mega:MK Bring International Geocaching Festival to Milton Keynes
Last May, The Parks Trust Community First Fund awarded a £3,000 small grant to support mega:MK, which brought a geocaching event to Milton Keynes for the first time.
Thanks to the endowment we manage on behalf of The Parks Trust, these grants are supporting charities to deliver projects in green spaces across the city.
Who are mega:MK and what do they do?
mega:MK are a committee of volunteers dedicated to bringing an international geocaching festival to Milton Keynes. Geocaching is a treasure hunt for the digital age. GPS coordinates and either a phone app or a GPS reader guide people to hidden cache containers, each containing a logbook that the geocachers sign.
Once signed, the cache is replaced so that it can be found by future Cachers. Geocachers regularly organise events to meet up, take part in community events and end their year in a week long festival in August.
What support did mega:MK need?
To support an international geocaching festival, particularly the central event in Campbell Park, mega:MK needed some help.
They planned a festival that featured free family-oriented activities for Milton Keynes residents and the wider community, that also aimed to support local charities by showcasing their work to a bigger audience.
The planning for the festival began before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the restrictions on fundraising and meetings brought serious challenges. Without support, there was a real possibility that the entire week-long series of events would have to be cancelled.
The backing mega:MK needed was crucial to ensure the success of the festival and to continue providing valuable opportunities for both the community and local charitable projects.
What difference did the grant make?
The £3,000 Small Grant made a significant difference in ensuring the success of the geocaching festival. The funding enabled mega:MK to fully realise their plans for the biggest event of the festival.
The boost led to increased visitor turnout, drawing more people to charity partners in Milton Keynes, including The National Museum of Computing, UK Astronomy, and Bradwell Abbey.
Visitors also explored Parks Trust locations, helped with the Blue Lagoon, and supported Scots Sports & Social Club, which is fundraising for new facilities, as well as Stony Stratford PC and other community events.
The event contributed an estimated £250k to the local economy over the week. The festival attracted local residents and created many new contacts within the community.
How do we provide grants to charities?
Without our fundholders, we simply couldn’t continue to provide grants to the hundreds of good causes across our city. Thanks to the generosity of local businesses and individuals, and their continued commitment to support us, we can keep sending funding where its needed most.
The success of the geocaching event for Mega MK has inspired some committee members to consider organising a smaller, more regular version of the event in the future. Something that could never have happened without the support of our fundholders.
Jaqui Garrad from The National Museum of Computing:
"Well all I can say is the mega MK team are absolutely amazing. What a fantastic well organised event for 270 people that attended. At the event were a beautiful bunch of people who brought our museum to life and we would welcome them back any time.
You have been awesome with your crew and I’ve never met somebody as passionate about what she does. You are a superstar. I will certainly work with all of you again and look forward to seeing you very soon."
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About the author
MK Community Foundation