The in-person UK event will take place on Friday 5th September 2025.

Start/Finish Address:
Mapledurham Country Park, Upper Woodcote Rd, Caversham, Reading.

Please use the What3Words below to get to the exact location in the field.
Disregard any postcodes found online which will direct you to another location.

• What3Words: ///rinse.groom.latest

Registration for the event has now closed.

The registration fee is £25.

The timings of the event are below:

• 06:20 – Car park opens
• 06:30 – 11:30 Registration open
• 07:30 Marathon walk starts
• 09:30 Marathon run starts
• 10:00 Half marathon walk starts
• 11:00 Half marathon run starts
• 11:40 10km run and walk starts
• 13:00 – 16:30 – Guide stretch sessions (every 30mins)
• 13:00 – 18:00 – Foundation Fair, BBQ & Massage open
• 19:00 Event village closes
• 19:15 – Car park closes

Registration has now closed.

Yes, we will operate a waiting list.

If the event sells out, please contact vodafonefoundation@thresholdsports.co.uk to request a place on the waiting list. You will be contacted if a place becomes available.

There are six packages available for this event:

• 10km run
• 10km walk
• Half-marathon (13.1 miles) run
• Half marathon (13.1 miles) walk
• Marathon (26.2 miles) run
• Marathon (26.2 miles) walk

If you don’t want to take part in the activities, there is also the option to join as a spectator to come and cheer people on and explore the Foundation Fair. Select the spectator ticket option. Please note, you will need to pay a £20 entry fee to cover costs.

Unfortunately not, only persons aged 18 years or above can take part in the Step for Schools event.

Yes, friends and family of Vodafone employees can take part. When registering, please let us know the name of your connection at Vodafone.

Yes, come and cheer people on and explore the Foundation Fair. Select the spectator ticket option. Please note, you will need to pay a £20 entry fee to cover costs.

You are still welcome to take part in the challenge if you leave Vodafone before Friday 5 September.

If you leave and no longer wish to take part, please contact vodafonefoundation@thresholdsports.co.uk to cancel your place.

View the event rules and regulations here.

All routes start and finish at Mapledurham Country Park. All routes can be found via this link: ROUTE MAPS

Terrain and difficulty

The condition of the trails for all routes will be quite weather dependant. In a wet period, the trails will become muddy and slippery with some standing water especially in the lower Thames side areas. Lots of the route will be on good trails but there will be areas of uneven, loose and trippy ground.

Half and full marathon (2 loops for full)

The route leaves Mapledurham heading East towards Caversham. At Fry’s Island the route crosses the Thames for the first time on the new pedestrian Christchurch Bridge. After the bridge the route sticks close to the river heading West along the Thames Path. At around 10km the route reaches Tilehurst and in another 6km the route reaches Pangbourne and closes back over the river this time of the scenic Whitchurch Bridge. The route then heads east along a quiet land until reaching Hardwick Hall and drops down through the fields back to the finish at Mapledurham.

10km

This route follows the same direction away from Mapledurham and towards Caversham. After around 2km the route turns north and starts to head out of the river valley and into the Chiltern Hills. Most of the height is gained steadily along a good track. With the height comes some great views. At around 6km the route descends before climbing steadily again in an attractive valley past a farm. At the head of the valley is a mature forest where the trail turns back towards the finish. With 1.3km to go the route comes out of the woods and into open fields, this point on the route has a stunning view across Mapledurham the river and the event village two fields across.

The elevation graph for the half marathon (2 loops for full) is here.

The elevation graph for the 10km is here.

Lots of the route will be on good trails but there will be areas of uneven, loose and trippy ground.

We would recommend a decent running trainer or trail running shoes. 

The route maps can be viewed here.

You can email us anytime at vodafonefoundation@thresholdsports.co.uk.

If you have special requirements, please add this detail when prompted to on the registration form.

Simon Wheatcroft lost his sight at 17 years old, learned to run solo outdoors, and ran his first ever race just seven months later – a 100 mile road race.

Simon will be joining the in-person UK challenge at Mapledurham Country Park. He is taking on the 10km and needs your help to make it round the course.

Simon is encouraging anyone who wants to try guide running to join him. Whether it’s your first time, or you already have experience, everyone is welcome to give it a go.

If you are interested, message Rosie Horton – rosie.horton@vodafone.com

Training plans for the event can be found below:

• 10km walk – 12 week training plan
• 10km run – 12 week training plan
• Half marathon walk – 12 week training plan
• Half marathon run – 12 week training plan
• Marathon walk – 16 week training plan
• Marathon run – 16 week training plan

You can view the event information guide here, which has all the relevant details you need to get you ready for your challenge.

Participants are responsible for arranging their own transport to and from the event.

TRAIN

The nearest train stations is Reading, which is approximately a 15-minute drive.

Shuttle buses will be available between Reading Train Station and the basecamp. The shuttle timetable can be found in the event information guide.

Any journeys needed outside of these times will need to be arranged by taxi.

CAR

Participant car parking is available at the basecamp venue for around 200 cars.

Vodafone employees may not book their travel to/from the Challenge through Evo.

There is parking available at the venue for around 200 cars. Please indicate on the registration form if you will require parking.

The following will be provided:

• Food and drinks at pitstops, as well as a meal at the festival basecamp
• Medical support throughout the event and in basecamps
• Foundation festival area with entertainment and exclusive talks from special guests

Food throughout the day

All participants will receive a pastry and hot drink when they arrive at the event basecamp.

Lunch will be available in the form of packed lunches. These can be picked up from basecamp in the morning to take with you on the route or will be available when your return to basecamp.

When you have completed your challenge, there will be a BBQ available throughout the afternoon at the basecamp.

If you have any specific dietary requirements, please make sure these are included on your registration form and all dietary requirements will be catered for.

Drinks throughout the day

Tea and coffee will be available at the basecamp, and there will be water provided at all pit-stops and at basecamp.

Once you have finished your challenge there will be a bar serving alcoholic and soft drinks throughout the afternoon. Please note these are limited to 2 per person included in your ticket price. More drinks will be available to purchase at the bar.

There will be a variety of food at pit-stops and the festival area that cater for all common dietary requirements.

There is a section on the registration form for you to provide dietary details, but if you have any specific requests and would like to talk about this specifically please get in touch on vodafonefoundation@thresholdsports.co.uk.

There will be an unlimited supply of water whilst on the event.

What kit do I bring?

You can view the kit list in the event information guide. We do not recommend you bring any valuables (e.g. jewellery, laptops etc.)

Unfortunately, no dogs can take part in the Step for Schools event with the exception of assistance dogs. This is due to specific landowner permissions, which means dogs are not permitted anywhere along the route, including the start and finish locations.

If you require the help from an assistance dog, please email us at vodafonefoundation@thresholdsports.co.uk

The route is fully supported from start to finish. There will be a dedicated crew looking after you at the festival area and pit stops, as well as a team of medics.

The route is fully signed so you won’t need to worry about any complex navigation. There will be a dedicated route team to ensure that you are well supported on the day, as well as route medics, logistics crew, and an event control team just on the other end of phone at all times if you have any problems.

There is a fundraising target of £250 per person. This is an aspirational target and isn’t mandatory. We know that £250 means different things depending on your personal circumstances, currency and where you live in the world. Funds will be matched by Vodafone Foundation.

It’s never too early to start fundraising! To set up your fundraising page, please visit the full campaign page, and select the ‘start fundraising’ orange button: Step for Schools – JustGiving

Please note, the £250 target is per individual, not per challenge. If you are taking part in both the in-person event and virtual challenges, you only need to aim for £250, not £500.

Yes absolutely! We already have teams raising £1000s together for the challenge, from team bake sales to taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge.

Funds are being matched by Vodafone Foundation. This means that for every £1 you raise, we will donate £1 too. For example, if you raise £250, Vodafone Foundation will add £250, making your final total £500.

All funds raised through the Step for Schools challenge support the work of our long-term partner, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to help ensure more refugee children and young people can access a quality digital education.

 Education is not just a fundamental human right; it is a powerful tool for empowerment and a pathway to a better future. Yet across the world, millions of children find themselves caught up in conflicts that have a devastating impact on their lives, and futures.

Of the total 14.8 million school-aged refugee children, 49 per cent are estimated to be out of school, meaning more than 7 million refugee children are currently missing out on an education.

To address this, Vodafone Foundation and UNHCR have worked together since 2013 to improve the quality of education by providing refugee hosting classrooms with technology, connectivity, digital resources, content, training and more to support up to half a million refugees and host community students in some of the world’s most marginalised areas. The INS programme is operating in six African countries: Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Egypt, Mozambique, South Sudan and Tanzania.

Your fundraising will be donated to UNHCR to help ensure young refugees, host communities and their teachers, have access to a quality digital education through our INS programme.

Being a refugee is not a choice. Together, we can support refugees so they too have a chance for a brighter future for themselves, their families and their community.

To learn more about INS visit: Vodafone Foundation | UNHCR

Not sure where to start with your fundraising? Click here to view our fundraising pack for top tips and support.

Here we will publish a list of the comms we’ve previously sent out so you can recap at your leisure:

• Welcome to Step for Schools
• Training plans
• Invite your friends, other events & virtual challenge launch
• The perfect prep for the Step for Schools live September
• The global challenge starts NEXT WEEK!
• Updated start times, shuttle timetable and travel survey
• Event guide, fundraising, training walks and volunteering

If you can no longer take part in the event, you must tell us as soon as possible by emailing vodafonefoundation@thresholdsports.co.uk

See below for the options available to you.

If you want to cancel your place, please contact Threshold Sports via vodafonefoundation@thresholdsports.co.uk.*

*Please note, we operate a 14-day cooling off period. If you email to cancel your place within 14 days of payment, you will be eligible for a refund of your Entry Fee. Any cancellations after this 14-day period, and any fundraising donations are non-refundable.

• Participant Transfers can only take place if the new Participant wishes to take the same Event Package.
• No refund is given for a participant transfer, the original Entry Fee remains from the outgoing Participant, and the new Participant is given a free entry.
• Additional purchases will be handled in accordance with the Event Rules and Regulations.
• The deadline for a Participant Transfer is 23:59 on Friday 22nd August.

Yes, you may change distance if notice is given to Threshold Sports via email to vodafonefoundation@thresholdsports.co.uk

Participants sign up to Challenges as private individuals supporting Vodafone Foundation, not as Vodafone group employees. You are therefore required to arrange your own insurance. Insurance is highly recommend. We advise taking out cover when your registration is confirmed. Please ensure you have the correct cover for this type of challenge.