 miles in March 2022.

The RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford & District Branch are inviting the local community to take on their Best Paw Forward Challenge.

A unique virtual fitness challenge where participants choose their own distance, method and sponsorship target to support local animals in need.

During last year’s challenge the Duke family raised over £260 with a combination of walking, jogging and cycling and included their dog Annie to reach a total of 67 miles. The family encouraged donations through a Just Giving page and more than doubled their original target of 30 miles.

Community Fundraiser Michelle King said: “There are lots of virtual fitness challenges to get involved with, but the Best Paw Forward is unique as it allows challengers to set their own goals. Whether you want to walk five miles around your garden … tackle 1 mile a day on the treadmill….or cycle from one end of Yorkshire to the other – this challenge is for everyone of all abilities, ages and fitness levels!”

The challenge will raise funds for animals like Reggie in the care of the local RSPCA.

Those who would like to take on the challenge just need to complete their personalised target during the month of March. All participants who raise over £20 in sponsorship will receive a medal for their achievement and can set up a digital fundraising page of their choice or collect funds through a traditional paper sponsor form.

Dottie the hamster helped her owner Lynne to complete the length of an entire marathon during the 2021 Best Paw Forward challenge – raising over £70 with offline sponsorship.

“Our team are here to support you through the challenge and provide you with any help, advice or motivation needed. Previous challengers have come up with some really unique ways to smash their targets – from Dottie the hamster running in her wheel to the Duke family collectively covering over 60 miles through a mixture of walking, cycling and jogging! We want our challengers to have fun, involve family, friends (or pets) and receive their medals with a sense of pride at their achievement, and for making a difference to the lives of local animals in need. It’s easy to sign up and we really hope the local community will get involved.”

All sponsorship raised will go to the local Wade Street Animal Centre in Halifax.