Sheffield’s Charity Hitchhike society is back this year with a fresh team, president and destination.
Part of the RAG society, Bummit has run since 2003, setting its participants a location to get to within a given time limit.
Bummit’s new president, Grace Palmer, spoke to Forge and said: “You’re raising money for charity, it goes to such great causes.
“You find so many amazing people who all want to participate in something that’s fun for them and great for the wider community. I think that’s what makes Bummit so special.
“The committee convinced me [to become president]. Being able to help manage and grow something so amazing was a huge motivator.”
The society puts on two hitchhike events per year; Baby and Big Bummit. The former aims for a closer destination, the latter a more ambitious one.
Participants are asked to meet a fundraising target by whatever means they like for charity. Last year Baby Bummit’s target was to reach Glasgow.
When asked about this year’s upcoming edition, Grace explained that hitchhikers will leave on the 13th of November, from outside the SU, in the early hours of the morning.
She said: “It will be hard work but good fun. You need to cross half the country in less than 24 hours, because you want to have time to sleep, eat and party. It’s exhilarating.
“A lot of people like doing good deeds. There’s a lot of uncertainty from the people giving you rides, they have to really trust you, but that means you meet some amazing people – it’s an act of mutual trust.”
The charities that will receive the donations from Baby Bummit this year are ASSIST for asylum seekers, Roundabout Sheffield, Sheffield Women’s Aid, and Simon Community Scotland for the homeless in Edinburgh.
Last year, social secretary Maddie Kennedy was among the Big Bummitters trekking to Porto, via the stipulated midpoint of Bordeaux.
She said: “Big Bummit was a transcontinental adventure and a fantastic opportunity to travel in an entirely new and unfamiliar way. It’s a shared experience I would recommend to anyone who wants to see more of the world!”
2023 also saw the total money raised by Bummit since 2003 nudged past the £1 million mark.
Grace also explained to us some of the admin and said: “Big Bummit will be in the first week of the Easter holidays this time. We’ll announce the location on Baby Bummit. It’s intense, because it [Big Bummit] can be five, six, seven days, and the midpoint inclusion gets thrown at you at 7am on the first day.”
As a closing remark, she added: “The goody bags and t-shirts this year are really good, by the way.”
More details of the charities, past hitchhikes and the full committee are published on Bummit’s Instagram and website.
Written By Frank Morrish.
