Summary of The Loughborough Challenge
Pleasure from learning, physical activity and social contribution to all parts of our community
Challenge your mind, body and social conscience. Learn a new skill. Take on a new physical challenge. Make a social contribution. Feel fulfilled.
The Hub’s own Charities Challenge
As a Loughborough Member you can register for the Hub’s own Charities Challenge. It is very achievable and the rules are simple – they are just the same as for The Loughborough Challenge (below) but you only need a total of 3 points over a minimum of two disciplines within one year (so 1+2+0 or 1+1+1).
If you decide later to do The Loughborough Challenge then your achievements can count towards that.
It would be a really great way to get going again and to put the pandemic to one side.
Please login to the Members’ area for registration details. Thank you.
The Loughborough Challenge
We are extremely proud to be hosting The Loughborough Challenge. It is inspired by “The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award” and – drawing on the “5 steps to mental wellbeing” – asks you to learn new things, take exercise and make a social contribution.
Why would you take part in the Loughborough Challenge?
- It is a structured and creative approach towards leading a healthy and interesting lifestyle
- Personal achievement. You should get real satisfaction from each of the three elements
- To develop new skills, sports and/or connections
- You can also use your cumulated skills and wisdom for the benefit of others and within a publicly recognised context.
If you complete the challenge there are the benefits of becoming a Gold Member of The Challenge Hub (please see the “Membership Levels” page), the certificate which we will send you and public recognition on our Roll of Honour.
But really it’s about having fun, establishing your boundaries and feeling good in yourself.
The Rules
On registration you will be asked to confirm in confidence that you are experiencing issues of mental health or of mental / physical impairment.
You must complete achievements within each of the three categories of (a) learning (b) physical activity and (c) making a social contribution.
Qualifying achievements are listed below for each of the three categories. Each are marked as attracting 1, 2, or 3 points, depending on how demanding they are.
To complete the challenge – and to become a Gold Member of The Challenge Hub – complete one task from each category which together attract at least 6 points. For 6 points the options would therefore be to select challenges at 3×2 points or as 1, 2 and 3 points.
A Roll of Honour will record all those who complete The Loughborough Challenge Challenge and we will highlight the names of all those who become Gold Members with 8 or 9 points.
Members have three years from registering with The Challenge Hub in which to complete the challenge.
Please note: You will be deciding what challenges you want to set yourself to achieve The Loughborough Challenge, so by participating you agree that The Challenge Hub will not be liable for any loss or harm which you may suffer in the course of your Loughborough Challenge, nor as a result of any decisions which you might make. Please do consider your personal circumstances and safety before embarking on any course of action as a result of the contents of this website or actions of The Challenge Hub. Thank you.
How to tell us you have completed the Challenge
Members can access the ‘My Loughborough Challenge’ workbook, which can be filled out after each activity.
It provides a simple way of organising achievements so that, when it comes to telling us that you have completed your Loughborough Challenge, everything will be together and easier to send us. Non-members can also view a limited version of the ‘My Loughborough Challenge’ workbook online.
For more details and to gain access to the full version of the workbook, please register with the Challenge Hub.
Planning your challenge
In the Members’ area you will find a menu for the Learning, Physical and Social Contribution challenges set out as below. We also make a suggestion on how you might set about planning your Loughborough Challenge challenge with the right balance for you between learning, contributing and physical exercise.
We don’t give you the details here just in case you get going but forget to become a Member – but they are waiting for you on the other side of registration or you can find a set at www.theloughboroughchallenge.org.
The idea is to have fun. It doesn’t matter if you don’t complete it but just have a go and see where you get to.
A. Learn
Learning is not limited to academic subjects and we wish to emphasize equal encouragement for the learning of new skills and crafts. In structuring our points-system we have attached more emphasis to the period of time over which Members are engaging with an on-going learning initiative than the intensity of their commitment over that period.
Attracting 1 Point
Please register for details.
Attracting 2 Points
Please register for details.
Attracting 3 Points
Please register for details.
B. Physical Challenge
We aim to reward people who either take on a new physical sport or activity or who radically up-grade their involvement in a particular sport or activity. We would like to avoid rewarding people who simply carry on doing what they are already doing because that is not really a challenge for them. The difficulty is to reflect that in a one-size-fits-all menu and so please try to honour the spirit of The Loughborough Challenge by pushing new boundaries.
Disabilities: We are aware that some physical challenges may not be accessible for people with a range of impairments or health conditions. If after exploring all possibilities (remembering that this is a challenge!) you are not able to find a physical challenge which would earn you 1 Point then please contact us in advance with (a) a brief description of the issues which you face (b) why none of the suggested physical activities are possible for you and (c) a suggested modification. You might also want to have a look under “Disability Sport” within the “Physical” page on this website for ideas. We hope you will understand that we are obliged to protect the integrity of The Loughborough Challenge and so we may ask for further details or make suggestions but if we are sure that no 1 Point activity is open to you then we will be extremely happy to approve a suitable alternative that enables you to gain the 1 Point physical challenge needed for you to complete and enjoy The Loughborough Challenge.
Safety: While you are responsible for your own safety and well-being in the course of selecting and undertaking any of the following challenges we would encourage you to be risk-aware and to take care.
These are in alphabetical order so please scroll down to see all the different categories of activity on offer. Don’t be deterred by the ones you can’t do. There’s sure to be something for you here somewhere. For example, “Charity Events” is very broad and might involve much less physical activity than many other options.
Attracting 1 Point
Please register for details.
Attracting 2 Points
Please register for details.
Attracting 3 Points
Please register for details.
C. Social Contribution
This part of The Loughborough Challenge involves making a valuable contribution to society by working as a volunteer in an organisation which is a “Qualifying Organisation”. A Qualifying Organisation is any company which is registered as a charity in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales or which is registered in England or Wales as a Community Interest Company (“CIC”).
Any Qualifying Organisation is fine. Just mention to them that you are enquiring as part of your Challenge and then they will know the extent of your commitment.
These are the Challenges which attract 1, 2 or 3 points respectively:
Attracting 1 Point
Please register for details.
Attracting 2 Points
Please register for details.
Attracting 3 Points
Please register for details.
Need some inspiration?
Endorsed by:
Endorsed by:
Associate Member:
Expressing support:
With our thanks:
"We are incredibly grateful to The Communications Group who have designed and developed this website. They have been extraordinarily generous both with their time and with their advice. They have understood the potential social benefits of this initiative from the outset so that they have enhanced our thinking and worked alongside us at every stage. In the absence of funding it is no exaggeration to say that without them The Challenge Hub might not have been possible. Thank you."
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