The Great St Albans Challenge - Sunday 12th October 2025
Superhero-themed GPS treasure hunt to support Youth Talk in St Albans
Avengers assemble and turn your Spidey sensors on, St Albans! The Great St Albans Challenge is back with a bang, taking place on Sunday 12 October 2025 in the heart of St Albans city centre.
This GPS-powered treasure hunt is your chance to channel your inner superhero with teams swooping through the city’s historic streets, flying from hotspot to hotspot to crack clues, complete photo and video missions to rack up the points. There’s no need for super speed as the top teams win on points, not pace, making it fun and inclusive for all ages and abilities.
Teams of up to 6 people can register for the challenge, which begins at the iconic St Albans Cathedral and finishes with an awards presentation at The Alban Arena – complete with medals, trophies and surprise guests. Bonus points will be awarded for best dressed, so grab your mask, iron your cape, and unleash your alter ego!
Inspired by the everyday heroes among us, this fun, interactive event is a chance to do something truly great for a vital local cause. By taking part in the challenge, participants will help to raise crucial funds for Youth Talk – the St Albans-based charity that has been providing free, confidential counselling to young people for almost three decades.
Youth Talk is a small charity with a big remit. Demand for its services is growing rapidly, with over 120 young people currently receiving support each week, and around 80 more on the waiting list. It costs the charity over £50,000 a month to provide its free, confidential counselling service, which is why fundraising events like the Great St Albans Challenge are so crucial. Every cape worn and every clue cracked helps make sure no young person has to face mental health struggles alone, as they rely on donations to keep their services free and accessible.
David Barker, CEO of Youth Talk, is hoping to beat last year’s fundraising total. He said:
“This isn’t just a fun day out – it’s a superhero mission for mental health in St Albans. Last year, we raised over £8,000, which helped fund around 160 counselling sessions for vulnerable 13–25-year-olds. With demand for our services growing, we’re aiming even higher in 2025. So do something Thor-some and register your team. Together, we can smash our fundraising target!”
Special discounts! Teams can register with a special £50 rate on weekends using code SUPERSIGNUP3
Local businesses are also invited to be heroes by sponsoring the Great St Albans Challenge or entering a team. Details of sponsorship opportunities are also available on the website.
Key details:
· Date & Time: Sunday 12 October 2025; rolling start from 13:00 –14:00
· Location: Starting at St Albans Cathedral. Finishing at The Alban Arena
· Distance: Approximately 2 miles of walking over 2.5 hours with buggy-friendly routes
· Teams: up to 6 people (minimum 2 and maximum 6), checkpoint-friendly for under-10s
· Awards & Swag: Medals for all, trophies and prizes for top teams, with some super surprises along the way!
