OUR AIMS
By inviting every university and college to register a team and encouraging all their students and staff to participate, we aim to support young adult mental health, reduce isolation and improve mental health and fitness by;
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Delivering a UK-wide inclusive challenge to young adults throughout the UK
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Delivering inspiration through our BRIT Ambassadors
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Raising funds for our Mental Health Charity Partners
450 HE and FE institutions raising a minimum of £2021 each throughout the UK would raise almost £1m for young adult mental health.
We aim to achieve this through the three aims;
BRIT 2021
CHALLENGE
The vision of the British Inspiration Trust’s 2021 Challenge is to improve the mental health and fitness or young adults and students throughout the UK and raise vital funds for our partner mental health charities.
With the support of Education Governing Bodies and the NUS, to help engage every University and College Leadership Team in the UK, we will invite every Institution and/or Student Union to register and complete the BRIT 2021 Challenge. The bigger the team, the more awareness, and funds, we will raise.
Our aspiration is for as many young adults and students as possible to be encouraged to take part. Through knowledge gained from our Row Britannia Challenge, we understand that every institution works differently and some might choose to enter one team for the whole college or university, where as others will encourage every department, faculty, campus, sports team, Student Union or course to complete their own team challenge to complete their miles and share one fundraising target.
UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE ENGAGEMENT
DONORS AND SPONSORS
Donating to or sponsoring the British Inspiration Trust will help enable us deliver the BRIT 2021 Challenge so that we can provide an inspirational and inclusive event throughout the UK to improve young adult mental health and fitness.
With your funding and the support from Universities UK, the Association of Colleges, the Committee of University Chairs and the National Union of Students, we have the opportunity to engage with every university and college in the UK. Through the relationships we built with universities, colleges and Student Unions during our BRIT 2020 Row Britannia Challenge, together we will encourage the millions of students and staff in the UK to take part in our BRIT 2021 Challenge.
We hope that donors, philanthropists, businesses and corporations see the potential UK-wide impact we could have on raising funds for our partner mental health charities and improving young adult mental health and fitness; both of which are vitally important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Together, we have the ability to be collectively powerful.
“Liverpool John Moores University were delighted to host the BRIT Founder, Phil Packer, and introduce him to our Board of Governors, Student Union President, students and staff as part of the BRIT 2020 Row Britannia 5-month tour of the UK. We entered a team and championed the challenge in the City of Liverpool and North West to encourage other universities and colleges to take part. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our students were unable to complete the challenge and reach their fundraising target.
We are thrilled that BRIT have spent lockdown and the summer speaking to universities, colleges, education and sport governing bodies and their charity partners to come back with another fully inclusive, flexible feelgood fundraiser that will take place in February. Our university will encourage all of our students to take part in the BRIT 2021 Challenge, be that on campus or at home, to both improve their mental health and raise vital funds for BRIT’s partner mental health charities.”
Professor Ian G Campbell
Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive
Liverpool John Moores University
“Buckinghamshire New University was delighted to take part in BRIT’s 2020 Row Britannia Challenge. Our students and staff joined together in this inspirational event which saw the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Braisby rowing alongside our students to help raise funds for charities providing mental health support to young adults.
We were thrilled that BRIT delivered inspiration, excitement and encouragement to everyone who took part by coordinating visits from their founder, Phil Packer MBE; Paralympic Gold Medallist and Bucks alumni, Naomi Riches MBE; and presenter & former gymnast, Gabby Logan MBE.
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly compounded mental health challenges for many people. We remain committed to supporting our University community of students and staff to ensure they look after their mental health as they would their physical health.
With the uncertainty of what 2021 will bring, a feel-good February fundraising event will provide an opportunity for our students and staff to come together and participate in another exciting and inclusive initiative. We’re looking forward to entering the BRIT 2021 Challenge so that Team Bucks can do their bit to raise vital funds for mental health charities.
We urge every UK university, college and students’ union to join us and help to make a difference through the BRIT 2021 Challenge.”
Professor Nick Braisby
Vice-Chancellor
Buckinghamshire New University
Tamsin Grainger
President
BUCKS Students’ Union
Dr Michael Hipkins
Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor
Buckinghamshire New University
Professor Paul Morgan
Head of School
Buckinghamshire New University
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Delivering a UK-wide inclusive challenge to young adults throughout the UK
The BRIT 2021Challenge is designed to be completed by individuals working as a team to cover the 2021-mile distance by either hand-cycling, cycling, wheelchair pushing, swimming, walking, jogging, running, rowing or paddling (canoeing, kayaking or paddle-boarding).
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Delivering inspiration through our BRIT Ambassadors
British Sporting Icons will be invited to join us as BRIT Ambassadors and choose a university or college to visit in February 2021 that they attended, are affiliated to or live/work near. They will be asked to encourage, enthuse and inspire students to take on the BRIT 2021 Challenge and champion young adult mental health.
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Raising funds
for our
Mental Health Charity Partners
The Leadership Teams at every university and college will be asked to support their students’ fundraising efforts by engaging local & regional media, encouraging their business communities to sponsor/donate and inviting their alumni to help their student body to reach their fundraising target.
TEAM SUCCESSES
Two of our BRIT Challenges enabled us to tour the UK over a combined 18 month period and visit hundreds of universities, colleges and institutions. We gained valuable knowledge and experience from students and staff of the many ways that universities, colleges and student unions support charities and embrace challenges.
We saw that each university, college and student union has a wealth of energy and determination when fundraising for charities and their alumni, philanthropic networks and professional resources often compliment the great ideas, activities, enthusiasm and team-spirit of their student bodies. Our BRIT Challenges are designed to unite the goodwill of every UK university, college and student union and invite them to have a collectively powerful impact.
The relationships we developed have influenced our BRIT 2021 Challenge and ensured it is flexible to enable every university, college and student union to make their unique contribution as successful as possible in supporting young adult mental health.
A whole university or college approach to mental health has been the most successful way to increase participation and raise funds. Below are key examples of institutions who took part in our BRIT 2020 Row Britannia and are embracing the BRIT 2021 Challenge;
The BRIT 2021 Challenge is an inclusive February feel-good fundraiser to improve mental health and fitness, all whilst raising vital funds to support young adult mental health. Every UK university, college and student union are invited to register to take part, enter teams, and support student and staff participation, both on campus or at home.
The Challenge is designed to be completed by individuals working as a team to cover the 2,021 mile distance by either hand-cycling, cycling, wheelchair pushing, swimming, walking, jogging, running, rowing or paddling (canoeing, kayaking or paddle-boarding).
