Student organised sponsored walk still strolling on after 51 years

The Bogle Stroll is a heritage of the University of Manchester and UMIST.

Each year hundreds of determined students set out to walk 55 miles around Greater Manchester to raise valuable funds for charities close to their hearts.

Launched in 1961, Bogle has been a centre piece for the student calendar for over five decades. The event is completely organised and managed by students who are juggling coursework, lectures, dissertations and revision with planning an event which supports and caters for hundreds of people whilst they gradually loose strength and energy.

In recent years the quickest recorded time to complete the full 55 mile route is a little over 14 hours, though the average completion time is closer to 21 hours.

The route takes the form of two loops; the first is the 29 mile southern loop bringing walkers to Manchester Airport and through Stockport before taking them back to the University of Manchester North Campus, adjacent to Piccadilly Station.

The second takes in the north of Manchester by heading out on Oldham Road and then continuing north through Prestwich and Farnworth, before finally returning through Salford.

Each person who signs up to the event commits to raise a minimum of £60 for a charity of their choice, though the organisers hope that, given the scale of the challenge, friends and family will be generous to give a lot more.

This year it is hoped that over 500 people will take part in the walk raising over £50,000 for charities.

Although the event is organised by students, anyone is welcome to take part and to help raise awareness of the event throughout the Greater Manchester population The Children’s Society have been nominated as this year’s charity of the year.

 Bogle organiser Tom Bartley said, “Having a partner with such great links to a non-student supporter base is a fantastic opportunity to grow the event. Students often get a bad press with local residents, part of the aim of the walk is to demonstrate that we can be very hard working and determined to do good for the community. The Children’s Society do an incredible job with children and young people throughout the UK and have several programmes and centres within Greater Manchester, making them the perfect partner for this year’s event.”

This year’s Bogle takes place on Friday 2nd – Saturday 3rd March and people can sign up at www.bogle.org.uk.