A charitable investment benefiting Oxfam: Trailwalker

This year, several teams of staff and students will once again take on the challenge in Girona, Spain (55 km), and in Avallon, Burgundy (100 km).

While there are many charities and NGOs to which you can donate, participating in a Trailwalker is a true investment in solidarity, as Melvin Richou, Oxfam’s event project manager, explains: “The Trailwalker is a unique way to raise funds for Oxfam. And with such a significant fundraising goal, we need to set a physical, athletic, and mental challenge that matches the scale of the effort.”

Investing time and energy in fundraising

First, each team needs to raise about €2,000 to cover the entire cost of the trip (donations, registration fees, and logistical expenses). To do this, students and staff organize a few fundraising events (raffles, pancake sales, sales of Lorrain pâté, etc.), but they mainly seek out sponsors.

An exercise that takes time but is undertaken solely in preparation for the walking test that awaits them…and vice versa.

Prepare yourself physically and mentally

Next, you have to train. While walking is something almost anyone can do, walking up to 100 km is a different story. That’s why teams train over several weeks: from a few hours to a full day, day or night, in any weather, group hikes allow walkers and their supporters (required to participate in a Trailwalker) to identify their weaknesses and address them.

And training is key: “Not all participants are athletes, and they come from all age groups,” explains Melvin Richou. “To make it to the finish line, it’s not enough to be young and athletic—it’s training that matters.”

Pushing yourself to the limit to cross the finish line

Finally, after weeks of preparation and frequent meetings, the teams of students and staff will set out in May to walk 55 and 100 kilometers, respectively.

Every year, the participants say the same thing: it’s a team effort. When some falter, the others are there to help them get back on track. Because despite all the preparation, it’s a real physical and mental battle that everyone must fight to cross the finish line.

Melvin Richou is convinced that if 80 to 85% of teams make it to the end, it’s because of this sense of teamwork that allows everyone to support one another during tough times. 

Unwavering solidarity

And despite the commitment required and the difficulty of the event, participation continues year after year.

The students are preparing for their fourth Trailwalker. Each year, the walkers from the previous year become supporters the following year, giving others the chance to experience the same adventure they did, while they themselves return to the event.

As for the staff, they are preparing for their second edition. Just a few days after their first time participating, everyone was already talking about going back. The original group has even been joined by new teammates.

The enthusiasm has even caught on with the organizers: “At Oxfam France, there are only four of us organizing the event, so we can’t participate when we’re in charge of it. However, we did take part in a Trailwalker in Belgium, and we plan to go back!” concludes Melvin Richou.

The 2020 Teams