Loans Warehouse sets off for Lapland in six million-step Christmas charity challenge
01 October 2026
Loans Warehouse's team will set off for Lapland this morning as 18 members of staff begin a month-long challenge to collectively walk six million steps and raise money to buy Christmas presents for local children.
The Watford-based specialist finance broker originally challenged its team to virtually walk the approximately three million steps from Watford to Lapland during October.
However, after 18 members of staff signed up, Loans Warehouse decided to double the challenge: walk to Lapland, “collect the presents from Santa” and walk all the way back to Watford.
The team now needs to complete an average of 193,546 steps every day, with each participant targeting approximately 333,333 steps during October – or 10,752 steps every day.
Turning six million steps into Christmas presents
The challenge has been created to raise money for Christmas presents for children supported by local charities and organisations, including Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.
Loans Warehouse is now asking its lenders, introducers, networks, partners, suppliers and friends across the mortgage and specialist finance industry to support the team by donating.
The company is particularly encouraging supporters to consider a £50 donation – enough to help put a Christmas present into the appeal – although donations of any amount are welcomed.
Matt Tristram, Co-Founder & Director of Loans Warehouse, said:
“Tomorrow we set off for Lapland and there are now 18 of us committed to getting there and back.
What started as a slightly mad idea to walk three million steps to Lapland has turned into a six million-step challenge. We’re going to walk there, collect the presents from Santa and bring them back to Watford.
For each of us that means averaging 10,752 steps every single day throughout October. It’s enough to make this a genuine challenge, but there’s a much bigger reason behind doing it. We want to turn those six million steps into as many Christmas presents as possible for local children.”
Sam Busfield, Co-Founder & Director added:
“Our industry has always been incredibly generous when there’s an opportunity to help, so our ask is deliberately simple.
“Could you spare £50 and help us buy a child a Christmas present?”
“If our lenders, introducers, partners and friends each give £50, those individual donations could very quickly become an enormous pile of presents. We’ll do the walking. We’d love the industry to help us fill Santa’s sack.”
The challenge in numbers
- 18 Loans Warehouse staff
- 31 days
- 6,000,000 steps
- 193,546 team steps per day
- 333,333 steps per person during October
- 10,752 steps per person, per day
- Watford ➡️ Lapland ➡️ Watford
The team will record its steps using the StepUp app, with Loans Warehouse sharing progress throughout October as the group makes its virtual journey across Europe towards Lapland and then home again.
We would welcome any donations of just £50 to help buy a Christmas present 🎁
Donations can be made through the Loans Warehouse Christmas Delivery fundraising page:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/christmas-delivery
The challenge begins Thursday, 1 October 2026 and runs throughout October.
