Series Overview

The ShelterBox Trust sends special boxes of essential kit and equipment to people displaced by disaster, war and famine, regardless of colour, race or religion, any where in the world. When disaster strikes, the speed at which organisations like ShelterBox can react is fundamental to life, special teams of volunteers from ShelterBox (ShelterBox Response Teams) are sent with the boxes to the disaster areas and are responsible for getting the boxes to their ultimate destination as quickly as possible.

The ShelterBox Challenge Series is designed to give participants a taste of the challenges commonly faced by the SRT’s when on deployment, as they work to get the boxes to the people who need them.  It also helps participants to understand the value of the contents of a ShelterBox when it’s all they have to provide shelter, warmth and hope. 

For each of the challenges teams of four are tasked with navigating their way around a special course, over two days, whilst transporting a loaded ShelterBox containing all the kit and equipment they will need to survive.  The challenge boxes contain amongst other things a special 10 person Vango tent, a multi fuel stove, food, rope and a water container and they weigh between 25 and 30 kilos.

A big part of the challenge is coming up with the best possible method of carrying the ShelterBox, its contents and all the teams’ personal equipment as efficiently as possible. In past years the beginning of the event has always provided plenty of entertainment as teams implement a bewildering array of transportation methods.

As teams navigate from check point to check point they must overcome all sorts of obstacles including inhospitable terrain and harsh weather conditions.  At the check points the team’s spirit, camaraderie and ingenuity is tested in a series of tasks and challenges based on the contents of the ShelterBox.

This event is fantastically rewarding, not only do you get to spend a special weekend with your friends in a spectacular place but you also get to work as a team, towards a special goal, whilst testing your fitness, resilience, ingenuity and sense of humour.

Book a place

Visit the Shelterbox website

Venues

Dartmoor Dartmoor National Park covers an area of 368 square miles - the largest and wildest area of open country in southern England. Throughout the year Dartmoor is an exceptionally beautiful place to visit, with deep wooded gorges, beautiful lake-like reservoirs and tumbling rocky rivers.

Lake District The Lake District National Park is England's largest and covers 2292 square kilometres (885 square miles). It is famous for its stunning scenery, abundant wildlife and cultural heritage. The lakes and tarns give the Lake District a quality of scenery and recreational resource found nowhere else in England.

What is involved?

• Two day foot race between checkpoints

• Devise an effective method to transport your Shelterbox

• Navigate across the National Park and complete set challenges

• Overnight camp in Shelterbox tent

• Exciting, fun team focused adventure

• Rewarding experience

What Actually Happens

At 9.00 on the saturday morning you will be given a thorough personal kit check which you must pass. Once your whole team has been checked and given the all clear, you will be given acces to your Shelterbox. You must then reorganise the box, and all of the kit it contains, and devise a method for transporting it. As soon as you have done so (to your own satisfaction) you are free to start the course.

The course is kept secret until the day itself.  Each day is split into stages.  At the start of each stage you will be given the appropriate coordinates for that particular section of the course. You will be required to complete set challenges/tasks at each checkpoint before being allowed to move on to the next stage.

At the end of day one you will be required to erect a Shelterbox tent to sleep in, and cook your own evening meal using a Shelterbox stove. There is a great atmosphere around the camp and their will be some form of entertainment.

Day two is much the same as day one, only shorter and with a few more suprises! The event finishes in the early afternoon with a hearty hot meal and a prize presentation.

Overnight Camp

The overnight camp is carefully selected to meet our and our participants’ needs.  All camps have basic toilet and shower facilities.  We do not ‘wild’ camp to prevent putting the environment under un-due pressure.

Sport Ident

Each Shelterbox is fitted with a small Sport Ident electronic ‘dibber’ for the duration of the event. At each checkpoint and transition the ‘dibber’ must be inserted into an electronic timing station which records the time and provides proves passage through that point. At the end of each day the accumulative time is downloaded and used to determine overall position. Please note; the event director may occasionally deem it necessary to ‘stop the clock’ and introduce short breaks between stages for safety reasons.

Prize Categories

1st / 2nd / 3rd Teams
Spot Prizes

Kit and Equipment

Please Note that the items of equipment highlighted in red below are mandatory and must be carried at all times throughout the challenge, there will be thorough checks before and during the event to ensure this important safety guideline is followed.

The statistics of the ShelterBox are;

Volume =185 liters
Length = 850 mm
Width = 600 mm
Depth = 550 mm
Approx Weight Empty = 2 Kg
Approx Weight including kit 25 Kg

For the challenge the ShelterBoxes will be pre packed with the following;

1 x 10 person Vango tent
1 x ShelterBox cooker, fuel container & 4.5 ltr cooking pot
1 x 15m x 9mm Lengths of rope
1 x plastic sack for protection of vital equipment
4 x Ready cooked, boil in the bag breakfast meals
4 x Ready cooked, boil in the bag main meals
1 x 15ltr Water Container (empty)

Please note that each team must also carry the following equipment;

2 x mobile phones (ensure the organizers have both numbers) Preferably 2 different networks and kept in 2 separate sealed plastic bags)
2 x compasses per team (GPS systems are not permitted in the ShelterBox Challenge)
1 x First Aid Kit including 4 x emergency foil blankets
Money for emergencies
Team Snack food and water

Each team member must have access to the following personal clothing & equipment;

Rucksack for personal kit
Water proof coat and trousers
Warm Hat
Synthetic or wool layered clothing system, including base and insulation layers
Good quality sturdy walking boots
Hiking socks
A change of clothing for camp
Sleeping bag
Sleeping mat
Head torch or flash light
Emergency Whistle

In addition to the above kit and equipment it is also highly recommended that each team as access to;

A pen knife
A brew kit (tea, coffee, sugar)
Sun screen

FAQ's

Q: Do we have to carry all of the equipment supplied in the ShelterBox, in the box during the challenge?
A: No, a big part of the challenge is coming up with the best possible method of carrying the ShelterBox, its contents and the team’s personal equipment as efficiently as possible; the contents of the box may be taken out and distributed amongst the team.

Q: Do we need to supply our own food?
A: Yes and No! You will be provided with nutritious dehydrated meals for diner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday.  There will be a wholesome hot meal for all participants at the finish on Sunday afternoon. Each team will need to ensure they have plentiful supplies of energy snacks for consumption during the challenge and these will need to be transported as part of the essential kit.

Q: Will we be checked for all of the mandatory equipment?
A: Yes, teams we be rigorously scrutinised to ensure they have all of the compulsory equipment as outlined in the essential kit list.  Teams without the necessary items will not be permitted to start the challenge.  There will also be random kit checks for both ShelterBox items and team kit during the event.

Q: Will there be any water available, & do we have to carry any of our own?
A: Yes, at each check point there will be plentiful supplies of drinking water however it is essential that each team carries a minimum of 4 litres with them during the challenge.

Q: If our team fails to raise the target £1000 for ShelterBox, will we be forced to make up the difference ourselves?
A: No, we appreciate that it can be tough raising money for a charitable organisation but we do ask that you do your very best.  The £1000 fundraising target is there to help guide you but many teams manage to raise substantially more than this.  It is important that the fundraising aspect of the event is thought of as an important part of the challenge and is started early.

Q: Is the event dangerous?
A: The event is designed to be challenging, it takes place regardless of the weather conditions, and crosses extreme terrain.  Teams will be subject to physical and mental stress and if not properly prepared are at risk from any number of potential hazards including, exhaustion and hypothermia.  With good preparation, the correct clothing and equipment these potential hazards are minimised. 

Feedback

The extracts below are taken from real emails and letters sent to us after past Shelterbox Challenge events. We strive to continually improve our events and services so please keep sending us your comments as this is the only way we can keep learning how to make things better.

‘Can I say that it was one of the hardest things I think I have ever done in my life, but one of the proudest also. Many a D of E participant have I got round by saying that in a couple of days the pain will go but the achievement lasts for ever. I have come to believe my own propaganda!  Can you pass on to the rest of ShelterBox and Endurancelife our extreme thanks for an absolutely brilliant, but hard, challenge’.

Just like to thank you and the team for all the suffering and pain that we were put through last weekend on Dartmoor. it was a great experience and we also met lots of friendly like minded fools!!! it was a great weekend good luck on your other adventures. Martin Eddy : Royal Mail

Just a quick e-mail to say thank you for endurancelifes fantastic organisation of the challenge this weekend just gone. It is the second event I have been to (coastal marathon being the first) and I have been impressed by your team’s efforts on both occasions. It makes travelling the distance from up here in Merseyside to take part worth it. Thank you. Matt Smith (Team 4 & Team no 2)

Dear ShelterBox team
We just wanted to let you know although the weekend was endurance testing, we still had an enjoyable and memorable time!  Everyone was in good spirits and very supportive including your team, as well as the Endurancelife team (they have done a great job!).

It is amazing how pain ‘gels’ you together and what a variety of people, ages, all walks of life … come together for one cause and one aim, to finish as a team to raise awareness and funds.  We are now trying to get the last monies in and approach even more people with sympathy to our tired and battered bodies!

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to see how difficult and arduous it can be to deliver essential and much needed emergency equipment to remote and off the beaten track areas. We very much appreciate your work and are proud for having been able to contribute a little to your great work!  And who knows maybe we can make it in 2008?! (We’ll talk about it when the pain subsides...)  Kind regards Rosa for Team Misfits

Hi Gary, Just wanted to say thanks for the weekend, well run and good fun! Everybody in the team enjoyed it even our back-up girls! Michael (Sherper Tension) is now keen to try some of your other events so we may see you there. Again many thanks for a great (Ache) weekend! Cheers from John, Sharon, Toby dog and the gang. Look forward to seeing the pictures.

On behalf of ‘Four Pints Please’ I just want to say BIG thanks for such a fantastic weekend.  The blood sweat and tears were worth it for such a well organized and worthwhile event.  Everything from the provision of Snickers bars, beers and a huge Sunday roast were so perfectly well timed.   I have attached a few piccies for your records.  I am still hurting, but I think I will be up for it again next year once the pain has become a distant memory! Thanks guys.