In less than two hours, Team Rickshaw will arrive at BBC Elstree Studios after having cycled 700 miles over eight days to raise money for BBC Children in Need. Team Rickshaw is made up of five young people, each of whom have been supported by projects funded by BBC Children in Need. The team is also made up by a family members and The One Show’s Alex Jones has teamed up with Martin. Alex Jones' co-presenter and Rickshaw veteran, Matt Baker, has also been on hand to support the riders on their eight-day relay journey which has crossed all four nations of the United Kingdom.
Not only has the Rickshaw Challenge raised a great deal of money for Children in Need, it's also an excellent example of how real-time and location-based information can help to sustain interest. Our app was used for the Challenge both to keep Team Rickshaw on course and also to keep its supporters updated with progress.
Location, location, location is never more true than when it comes to events. For any promoter the challenge is how to capture the atmosphere for spectators and to get them to engage with the experience even when they are not physically there.
This is where mobile comes into its own – new developments in augmented reality mean that spectators are accustomed to using their device to gain more information about the action as it happens and share their views with commentators.
For outdoor events, knowing what is happening and when can add greatly to the excitement and make events more accessible to supporters. It has been important for Team Rickshaw to maintain interest during the grueling trip in order to raise as much money as possible for the appeal.
The Rickshaw Challenge have also used ViewRanger’s BuddyBeacon location device, which has allowed viewers at home to follow their progress in real time. The experience has been enhanced through regular news updates as Team Rickshaw tweeted each time something happened and included photographs to create a story for their journey.
A dynamically updated map featuring all these anecdotes has bee made available for the charity website. This also enabled the fundraiser to tap into local supporters, such as Holyhead Primary in Wednesbury, nr Birmingham. The staff were able to see when the Rickshaw was estimated to pass their school and the pupils could then go out and cheer them on in person. After all it is not every day you get to meet a human sized yellow teddy bear.
Team Rickshaw haven't got far to go until they reach the finish line. See where they are here.
By Craig Wareham, Co-Founder of ViewRanger.
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