The Big Tackle FAQs

The hospice decided to change the name of The Male Trail to The Big Tackle because we wanted a name that resonates with the sports aspect – ie The Six Nations Rugby – but equally, we want to highlight the need for us to tackle issues around grief and bereavement that affect us all. Many of the people who take part in this event do so in memory of someone they love and miss, and in previous years we’ve found that our walkers often gain strength and support from each other by having the time and space to share their feelings and experiences. The name change also reinforces that this event is inclusive and open to all, not just male participants. We really hope you will join us for The Big Tackle and help us continue to meet our over-riding aim of raising as much money as possible to care for people with life-limiting illnesses across South Devon.

The Big Tackle is open to anyone aged 8 or over. Anyone aged 8 – 15 must be accompanied at all times by an adult who is registered to participate in the event and over the age of 21.  Responsible adults must ensure that they are present at all times during the event. Each adult can be responsible for up to three 8-15-year-olds at the event.

The average walking speed of a person is about three miles an hour, so we’d anticipate it will take just under three hours to complete the route without any stops. With so many conveniently placed refreshment stops, however, we’ve allowed for a little more time on top of that to make sure you arrive back at the Rugby Club before The Six Nations kick-off at 5pm!

We have introduced waves to The Big Tackle and therefore we are asking everyone to select a time that they are going to arrive. The sign in times are either 10.30am or 11am. We ask that you arrive 10 minutes before your wave time so we can get you checked in, in time and there will be a warm up and safety briefing too.

Entry fees are charged at £28 for adults and £20 for those aged under 18.

No. It is a common misconception that this is the case! However, events are expensive to run and we always want to make sure that they are affordable for our participants. With that in mind, your entry fee only covers the cost of running the event. We rely on sponsorship and fundraising to fund our patient care. Rowcroft provides specialist care and support to more than 2,500 people across South Devon each year, many of whom are going through the hardest times imaginable, and it is your fundraising and donations that really make such a difference in helping us to offer this care to our patients and families.

The Big Tackle is open to all – not just men – so please do get all your friends and family involved and sign them up!

Yes, they are as long as they are well-behaved and kept on leads. However, they won’t be allowed in the marquee due to the food.

Yes. Parts of the course will not be suitable for less-abled participants, so please make a note of any medical conditions on your registration form and ensure you and your friend put the same team name on your registration form to be allocated the same start time.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate all dietary requirements.  We advise walkers to bring additional snacks on the day if needed.

Starting and finishing at Torquay Athletic Rugby Football Club (TARFC), you will travel along the coast taking in the sights of Torquay seafront, and proceed along to the harbour. Skirting around the inner marina, you will walk up towards the Imperial Hotel and enter the South West Coast Path. Coming out at Meadfoot Sea Road, the route then winds through Ilsham and Wellswood up to Babbacombe Road, where you will turn left to head back down towards the seafront. The course then runs through Fleet Walk and Union Street, taking in the bustling town centre and continuing up to Torre. Upon reaching Torre train station, the route takes a sharp left down Avenue Road and then up Crownhill Rise to the cycle path, which leads to the back drive of Rowcroft Hospice. You will then walk through the amazing grounds of the hospice and down the front drive, re-entering Avenue Road and continuing along the home stretch back to the rugby club for your well-earned pint (soft drink for our under-age walkers) and a hot pasty!

Please email supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk with the details that need to be changed.

Please email supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk with the details that need to be changed.

As long as places for The Big Tackle are still available, you can add as many members to your team as you like! You don’t have to register all your team members at the same time, you just need to make sure that you all use the same team name when you register.

Email us at supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk with your name and postcode along with the correct team name and we can amend this for you.

If by 4 March 2024, you’ve not received your walker pack, please call 01803 217450 or email supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk and we can send you a replacement.

If you can print them yourself, they can be downloaded directly from our website, where you’ll also find plenty of other information about the event. If you are unable to print them yourself but would like a paper copy, you can order printed sponsorship forms and route maps when you register, and our team will then print and post these to you. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, or if you have any other questions, please do get in touch with us and we’ll do our very best to help you.

If we have some available, we’ll always offer this support. Our collection boxes can be picked up from the hospice or your local shop – please call 01803 217450 or email supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk to discuss this. We’ll need details of where you are planning to take your tin/bucket. When it’s been returned to us, we can add the funds you have collected to your final total.

We’re so sorry to hear that. Please call 01803 217450 to let the team know that you won’t be attending – we hope you get better soon.

Places can be transferred until Monday 19 February 2024.  Please email supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk as soon as possible with your details and the details of the friend that is taking your place.

Unfortunately, places are non-refundable but your fee will be used to help provide comfort, support and specialist care to over 2,500 patients and their loved ones across South Devon each year.

We suggest clothes and shoes/boots that are comfy when walking long distances. Given the time of year and the fact that we live in England, we recommend wearing clothes and footwear which are appropriate to the weather on the day!

Creating a fundraising page is now easier than ever! Once you have registered to the event, you will be asked to create your fundraising page. Just add your fundraising target and profile picture. You will then be given a link to your fundraising page to share with your friends.

If you prefer, JustGiving and Facebook are two popular alternative options to create a fundraising page, so here are some handy tips to set them up:

JustGiving:

Go to www.justgiving.co.uk

Click ‘Get Started’

Log in / create an account

Click ‘create your page’

Select ‘Rowcroft Hospice’ as your charity

Select ‘organised event’

Personalise your page with photos and text

Facebook Donate:

Sign into Facebook and click ‘Fundraisers’ in the left menu of your News Feed.

Click ‘Raise Money’ and select ‘Non-profit/ Charity’ and select ‘Rowcroft’.

Make sure you include your name and the name of the Rowcroft event in the name of your fundraiser. e.g. Jill Hill’s Rowcroft Big Tackle Fundraiser

Click ‘Create’ and you’re ready to share.

Please let us know that you have set up a Facebook fundraising page by emailing supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk.

Send the cheque in to us, along with your other sponsorship. We can then bank the cheque and allocate the funds to your final sponsorship total.

Visit www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk/sponsorship; you can either pay by debit or credit card.

It is done for you automatically. As long as you have selected Rowcroft as your chosen charity, the funds will be automatically transferred into our accounts. Once your page has closed, we will calculate your final sponsorship amount and send you your official thank you letter.

Email us at supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk to unsubscribe, or click the link at the bottom of your last event email, but please bear in mind if you have registered to the event, we may still need to email you about some key event details.

Please email us at supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk to register any missing items.

Our official event photos will be posted on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out for those. You can also search for photos which have been taken by other participants by searching for the hashtag #BigTackle on social media.

If you purchase a t-shirt, there will be space for you to attach the memory plate which you will receive in your fundraising pack closer to the event. We will provide pens on the day, and we will have volunteers on hand to help you if needed.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via email at supportercare@rowcrofthospice.org.uk, or call us on 01803 217450.